Cole Valley "Social Distancing" Tree Tour 6-12-21

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Cole Valley is one of San Francisco’s best-treed neighborhoods. It has not only great street tree density on almost every block, but also lots of truly spectacular trees - ones that belong on any list of San Francisco’s best. I have a Cole Valley tree tour in my book, Trees of San Francisco, and a good part of the tour below is taken from the tour in my book. However, this online tour has a different and much bigger footprint - it expands further south (to Waller Street) and further west (to Parnassus Heights) than the Cole Valley tour in the book.

I’ve lived in Cole Valley since 1989 (for 10 years at 17th and Belvedere, since then on Woodland Avenue) so I’ve had a long time to observe our streets and our trees. The tour below incorporates the 32 years of neighborhood-observing that I’ve done as a Cole Valley resident.

I planned this tree months ago, covering 41 trees. As usual, this tree tour was a joint effort of a trio of tree geeks - Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture) joined me for the walk. They discovered some interesting trees along the way to supplement my 41, so the trees that aren’t integers (1.5, 3.5, etc.) are the ones we added on the fly as we went .

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Sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum)

Sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum)

1. Corner of Parnassus and Cole Streets (Parnassus Street side). The tour starts at the Sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum) in front of La Boulangerie, a Cole Valley favorite. I remember when the tree was planted in 1995, in front of what was then the iconic Tassajara Bakery. The flowers of this Australian tree are intensely fragrant; this is one of the largest sweetshade trees in the City, so unfortunately although the tree blooms most of the year, the flowers are far above nose-level.

Walk south on Cole Street to Grattan Street.

1.5. 1048 Cole             Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay

Turn left on Grattan Street.

2. 24 Grattan Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Southeast USA.

At the corner of Belvedere, turn left.

3. 431 Belvedere Pindo palm (Butia odorata), Southern Brazil and Uruguay. This is a young tree (planted approximately 2010). Pindo palm are rare as a street trees in San Francisco, and this is the only one in the neighborhood. This tree is already demonstrating the characteristic blue-gray, graceful fronds of the species, which curve in toward the trunk.

3.5. 431 Belvedere      Chocolate persimmon (Diospyros kaki ‘Maru’), northeast India to Southern China. It’s rare to see a persimmon tree on San Francisco streets - this tree was very recently planted, and I’ll be interested to watch it grow.

Cross Belvedere mid-block, and turn right to head south (uphill) on Belvedere.

4. 466-68 Belvedere Two Chinese elms (Ulmus parvifolia), East Asia. Of the 35 different species of elms, the Chinese elm is by far the most common in San Francisco, and the two at this address have been lovingly cared for by the owner. This species is noted for its beautiful bark, which comes off in puzzle-piece shapes. Just next door at 472 Belvedere is another elm - this one is a European elm (it’s incredibly hard to tell the various European elms apart, and I’m not enough of an expert to ID this one!).

Bark of a Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) at 466-68 Belvedere

Bark of a Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) at 466-68 Belvedere

At Alma, cross to the west side of Belvedere, and continue uphill on Belvedere Street.

5. 515-517 Belvedere Cabbage palm (Cordyline australis), native to New Zealand. This tree looks like a palm, but it’s actually in the asparagus family of plants. There are several on Belvedere between Grattan and Rivoli.

6. Continue up Belvedere to 17th Street, and turn right (downhill). Before you do, look across 17th Street - the handsome residence across 17th Street at the corner is a converted church - formerly Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church. The space was deconsecrated in the early 1960s, and was temporarily used by the Grateful Dead as a practice space until finally converted to a residence in the mid-1960s. It's now a beautiful 3-bedroom home with a loft-like giant room. And as you descend 17th, you’ll pass 4710 17th Street, where I lived from 1989-1998.

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7. 4736 17th Cork oak (Quercus suber), Spain and Portugal. This is the largest cork oak in San Francisco (there’s a younger, smaller tree planted next door at 4746 17th). The bark of this tree provides the cork used in wine bottles - if you push your finger into the crevices of the bark, you’ll feel the spongy quality that is characteristic of the tree.

Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) on the right; a red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) showing a bit of its orange flowers on left

Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) on the right; a red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) showing a bit of its orange flowers on left

8. 4810-12 17th Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis), Canary Islands. This is the very tall pine tree between the two buildings at this address. Also at this address (planted in a sidewalk cut) is a red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) from southwest  Australia. Despite its name, the flowers of this tree can bloom red, orange, pink or white (or various shades in between). This tree has beautiful orange flowers when it blooms (I’ve noticed that this one tends to have peak bloom in August and September).

