the Most Endangered Trees in America

American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)

In 1900, the American chestnut was the most abundant tree in the eastern United States. Today, it’s almost gone. The problem? A fungus called chestnut blight. Chestnut blight is a type of mold that was likely introduced to America from an Asian species of chestnut. Once here, it ran rampant through American forests and decimated the population.

Fortunately for us, other types of trees still exist—but unfortunately for the American chestnut, its numbers have dwindled so severely that there aren’t many left in the wild. However, because some individual trees are resistant to chestnut blight and we know how to breed them with other resistant individuals, there is hope yet for this once-abundant species.

Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)

• Slippery Elm is a tree native to the American Midwest (including Iowa), although it can be found in eastern parts of Canada and Mexico. The tree’s bark is used medicinally—particularly its mucilage, a thick, glue-like substance made up of polysaccharides. Mucilage is known for its soothing and healing properties, making it a common ingredient in throat lozenges; it’s also used as a treatment for sore throats and irritable bowel syndrome. One of the most common ways to use slippery elm bark as medicine is as a poultice—an absorbent pad or cloth applied to an external part of the body where it can help with skin issues like burns, abrasions, and bites.

It has been used as a natural remedy in North America for centuries; Native Americans were known to have used slippery elm bark extensively as medicine. Today, slippery elm products are sold by various companies that specialize in natural remedies.

Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. Canadensis)

• this tree grows mostly in the midwest, northeast, and along the southeast coast
• it has black berries which are a rich dark purple or almost black
• as of 2008, there were only 39 mapped locations of this tree left
• white pine blister rust is threatening this tree’s existence
• this tree has been on the endangered list since 1992

Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)

A member of the cypress family, Atlantic White Cedar is found along the East Coast and is closely associated with wetlands in the region. This tree was once used extensively for its wood products, which include shingles, poles and posts. But now this species’ population has dwindled due to certain factors such as climate change and saltwater intrusion that flood coastal lands. Fortunately, some conservation efforts are being made to help save the Atlantic White cedar from extinction, including planting seedlings in areas where it’s needed most.

The Ancestral Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens spp. Sempervirens)

The Ancestral Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens spp. Sempervirens) is only found in California. You’ve probably seen this tree in movies and other media, as it’s often used as a stand-in for any ancient or particularly impressive forest. And it makes sense! It’s the tallest tree in the world, growing to a height of 379 feet with a diameter of 26 feet at its base. These trees can also live to be 2,000 years old—making them not only the tallest, but also one of the longest-living things on earth.

Unfortunately, thanks to climate change and overlogging for lumber and paper products (and who doesn’t love paper? Am I right?), these majestic giants are considered threatened by extinction by the IUCN Red List, making them one of the most endangered trees in America. Because they’re so huge and slow growing, their numbers are unlikely to recover quickly even if logging stops tomorrow or if climate change reverses itself entirely, which means they may not be around much longer if we don’t do something about it now.