A Botanical Tour of Harlem

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Cornus florida L.

This dogwood collected in 1892 hints at the more rural past of Harlem, which was mostly farm and woodland until the 1870's.

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Cornus florida L.

Dogwoods still grow in Harlem, This one was collected from the northern edge of Central Park.

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Rosa palustris Marshall

Growing along the Harlem Meer, this beautiful native rose provides food for pollinators and birds.

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Gaylussacia baccata (Wangenh.) K.Koch

Harlem once had a series of hills and knolls that supported species adapted to dry, xeric habitats, such as this Huckleberry. Marcus Garvey Park is centered on one of these old knolls.

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Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent.

This Paper Mulberry was collected by NYBG co-founder Elizabeth G.K. Britton at the terminus of 125th St. and the Harlem River in 1876.

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Solidago rigida var. rigida

Now known as Malcom X Blvd, this Goldenrod was collected from the corner of 145th and 6th Ave in 1883.

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Solidago speciosa Nutt. var. speciosa

35 species of Goldenrod are known from NYC, and 9 grow in Harlem. They are important for pollinators.

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Anthyllis vulneraria L.

A native of the Pyrenees, this is one of the first reports of this species in the US. NYC was once ringed in docks, and this specimen was collected from a ballast yard that once occurred at the northern end of 8th Ave, now called Frederick Douglass Blvd.

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Platanus orientalis L.

With its multi-colored flaky bark, the London Plane tree is perhaps the most commonly planted street and park tree in NYC. This one was collected from Morningside Park, on the western edge of Harlem in 1936.

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Cornus florida L.

By Matthew C. Pace

Jan 21 2022

The New York City neighborhood of Harlem is a center for Black culture in America. Take a tour through Harlem and learn about some of the plant species collected from the neighborhood, from city sidewalks to northern Central Park. Containing over 37,000 specimens collected from the five boroughs, the NYBG Steere Herbarium protects and maintains the largest collection of plants and fungi from NYC, providing an invaluable window into the City’s evolving biodiversity and cultural landscape.

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