Plants

National Mall and Memorial Parks serves as a botanical showcase with over 20,000 trees and thousands of flowers, shrubs, and water plants. Many of these plants are nationally significant, such as the American elms that line the National Mall and the Japanese Yoshino Cherry trees that provide a spectacular floral display every spring around the Tidal Basin. Culturally valued historical trees, high-visibility trees, and highly charismatic trees require exceptional care. Currently, the park is in the process of updating its antiquated tree inventory program into a modern urban forestry program to better determine management deficiencies and needs and to monitor the condition of the tree population in terms of health, diversity, age, and ecological services. Managing these resources requires a coordinated effort between the Branch of Natural Resources and the Division of Maintenance.