Not a great way to prune a palm tree :-( Saw these palms (I think queen palms, or Syagrus romanzoffiana) on Pond Street in the Castro. Owner no doubt wanted to keep them under the wires, but by removing the terminal bud, it probably means these trees are history. Too bad, because palms are so easy to transplant (and mature ones are valuable).
Queen palms on Pond Street
Don't know why I never noticed this grouping of Metrosideros excelsa in the lawn of the Main Post at the Presidio. Decided to use this photo for the NZ Christmas Tree photo in the 2nd Edition of Trees of San Francisco.
There are other great trees nearby - the Centennial Tree (blue gum eucalyptus that was planted on the nation's centennial in 1876); also some of the city's best giant dracaenas (Cordyline australis).