The sidewalk repairs along 39th Avenue between Main Street and Union Street are complete, and now they feature new trees, mulch and concrete around the empty pits.
The Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce worked with the Parks Department to plant the four Ginkgo Biloba trees.
“Ginkgo Bilobas are extremely hardy and a proven urban street tree,” said Queens Forester Neil Barrett. “Hopefully, once they’ve had a few years to settle in, they’ll help transform that street of Flushing.”
According to Queens historian Dr. Jack Eichenbaum, ginkgo are distinguished by their fan-shaped leaves. Here’s Eichenbaum on the history of trees in Flushing:
“Flushing was the site of the first plant nurseries in North America. The Prince nurseries (the origin of Prince St!) began in the early 18th century, hybridized fruit trees for the North American climate. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were among their customers. Later, the Parsons nurseries which occupied land now utilized by Flushing High School, Weeping Beech Park and Kissena Park, grew trees for Central Park and Prospect Park. Parsons and other nurserymen also planted exotic species of trees on the streets of Flushing. Northern Blvd, originally Broadway and the center of commercial Flushing before the subway, was a narrower thoroughfare graced by mature trees in what are now additional traffic lanes.”