9. 1461 17th Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil. This address is also notable as the childhood home of Bernice Brown, mother of former Governor Jerry Brown - click here and search “1461” to see an interview with her remembrance of the building. I attended a political event on Woodland Avenue maybe 10 years ago, where former Governor Jerry Brown was in attendance, and he told the crowd that he was “conceived” in that building (!).

Pat Mondanton’s “Angel of Hope” at 1591 Shrader

Pat Mondanton’s “Angel of Hope” at 1591 Shrader

Optional detour: at Shrader Street, if you want to take a 5 minute trip to a quirky piece of Cole Valley miscellany, head uphill on Shrader until you get to # 1591. The wooden sculpture at this address was built by philanthropist Pat Montandon when she lived here. Montandon hired sculptor Jack Mealy to carve a sculpture of an angel, which she titled "Angel of Hope", out of the trunk of a *huge* Monterrey Cypress to the left of the driveway . The tree had to come down for safety reasons after its neighbor on the other side of the driveway fell over in a 1997 windstorm, and in an inspired move, Pat decided to use the bottom 20 feet to create this work of art. Montandon at the time was in the process of writing a book about angels, which explains the reference. (If you’ve never been on Tank Hill, then you really should detour even further to the top of Shrader Street, then left to the end of Belgrave, then up the stairs for (IMO) the best view in San Francisco.) If you’ve taken this detour, now retreat back downhill on Shrader to 17th Street.

New Zealand Christmas tree, (Metrosideros excelsa) at 1221 Stanyan - a photo of the tree a few years ago. The tree is just beginning to bloom on 6/10/21

New Zealand Christmas tree, (Metrosideros excelsa) at 1221 Stanyan - a photo of the tree a few years ago. The tree is just beginning to bloom on 6/10/21

Continue on 17th until you reach Stanyan Street, cross Stanyan, and turn right. As you cross the street, look to the left - almost the entire long block of Stanyan between 17th and Belgrave at the top of the hill is planted with American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), native to a range from the Alleghenies through Mexico to Central America. These trees tend not to lose their leaves until the new leaves come in the Spring, so by December and January they are providing fall color.

10. 1221 Stanyan New Zealand Christmas tree, (Metrosideros excelsa) from New Zealand. San Francisco has thousands of New Zealand Christmas trees (it’s the City’s second most common tree); it’s popular for the showy red blossoms that peak in June each year. But unlike every other tree on our streets, this tree blooms yellow. It also happens to be my favorite individual tree in San Francisco (click here to see why), in part for its historical connection to the Victor Reiter (San Francisco’s most celebrated horticulturalist of the 20th Century) and his family.

9.5 1221 Stanyan         Yarra burgan (Kunzia leptospermoides), Victoria, Australia (this is the small tree at 1221 Stanyan, to the right of the driveway. It’s a very rare and unusual tree in San Francisco - the only one we know of on the City’s streets.

Continue north (downhill) on Stanyan, and when you reach Rivoli Street, cross Stanyan.

11. The tree at the northeast corner of Rivoli and Stanyan is one of the City’s best primrose trees (Lagunaria patersonii), native to northern Australia, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. As of this tour in June 2021, the tree just got a pruning from the City’s relatively new “StreetTreeSF” program.

11.5 1195 Stanyan Rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum), New Zealand (the tall conifer between 1195 and 1199 Stanyan). It’s a very rare tree in San Francisco, and is endemic to New Zealand (meaning it grows only there). 1195 Stanyan was the home of Victor and Carla Reiter, and we can see this rare New Zealand tree here thanks to them.

Continue downhill on Stanyan, cross Alma Street and head east on the north (downhill) side of Alma.

champak tree or joy perfume tree (Magnolia champaca) at 232 Alma - the biggest one in San Francisco!

champak tree or joy perfume tree (Magnolia champaca) at 232 Alma - the biggest one in San Francisco!

12. The first tree you’ll encounter on Alma (at the northeast corner of Alma and Stanyan) is a multi-trunked rubber tree (Ficus elastica), native to South Asia. The four tree basins at this address originally had chinese photinia trees that all died simultaneously 20 years or so ago, and the residents of the corner building gradually filled the basins with whatever was handy (a houseplant rubber plant that was getting too big for indoors, a live Christmas tree that needed a home after December 25, some cacti and succulents for a third basin, etc.). The serendipity of the result here makes me smile.

