Meet The New 'Iron' Trees Along North Mercer Way

MERCER ISLAND, WA — A few months ago, Mercer Island announced that it would remove a row of sun-damaged trees along North Mercer Way. The Norwegian maples had been cooked over the years by sun reflecting off the road — and they were as good as dead.

Parks crews recently replaced the maples with a species called Mediterranean ironwood. The trees are very tiny, and you may have missed them. But within 15 years, they should be as big or maybe bigger than the maples that were there.

Mediterranean ironwood trees grow, as you might expect, around the Mediterranean Sea. They are not native to the Pacific Northwest, but they grow in similar conditions, including long wet periods with dry, hot summers.

(Just FYI: Norwegian maples are not native AND they are invasive, which means they crowd-out local species.)