I Am a Tree

"I Am a Tree"
Grey's Anatomy episode
Addison Montgomery and Mark Sloan's affair is revealed to Derek Shepherd. The plot point was a popular point of interest among critics.
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 2
Directed by	Jeff Melman
Written by	Krista Vernoff
Featured music	"The Time Is Now" "Crashing Down" "Theme From Chalets" "The Mating Game" "Running On Sunshine" "Open Your Eyes"
Original air date	September 28, 2006 (2006-09-28)
Running time	43 minutes
Guest appearances
Chris O'Donnell as Finn Dandrige Diahann Carroll as Jane Burke Richard Roundtree as Donald Burke Javier Grajeda as Jeffrey Hernandez Steven W. Bailey as Joe
Episode chronology
← Previous "Time Has Come Today" Next → "Sometimes a Fantasy"
Grey's Anatomy season 3
List of episodes

"I Am a Tree" is the second episode in the third season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 38th episode overall. Written by Krista Vernoff and directed by Jeff Melman, the episode aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 28, 2006.

The episode focuses mainly on Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), as her romantic relationship with Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) is tested through the arrival of his parents. Further story arcs which provided a particular focus on individual characters include Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) facing Derek Shepherd's (Patrick Dempsey) desire to divorce her, Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) coping with Denny Duquette's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) death and the repercussions of her choice to quit the internship program, and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) struggling with the choice between Derek and Finn Dandridge (Chris O'Donnell). Also dealt with was Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) attempting to have Stevens rejoin the program, Mark Sloan (Dane) arriving from New York City in order to resume his romantic relationship with Montgomery, and Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) being evacuated from the hospital.

Although the episode was fictionally set in Seattle, Washington, filming took place in Los Angeles, California.^[1] The episode is the first to feature Diahann Carroll, who begins a recurring role as Jane Burke, Burke's mother. The installment marked Eric Dane's second appearance in the series and first appearance in the season, despite not being credited. The episode was instrumental in the producers' decision to have Dane promoted to series regular status in the following episode.

Upon initial telecast, the episode was viewed by approximately 20.93 million viewers, ranked second in the time-slot and third for the week and garnered an 8.6 Nielsen rating in the 18–49 demographic, seeing a decrease from the previous episode, which received a 9.0 rating. It received mixed-to-negative reviews from television critics, with Addison's storyline receiving critical acclaim.