13. 232 Alma - champak tree or joy perfume tree (Magnolia champaca), south and southeast Asia. This tree is a “City Champion” - the biggest champak tree in San Francisco! The whitish blooms of this tree have a beautiful fragrance.

Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana) - photo taken in January when it was in bloom

Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana) - photo taken in January when it was in bloom

Turn left on Shrader Street, and continue to the corner of Grattan.

14. 1201 Shrader Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana) from eastern Australia. This corner address has two trees, this is the one with the bluish-grey foliage on the Shrader Street side; if you visit in January you’ll see brilliant yellow flowers.

Turn left on and head west on the south side of Grattan Street.

15. The last three trees before the corner of Stanyan Street are Victorian box trees (Pittosporum undulatum) from eastern Australia. When they’re in bloom, the small white flowers of this tree have a powerful fragrance - you know this tree is around the corner before you see it. This building (after its recent paintjob) is one of my favorites in the neighborhood - the owners have whimsically painted it four different shades of blue, from top to bottom - get a distance view of the building to see what I mean.

16. Turn right on Stanyan. At 1120-22 Stanyan is a young small leaf tristania (Tristanioposis laurina), also known as water gum, and native to eastern Australia. This is (by far) the most commonly planted tree in San Francisco. It’s not a show-stopper; its flowers aren’t eye-popping, and there’s no amazing fragrance to the leaves or flowers, but it has some important virtues: it is almost impossible to kill, suffers from no pests or diseases, doesn’t grow too tall or break sidewalks, and is very easy to prune and maintain.

Turn left on Stanyan for one short block, cross Woodland Avenue; turn left and head uphill on the west side of Woodland. When homes are sold in Woodland, “tree-lined street” almost always ends up somewhere in the marketing for the home. Our family lives on this street, so I have a bit of a resident’s pride in this street’s trees. :)

17. 25 Woodland Blue atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’), Morocco and Algeria. This majestic tree is one of the best of its type in San Francisco.

18. 43 Woodland and 59 Woodland Soapbark trees (Quillaja saponaria), native to Chile. I’ve thought for a long time that this is an “undeservedly rare” tree in San Francisco - the very few mature soapbarks in the City are spectacular specimens. Soapbark trees have many similarities to our native coast live oak, which isn’t surprising because Chile has a similar Mediterranean climate to ours (dry summers, mild wet winters).

Italian stone pine (Pinus pinea) at 90 Woodland; Richard Neutra’s 1937 “Darling House” on the left

Italian stone pine (Pinus pinea) at 90 Woodland; Richard Neutra’s 1937 “Darling House” on the left

19. 90 Woodland two Italian stone pines (Pinus pinea) from the Mediterranean basin. This tree is the source of pine nuts and pignoli. The home at this address is one of the few Bay Area works of Richard Neutra, a noted Austrian modernist architect who designed dozens of homes (mostly in Southern California) from the 1920s to the 1960s. I’ve watched the last two owners of this home lovingly care for these two spectacular trees over the past 25 years.

At the end of Woodland, continue right on Willard Street and follow Willard down to Parnassus.

20. 1403 Willard The tree at this address is the largest victorian box tree (Pittosporum undulatum) in San Francisco, and possibly the largest in the state. Sadly, the tree is beginning to fail - its canopy is thinning, and I’m not sure it has too many more years with us. I hope it’s just the drought!

Cross Parnassus, and head east (downhill) on the north side of Parnassus.

21. 164-66 Parnassus Strawberry tree (Arbutus x ‘Marina’), a hybrid of two European species . This tree was first introduced to horticulture in San Francisco - the interesting San Francisco story can be found here. (There is another thriving and much bigger strawberry tree just around the corner at 1103-09 Shrader.)

Cross Shrader to the east side of the Shrader, and turn left.

fruits of the female ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) at 1044 Shrader - photo was taken 12-31-20

fruits of the female ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) at 1044 Shrader - photo was taken 12-31-20

22. 1044 Shrader ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China. Of the 1,000+ ginkgo trees in San Francisco, I bet fewer than 25 are female trees - this tree is a female, and it’s the only female ginkgo in the neighborhood. Female ginkgoes have malodorous fruit (it smells like vomit - caused by the release of butyric acid, which also gives rancid butter its smell). There are so few places in San Francisco where you can find the female of this species that I devoted a separate page in Trees of San Francisco to record all of the SF locations where I knew they existed. If you’re visiting from November to February, you should be able to find the fruits on the sidewalk beneath this tree. The other ginkgoes nearby (at 1050 Shrader, for example) are all male trees.

