Letterman gets treed. (Clippings).

David Letterman comfortably quips with movie stars, musicians, and politicians but conversing with AMERICAN FORESTS' Jeff Meyer challenged the veteran comedian.

"How are trees generally in the world?" Letterman opened, as strains of The Beatles' Norwegian Wood faded.

"They're growing," Meyer retorted. On a serious note, he added that Americans realize the benefits of trees and are planting more trees than ever. "Because they provide carbon dioxide," Letterman stabbed.

"No, they absorb carbon dioxide," Meyer corrected.

Meyer, who directs AMERICAN FORESTS' Famous & Historic Trees program, appeared on The Late Show on July 23 following publication of his book, America's Famous and Historic frees. In the book Meyer chronicles the stories of 17 historic trees and tells how to grow the species.

The Historic Tree Nursery grows progeny of trees connected with famous people or events. Several years ago, Meyer gathered seed pods from a tulip poplar in David Letterman's hometown, Broad Ripple, Indiana. The tulip poplar is located several blocks from the market where Letterman bagged groceries as a teenager. Letterman rewarded Meyer's arboreal honor with a premier slot on his show.

Letterman became a bit perplexed as Meyer explained that only trees grown from that particular Broad Ripple. Indiana, tulip poplar--not the whole species--were "David Letterman tulip poplars."

"See, I thought I would get the whole deal," a disappointed Letterman said. "You know, years from now people would be looking in books [and say], 'Oh, there's a David Letterman tulip poplar.'"

Cheering Letterman by comparing him with George Washington, Johnny Appleseed, and Andrew Jackson, who each have a tree, Meyer pointed out that Letterman didn't have to wait until he died to have his "own" tree.

"Ha ha!" a delighted Letterman chortled, pulling his very own "David Letterman tulip poplar" from below his desk. He promised to plant it at his home.

The Late Show booked Meyer as a guest after staffers spotted a February New York Times review of his book and learned that Meyer was growing a tree for Letterman. Although the comedian's tree is not mentioned in the book, the George Washington tulip poplar, grown from a tree at the first president's Mt. Vernon home, is featured prominently. (The $30 book, published by Houghton Mifflin, is available in bookstores or from www.historictrees.org.)

Meyer is conducting a search for America's historic trees to be published in the National Register of Historic Trees in 2004. Nominations are being accepted from citizens and communities at www.historictrees.org. He's also writing a textbook on growing historic trees and filming a 13-part PBS series on trees.