Sarma Ozols
What to see now
Check out what’s in bloom on Governors Island, updated seasonally. Don’t forget: you can locate any tree on Governors Island with our interactive tree map!
Reminder: Please allow our landscapes space to thrive and do not pick flowers or plants during your visit to Governors Island.
Spring Blooming Trees
Snow Goose cherry
Prunus ‘snow goose’
One of the earliest spring blooming trees on the Island, the Snow Goose cherry provides a key early spring food source for the Island’s pollinator population. Its fibrous root system helps combat soil erosion and it thrives in full sunlight.
Where to find it: A small concentration of Snow Goose cherry trees can be found in Liggett Terrace
Kwanzan Cherry
Prunus ‘Kanzan’
Perhaps the showiest spring blooming tree on the Island, this Japanese flowering cherry tree absolutely explodes with color in late April. While it’s a fruitless cultivar, it still acts as a food source for pollinators during the spring months.
Where to find it: The most iconic Kwanzan cherry tree can be found across the street from Building 309 (the former Our Lady Star of the Sea chapel), with additional trees located in Nolan Park and on the lawn between QC NY and Castle Williams
Pink Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida f. rubra
The pink flowering dogwood is a small deciduous tree that is native to Eastern North America. It can grow up to 30 feet tall, and blooms with pink flowers in the spring. It provides valuable food and habitat for pollinators and is known for its four seasons of interest.
Where to find it: There are two at the southern end of Nolan Park, and several more clustered throughout Hammock Grove
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry
Amelanchier x grandiflora
This natural hybrid between the Common and Allegheny serviceberry typically grows as a multi-stemmed tree (pictured here) or shrub. Its beautiful white flowers bloom in April, followed by edible fruits in June that resemble blueberries.
Where to find it: All 23 of these particular serviceberry trees can be found along the ADA-accessible pathway up Outlook Hill
Saucer magnolia
Magnolia x soulangeana
This hybrid flowering tree feature large, fragrant, goblet-shaped flowers in the spring. Originally bred in France by a retired officer in Napoleon’s army, it has countless different cultivars throughout the world and is particularly popular in parks.
Where to find it: You can find them on the North Island, with one in Nolan Park, one in Colonels Row near Pizzeria Fantastica, and one on the lawn between QC NY and Castle Williams.
Eastern redbud
Cercis canadensis
Native to eastern North America, the eastern redbud is a large shrub or small tree that can grow up to 30 feet tall. It has a dark, smooth bark and bright, showy pink flowers in the spring. The flowers provide vital food sources for long-tongued bees, including carpenter bees.
Where to find it: Along the western edge of Hammock Grove on the way to Slide Hill
Photos by Sarma Ozols and Timothy Schenck