Self-Guided Campus Tree Tour

Every Spartan Tree Has a Story

Welcome to the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden’s self-guided tree tour of some of the historical and significant trees located in the West Circle Dr. area of Michigan State University. The MSU Campus is home to thousands of trees, many pre-dating establishment of Campus itself. Take the tour and learn about the amazing diversity of trees on Campus, how these trees are used in science, and the some of the many ways that these trees are connected to Spartan history.
Some of the trees are the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) rediscovered in 1939, after it was thought to be extinct, Norway Spruces (Picea abies) planted in 1865, Huntingdon Elm (Ulmus x hollandica 'Vegata') planted by President Theodore Roosevelt, and the “Resilient Oak”, White Oak (Quercus alba) that is 375-400 years old.

Instructions

Begin your tour at the Dawn Redwood in the Botanical Garden. You can find the tree by using the map image or PDF below or using the interactive tree map at the link. Each tree is labeled. You can click through below to find information on each tree, or scan the QR code listed on the “Spartan Tree Story” tags attached to each tree. Use the image/PDF or the campus tree map to navigate to the next tree. Please share your thoughts or ask questions by sending us an email at wjbeal@msu.edu. We hope you enjoy the tour!