Des Moines names shagbark hickory its 'Tree of the Month' at Ashby Park

Dafina Mansour, the City of Des Moines summer forestry intern, stood at Ashby Park and introduced the shagbark hickory as the city’s “Tree of the Month,” highlighting the tree’s shaggy bark, fall color and role for wildlife. "It gets this lovely namesake from its amazing, shaggy bark," Mansour said on site at Ashby Park.

The designation matters for residents interested in urban canopy and tree planting: Mansour said the shagbark hickory offers "a beautiful burnt orange yellow fall foliage," can provide substantial shade — growing up to about 100 feet tall — and is drought tolerant. She added that the species is an abundant food source and habitat for wildlife and described it as "super unique" and "an overall cool tree."

Mansour said the shagbark hickory was one of the trees distributed in the city’s 2024 tiny tree giveaway and directed residents to the city’s online tree inventory, TreeKeeper 8, to locate specimens around Des Moines. "The shagbark hickory was one of the trees that we gave away in the 2024 tiny tree giveaway," she said. "If you'd like to find shagbark hickories near you, you can use our online tree inventory TreeKeeper 8."

The brief presentation lasted about a minute and was framed as an informational feature rather than a formal action item. Mansour closed by inviting residents to tune in for the next monthly feature: "We'll see you next month for the tree of the month."