"The United States is blessed with a wealth of tree species; two times as many as all of Europe. Yet while we have other national emblems, we have no national tree. With this voting process hosted by The National Arbor Day Foundation, Americans of all ages and all walks of life will help select a tree to take its place alongside the bald eagle, the 'Star Spangled Banner', and our country's other enduring national symbols.
"Trees have long represented strength, beauty, honor, and the triumphant struggle to survive. Trees have stood over the meeting places where great moments in our country's history were shaped. Now you can help shape history by participating in this vote for America's National Tree." (more available at Why are we voting:)
These are noble words indeed. But do they really answer the question, Why? Yes we have other national symbols, symbols that represent pretty much the entire country, or the entire country at the time they were chosen. But can we truely select one tree, or even one Genus of trees that can be truely representative of all 50 states...from the artic to the tropics? Certainly not from among those that have been put up for selection at the poll.
The leaders in this poll currently include dogwood, oak, pine, redwood and maple. All noble trees in their own right but are they National Trees? The flowering dogwood represents a lot of states their State Tree, but is not a native of the majority of the country. Hmmmm....and does the term dogwood include the Japanese Kousa Dogwood?
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