PC: NYC Parks
The Camperdown Elm was planted in the park in 1872 after Brooklyn florist A.G. The tree’s story drew wider attention in 1967, when Brooklyn poet Marianne Moore wrote a poem about it and drew attention to its poor condition.
The campaign eventually helped lead to the creation of the Prospect Park Alliance to ensure the effort to protect the park and its historic trees, according to NYC Parks. A tree in New York’s Prospect Park has a history that began with a chance mutation in Scotland nearly two centuries ago. Burgess donated it to the city. Its unusual ‘weeping’ branches gave it a distinctive appearance, but years of neglect eventually left the tree damaged. Moore’s campaign soon drew support from residents, who were also concerned about the condition of other threatened areas in the park.
PC: NYC Parks The Camperdown Elm came to Prospect Park in 1872 after A.G. That changed in 1967, when Brooklyn resident and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Marianne Moore wrote a poem about the damaged elm. Marianne Moore brought wider attention to the damaged Camperdown Elm in 1967.
The Camperdown Elm traces its origins to the late 1830s, when an unusual branch was discovered at Camperdown House in Dundee, Scotland. The branch came from a Scots Elm and carried a natural mutation that gave it an unusual growth pattern. It was attached to the trunk of a normal Scots Elm, producing a tree with the ‘weeping’ branches that became its defining feature. The tree also had another notable trait. It was immune to Dutch Elm Disease, which devastated elm populations across North America during the last century. The Camperdown Elm eventually reached New York, where one specimen was planted in Prospect Park and later became known for its unusual appearance and its decline after years of neglect. Burgess, a Brooklyn florist who regularly donated trees to New York City parks, gave the tree to the park. It was planted on a raised mound so its distinctive weeping branches could hang freely without touching the ground. For years, however, the tree received little care and gradually fell into poor condition. Her attention to the tree helped bring its condition before a wider audience. The elm had long been admired for its unusual shape, but years of neglect now made its condition a growing concern and prompted residents to call for greater care of the tree and other vulnerable areas of Prospect Park. The Brooklyn resident and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet wrote a poem about the tree, drawing attention to its poor condition and the need to protect it. Her concern soon gained support from local residents, bringing greater public attention to threatened and vulnerable areas across Prospect Park. The campaign became part of a broader push to protect the park, helping lead to the creation of the Prospect Park Alliance, a non-profit organisation that works with the city to care for the park. The Camperdown Elm remains a familiar part of Prospect Park, where its crown and distinctive weeping branches can be seen above the raised mound. The cables beneath its crown are part of the continued care given to the old tree. Its preservation is closely linked to the efforts of Marianne Moore and residents. Their campaign also increased public awareness of threatened and vulnerable areas across the park and helped lead to the creation of the Prospect Park Alliance. The non-profit organisation sustains Prospect Park in partnership with the city, including caring for the Camperdown Elm. The tree has become part of the park’s history, linking its unusual Scottish origins to the preservation efforts that took shape around it in Brooklyn. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
