Caucasian Wingnut of Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, New York

There are over seven million trees in the Big Apple by the USDA’s count, but only around 120 worthy of the NYC Parks Department's official title “Great Tree of New York City.” These are trees of historical, botanical or cultural significance, with five of them located within the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. One of these, located on the west side of the garden, is a Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia) – a giant, gnarled and wizened specimen with a trunk that splits into four parts, one so thick and horizontal that it needs external help in the form of a crutch to stay up. The tree origin...