Canary Island palm trees (Phoenix canariensis) at 1024 and 1018 Shrader

Canary Island palm trees (Phoenix canariensis) at 1024 and 1018 Shrader

23. 1024 and 1018 Shrader Canary Island palm trees (Phoenix canariensis), from the Canary Islands. This is the palm tree that lines upper Market Street, and is also found along the Embarcadero.

Cross Carl Street, and turn right (east) on the north side of Carl.

24. At 134-36 Carl, you’ll find the neighborhood’s largest Chinese hackberry trees (Celtis sinensis) from China, Korea and Japan.

Cross Cole Street, and turn left on east side of Cole.

25. 836 Cole Street. The very tall palm tree deep in a yard at this address is a rare hybrid of the Howea palm genus from Lord Howe Island in the South Pacific. Our palm expert, Jason Dewees, was amazed at this tree and estimates it’s at least 75 years old.

At Frederick Street, cross to the west side of Cole Street to 801 Cole, after which we’ll continue south on Cole.

brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus)

brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus)

26. 801 Cole brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), native to Eastern Australia I think this is the most commonly planted large tree in San Francisco at the moment. San Francisco’s Department of Public Works loves the tree - although it gets large, it doesn’t need much pruning or maintenance, it’s fairly friendly to sidewalks, and it’s generally resistant to pests.

27. 751-53 Cole Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), East Asia. The leaves of this tree smell of camphor when crushed (the tree is an important commercial source of camphor).

28. 721 Cole Shamel ash (Fraxinus uhdei), Mexico and Central America I think this is one of the most spectacular trees of any kind in San Francisco, in addition to being (as far as I know) the largest shamel ash in the City. It shows why large trees are important in creating beautiful, tree-lined streets!

Cross Waller Street, and turn right (east) on Waller.

Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos)

Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos)

29. At the northeast corner of Cole and Waller Streets (on Waller, as you approach 1514-16-18 Waller) are several ceanothus (Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’), native (and endemic) to California. This tree doesn’t get very big, so these are some of the largest ceanothus street trees in San Francisco. They put out showy blue flowers when they bloom in late Spring.

30. 1550-52 Waller Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), eastern and southeastern Australia

31. 1514-16-18 Waller Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), Eastern Australia

Cross Clayton Street, turn right and head south (uphill) on the east side of Clayton.

32. The 700 block of Clayton is dominated by London plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia) , including all of the trees on the east side of Clayton from Waller Street to 744-46 Clayton. London planes are one of the most popular urban trees in the world - they thrive in New York, London and Paris. This is also the tree that lines Market Street from the financial district all the way to Castro Street.

32.5 774 Clayton English holly (Ilex aquifolium), Eurasia and North Africa

32.7 29 Frederick        Myoporum, or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum), New Zealand (tree is on Clayton at corner of Frederick; this species is dying all over San Francisco, due to an insect pest called thrips; note that the leaves are poisonous)

Cross Frederick, continuing on the west side of Clayton Street.

Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) - 24 Carl Street

Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) - 24 Carl Street

33. The first four trees past Frederick Street on Clayton are American sweetgum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua), native to a range from the Alleghenies through Mexico to Central America.

34. 812 and 816 Clayton Bronze loquat (Rhaphiolepis deflexa, syn. Eriobotrya deflexa), Southern China and Vietnam.

35. 822 Clayton Mock orange or tobira (Pittosporum tobira); southern Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan. Intensely fragrant flowers. We think this is a “City Champion” - the biggest of its kind in San Francisco!

At Carl Street, turn right and head downhill on the north side of Carl.

36. 24-26 Carl Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), China This is the palm tree that will survive further north than any other palm - it can easily handle winters in Seattle and London.

37. 32-24 Carl Gold medallion tree (Cassia leptophylla), Southern Brazil I love this tree - it is a relatively recent introduction to San Francisco, and IMO is still “undeservedly rare”. The tree puts out spectacular grapefruit-size inflorescences of yellow flowers when it blooms. Congrats to the residents here on Carl Street for planting this very cool tree!

Cross Carl Street carefully, and then backtrack to head uphill (east) on Carl.

38. 17 Carl glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), native to Southern China. This tree has white, lilac-shaped flowers that bloom in early summer; the flowers attract bees (a friend who is a California native told me that as a kid, he called it the “bee tree”) but unlike lilacs, have an unpleasant odor.

glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

Continue east (uphill) on Carl; turn right and head south on Clayton.

