Why are there so many roads named after trees?

[roadgeek01]

I've always wondered why there are so many roads named after trees.  I don't mind the fact, but the topic seems interesting enough.

[bing101]

Residential streets most likely have streets named after trees though like Maple ave in Vallejo,CA.

[DandyDan]

There aren't enough famous people to name roads after?

[Jardine]

Yet there appears to be no "Tree Street" anywhere . . .

[Big John]

^^ There is a Tree St in Philadelphia: https://www.google.com/maps/search/Tree+Street,+Philadelphia,+PA/@39.9224031,-75.1720176,16z/data=!3m1!4b1

[Jardine]

EXCELLENT !!!

[ET21]

We love our trees

[Max Rockatansky]

Here in California there is a glut of roads either called "Sequoia" or "Redwood" despite not being located near an actual grove.  I always thought it was just as simple as giving names more of a local California flavor with all the Redwoods being an name to pick.  Conversely Arizona had a lot roads names; Cactus, Saguaro, Joshua Tree, Yucca, etc. 

[Roadgeekteen]

There aren't enough famous people to name roads after?

There are tons of famous people. If you would like to name roads after all of them is a different question.

[Scott5114]

Especially in recent times, a developer that is allowed to name their own streets in the neighborhood they're building often treats the street names as marketing pieces. They think a house on Maple Street is more likely to sell than one on something like Bledsoe Street. They think people will have a positive association with living close to a maple, even if there are no actual maples on that street.

[bing101]

Well in some areas residential streets are named after flowers like Rose Drive in Benicia, Ca.

[epzik8]

Laziness?

[formulanone]

Especially in recent times, a developer that is allowed to name their own streets in the neighborhood they're building often treats the street names as marketing pieces. They think a house on Maple Street is more likely to sell than one on something like Bledsoe Street. They think people will have a positive association with living close to a maple, even if there are no actual maples on that street.

There's some towns and cities which were using those names probably a bit before modern marketing, such as when they wanted something to alphabetize the road names or just to be different than First, Second, Third, et cetera. I always thought of it to be "traditional"...naming streets after local trees, plants, animals, or minerals probably dates back centuries. Along with naming them after people who owned land adjacent to the road or the following town/village/hamlet, it was literally the natural thing to do.

That's not to say developers don't stick with those kinds of ideas; loads of recent sub-developments seem to find obscure botany or other combinations of words just to be unique. Once-famous people and ideas come and go, but trees can last many generations.

[silverback1065]

I've always wondered why there are so many roads named after trees.  I don't mind the fact, but the topic seems interesting enough.

My theories are that it's a simple naming scheme, but isn't it because that's what trees grew or were planted on that street originally? They tend to be only downtown in my experience.

[ColossalBlocks]

Because we love our trees. In fact, I love mine so much I eat them daily.

[Henry]

The same is true for cities; see Oakland, Pineville, Maple Grove, Palm Springs and Myrtle Beach, among others.

[Roadgeekteen]

Because we love our trees. In fact, I love mine so much I eat them daily.

How do you eat trees?

[MNHighwayMan]

Because we love our trees. In fact, I love mine so much I eat them daily.

How do you eat trees?

Bite by bite, of course.

[Roadgeekteen]

Because we love our trees. In fact, I love mine so much I eat them daily.

How do you eat trees?

Bite by bite, of course.

isn't it too hard?

[MNHighwayMan]

isn't it too hard?

That's what she said.

[Roadgeekteen]

isn't it too hard?

That's what she said.

Who is she?

[hotdogPi]

isn't it too hard?

That's what she said.

Who is she?

"That's what she said" is a common joke used in certain situations. You're only 14, so you wouldn't understand.

[Roadgeekteen]

isn't it too hard?

That's what she said.

Who is she?

"That's what she said" is a common joke used in certain situations. You're only 14, so you wouldn't understand.

What does the joke mean?

[kphoger]

I really hope that's bait.
Oh, wait, age 14.

[kphoger]

Yet there appears to be no "Tree Street" anywhere . . .

There's a Google for that.  Use it.

Cayce, SC
Clinton, IL
Columbia, SC
Dover, AR
Flowood, MS
Interlachen, FL
Lake Oswego, OR
Largo, FL
Leeds, AL
Minnetonka, MN
Philadelphia, PA
Pomona, QLD
Waurn Ponds, VIC