Old Forest State Natural Area

In Overton Park

The Old Forest State Natural Area (also known as "The Old Forest) is a stunning 126 acres of old-growth forest located in the heart of Memphis. It's a part of the larger Overton Park, a 342 city park that is near and dear to the hearts of most people who live in Memphis. The Old Forest is a prime example of mature, native hardwood trees and is one of the only remaining tracts of old growth like it in western Tennessee. Much of the remaining hardwood forests in western Tennessee had been cleared by the late 1800s, however, Overton Park was purchased in 1901 and has been preserved ever since.

The natural area canopy is largely dominated by tulip poplar, eleven oak species and five hickory species. Other common trees include white ash, green ash, black cherry, sassafras, sweetgum, hop hornbeam, American hornbeam, sugar maple, red maple, box elder, redbud, sugarberry, American elm, slippery elm, three dogwood species, red buckeye, and pawpaw. Shrubs include spicebush, hazelnut, common hydrangea, and hearts-a-bursting. Herbaceous plants include prairie trillium, celandine poppy, wild ginger, white avens, cut-leaf toothwort, Solomon’s seal, black snakeroot, Jack-in-the-pulpit, inland sea oats, smooth yellow violet, woodland phlox, Virginia knotweed, tall bellflower, jewelweed, cut-leaf coneflower, Jacob’s ladder, and thirteen fern species.