Edgewood Highlands Celebrates Arbor Day with 5 Trees

The Cranston Conservation Commission and Edgewood Highlands Elementary School celebrated National Arbor Day with a planting of 5 trees recently.

Principal Marlene R. Gamba, staff, students, and members of the Conservation Commission participated with an educational demonstration planting of 4 Autumnalis Cherry and 1 Red Sunset Red Maple Trees. The Cherry trees will cast much needed shade onto the play structure area and the Red Maple tree will buffer the school from the adjacent homes. These trees will be a beautiful addition to enhance the school’s landscape.

The deciduous tree, Autumnalis Cherry, is native to Japan and is considered one of the hardiest and longest lived varieties. The upright spreading habit produces a potent spring bloom of semi-double pink-tinged white flowers. A mild fall bloom is an added bonus. A striking deciduous tree, the Red Sunset Red Maple, is an improved native variety. Its upright spreading habit produces small showy reddish spring flowers followed by its stunning fall orange-red leaf color display. As the early 1600’s exploration of North America began, the first organized plant hunters Englishman John Tradescant (1570-1638) and son John Tradescant (1608-1622) introduced a phenomenal range of plants to the rich and famous (including King Charles I). North America’s Red Maple tree was one of the plants brought to Europe to be planted there.