precontact
prospect park, brklyn



basswood, aka American linden, Tilia americana, bloom

bitternut hickory, Carya cordiformis, nut oil
eastern white pine, pinus strobus, resin
oak moss, Evernia prunastri, lichen
spicebush, Lindera benzoin, bark, foliage
tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, bloom


Prospect Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, opened in 1867. They left undisturbed two primary forests, called the Ravine and the Midwood, dominated by oak, hickory, and chestnuts. By 1911, not one chestnut remained due to the Great Chestnut Blight.1 The tree species we selected—basswood, tulip tree, and eastern white pine—are the most fragrant of those present pre-European settlement in such a forest type. Also included: hickory nuts as a carrier oil, and a lichen traditionally used in perfumery that grows on oak bark.   

1. Newman, Andy. “Returning Chestnut Trees to City Where Blight Was First Found.” New York Times, City Room, 23 March, 2011.

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