THE LEAFLET

Phenology February is Back!
The NFL has the Super Bowl, the National Park Service has Fat Bear Week. The NCAA has March Madness; birders have the World Series of Birding. There seems to be a competition celebrating everything, from pickleball to air guitar, from thumb wrestling to mustache growing.
Well, tree lovers – never fall victim to this FOMO again! Get ready to slam dunk into the arboreal arena with Casey Trees’ second annual Phenology February! It’s time to leaf the ordinary behind and root for your favorite tree in a March Madness-style showdown like never before.
Why Phenology February?
In a month that too often feels cold and gray, lacking the spirit of the holidays earlier in the winter, and devoid of the greenery and colors that other seasons bring – it’s easy to forget about our arboreal friends. Trees sit dormant, ready for spring to return. Thus, February is the perfect time for us to turn our attention again to trees and their seasonal changes and to remember the joy trees bring us year-round.
Additionally, it’s a great time to learn about our region’s tree species. DC is much more than its cherry trees, and we can take time to learn more about the diversity of trees we see every day.
How we created the Phenology February bracket:
Casey Trees plants a lot of trees – over 7,000 per year! We plant many species, most native to our area and all suited for the mid-Atlantic climate and urban environment. We call them urban-hardy trees. They range from small to large trees, deciduous to evergreen, flowering to fall colors, and more.
We chose our top 32 tree species through a mix of criteria, including overall planting numbers (i.e., which species we planted the most of last year), the prevalence of species within the region, Casey Trees staff feedback, and more.
We seeded (no pun intended!) these tree species within our bracket to reflect these criteria and represent our planting efforts. For example, a tree species ranked as a 1-seed is likely one of our most planted species. In contrast, an 8-seed is rarer and lower on the list of our most planted trees.
What happened to last year’s winner?
Last year, the Scarlet Oak took home the crown as the inaugural Phenology February champion! However, we had included the DC state tree, even though it didn’t truly meet our criteria to get on the bracket – we just don’t plant as many Scarlet Oaks as some other species. Since we didn’t plant as many Scarlet Oaks this year, it didn’t make the cut for one of our top 32 species. But don’t fret, Scarlet Oak lovers, our state tree remains a cherished favorite in DC’s tree canopy, and you can still love, support, and root for the species to reclaim its bracket spot next year.
How you can vote in Phenology February:
Watch out in our Leaflet and our social streams for links to voting starting this week. You can also download the bracket and get creative – start an office pool, challenge a friend, or create a new way to play!
This year, Casey Trees staff exclusively voted in the first round, narrowing the field. Now, it’s your turn! The second round and beyond are open to the public, and we need your votes to determine which trees advance. Stay tuned to next week’s Leaflet to see the results and continue voting!
So… who are your picks for Phenology February?!