Oak Nominated for National Tree

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. — The venerable oak was nominated as the national tree in a vote announced Friday by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

The redwood placed second, with dogwood, maple and pine rounding out the top five. The foundation started the campaign this year to name a national tree from 21 candidates.

“The oak is what people selected,” said John Rosenow, the foundation’s president, at an Arbor Day celebration. “It has the most species in the United States and it grows throughout the country.”

The tree-planting foundation hopes the public recognizes the oak as the national tree, even if Congress does not act, Rosenow said. Such resolutions have been introduced in the House and Senate but never approved.