To honor Arbor Day in Old Saybrook this year, the Town of Old Saybrook planted eight trees: three pin oaks in front of Cypress Cemetery on College Street and five winter king hawthorns in front of Old Saybrook High School. Similarly, last Tuesday the town’s Parks & Recreation Department planted four Princeton elm trees at Fort Monument Park to beautify the park.

Most of the trees planted last week by the town will replace street trees damaged or stressed from drought, high winds, and storms. The new tree varieties were chosen carefully to ensure they will withstand a range of conditions including strong winds without dropping major branches.

Town resident and Master Gardener Kathy Connolly said that the town’s ailing Bradford pear trees in front of the high school were taken down last fall.

“The old Bradford pears succumbed to winds and storms. They are not native trees,” said Connolly. “The five new trees are winter king hawthorns and will be planted in a group rather than in a single line. Trees when grouped together are stronger in a storm.”

While some may lament the loss of the Bradford pears’ spring blossoms, the more hardy winter king hawthorns that will replace them will offer their own showy displays.

“The winter king hawthorns have massive white flowers in June and red berries in late September that last until February,” said Connolly. “They are Southeastern U.S. natives and provide wonderful bird food and don’t drop branches. They are close to the ideal street tree.”

The hawthorns also have another advantage: Their height maxes out at about 20 feet so they won’t interfere with the power lines that line the Boston Post Road in front of the high school.

The three pin oaks planted in front of Cypress Cemetery on College Street, however, are a very different tree.

“The pin oak is a Connecticut native tree and grows to be very tall, as high as 80 feet. They are very strong and fast-growing and they create habitat for birds and insects,” said Connolly.

A tall tree is well-suited for placement in front of Cypress Cemetery, too, because there are no power lines there with which the taller tree could interfere

The Parks & Recreation Department was responsible for purchasing and planting the four Princeton Elms that appeared last week at Fort Monument Park at Saybrook Point. According to Parks & Recreation Director Ray Allen, each year a town family donates funds to help beautify this park. By pooling the donated funds from several years, Allen was able this year to buy the four elms for the park.