The trees may be dormant, but our passion for arboreal competition is wide awake.
Welcome back to Casey Trees’ third annual Phenology February, our riveting March Madness-esque bracket competition where your favorite trees go head-to-head to see which tree is #1 in the District—and you get a say in which trees make the cut!
Casey Trees plants an average of over 7,000 trees a year throughout the DC area as a part of our mission to restore, enhance, and protect our urban canopy. We plant a wide variety of species suitable to the mid-Atlantic region and resilient in urban environments, many of which are native to DC. From small to large, deciduous to evergreen, flowering to striking fall colors, each tree plays a key role in supporting our communities and ecosystems.
And what better way to keep ourselves warm this winter than through heated competition!
HOW IT WORKS
We selected our 32 top-planted trees and assigned each a “seed” number based on how often it’s planted. For example, a tree with a 1-seed is one of our most-planted species, whereas a tree with an 8-seed is planted less frequently.
And like how the NCAA divides March Madness into four regions, we assigned our trees to one of four divisions—Conifers & Evergreens, Fruit & Flowers, Fall Colors, and Shade Giants—where they’re then matched up based on their seed number. Each matchup is put up to a vote, and the tree with the most votes advances to the next round.
This year, we had a great mix of legacy players and newcomers. American Sycamore, our champion from last year, entered the area with high hopes of holding onto the crown. Scarlet Oak, the champion from our first Phenology February, returned after notably missing last year’s tournament. Pawpaw also made an appearance after a hiatus from last year’s competition, and Chokecherry, Black Walnut, and Bur Oak were looking to make a splash for the first time in this year’s contest.
STAFF VOTING
Like last year’s tournament, the Casey Trees staff voted first for their favorite trees, setting the stage for the rest of the competition.
While competitors such as the Bald Cypress and Honeylocust won their contests handily, most matchups were extremely close. Both former champions—the American Sycamore and Scarlet Oak—were booted from the tournament, as well as our batch of newcomers. Fan favorites, such as the Kwanzan and Yoshino Cherry, also suffered heart-wrenching losses. Sweetgum was the Cinderella story, performing a major upset against the top-seeded River Birch. A truly eventful start to Phenology February!
ROUND ONE: YOUR TIME TO VOTE!
Happy? Heartbroken? Ready to make your voice heard? Now is your time to vote and root for your favorite tree!
At the start of every week in February, check our Leaflet and social media channels for voting links. You can also download a printable bracket and get creative—start an office pool, challenge your friends, or play in any number of ways!
Starting now, each round is open to the public. We know it’s hard to pick favorites, but we need your votes to determine which trees advance! Not sure who to vote for? Learn about some of the key players through our tree guide!
Submit your votes for round one at the button below, and stay tuned next week for round two. Happy voting!