39. 893 Clayton There are two trees at this address - the one closest to the corner is a northern rata (Metrosideros robusta) from New Zealand - a very rare tree in San Francisco, and this tree is one of the largest in the City. The tree next to it at this address is a “botanical sibling” - a New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa), also from New Zealand. Unlike the northern rata, which is extremely rare, the New Zealand Christmas tree is San Francisco’s 2nd most common street tree.

Turn right and head west on Parnassus.

39.5 22 Parnassus Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), New Zealand

40. 58-60 Parnassus Two Italian bay trees (Laurus nobilis), native to the Mediterranean Basin. This is the culinary bay that is used in Mediterranean cuisine. These Parnassus Avenue trees are sending up basal shoots, or “suckers” from their trunks. An amazing coincidence: When I was researching this tree for my Trees of San Francisco book, I was amazed to discover a quote from the Roman poet Virgil in his Georgics, from 29 BC: “Beneath its mother’s mighty shade upshoots the bay tree of Parnassus”. (!) Grab one of the leaves from the suckers, crush and smell it - you’ll get the powerful bay fragrance immediately.

Cross Cole Street to the final tree on our tour, kitty-corner from the start of the tour.

Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) at Cole and Parnassus

Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) at Cole and Parnassus

41. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), East Mediterranean Basin. In the Mediterranean, carob pods are often used as animal feed. The ripe and dried pod of the carob tree is often ground into carob powder, which is sometimes used as a chocolate substitute.

If you enjoyed this tour (or if you just want to help keep a local book in print!), there are a dozen of them in my book, Trees of San Francisco. The book is full of photos and info about 70+ trees that you’re likely to find on our City’s streets. Pick it up at any of our independent bookstores, or if you prefer, buy it online.



Forest Hill Tree Tour 5-15-21

What began just over a hundred years ago as a streetcar suburb ” within the city limits has matured into the leafiest neighborhood in town. The master-planned community of Forest Hill drapes over the gentle hills west of the Forest Hill Muni Station. Filled with elegant homes in an eclectic mix of architectural styles, its streets are lined by a notable diversity of trees, all maintained by the Forest Hill Association. Many of the pines, cypresses, eucalyptus, and elms are now mature and stately, often creating canopies that arch over the curving streets.

Forest Hill Clubhouse with some Monterey pines (Pinus radiata)

Forest Hill Clubhouse with some Monterey pines (Pinus radiata)

Despite the diversity of trees in Forest Hill, this tour tallies a relatively short list of trees, in part because we focused on the neighborhood’s most distinctive species. It could also be because it was the coldest day we’ve experienced in the past year of laying out tree tours. Brrr. . .

This walk begins in front of the Bernard Maybeck-designed Forest Hills Clubhouse on Magellan Avenue, and heads northeast along Magellan to Pacheco Street, then north on Pacheco, and northeast on Castenada Avenue. Opposite the intersection of Castenada and Magellan, the walk heads uphill on the steps, alongside a beautifully maintained garden. At the top of the steps, the walk continues across Pacheco and west on Lopez Avenue, north on Sotelo Avenue, southwest on Santa Rita Avenue, and west on Mesa Avenue to 9th Avenue. At 9th Avenue, the walk heads west and south a short distance to steps that lead down to the divided section of San Marcos Avenue and then down more steps to Castenada Avenue, where it winds around to the west and south to Montalvo Avenue, and then southeast on Montalvo to Magellan. At Magellan, the walk heads northeast, where it ends at the Clubhouse. This walk is barely a mile in length, but it does include a number of staircases to help navigate the hills. (Some of these elegant staircases are featured in Adah Bakalinsky’s classic book, Stairway Walks in San Francisco.)

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 29. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

Our trio of tree geeks responsible for this tour is the same: Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco, Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture).

Forest Hill Clubhouse garden

1. 381 Magellan          Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, CA native (the most widely planted coniferous tree in the world, mostly for lumber)

Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum) - closeup of leaf affected by thrip

Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum) - closeup of leaf affected by thrip

2. 381 Magellan          Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Carmel, CA

3. 381 Magellan          Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species (first introduced in San Francisco)

Magellan Avenue, east to Pacheco, southeast side

4. 365 Magellan          Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), Eastern Australia

5. 321 Magellan          Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum), New Zealand (this species is dying all over San Francisco, due to an insect pest called thrips;    note that the leaves are poisonous)

6. 321 Magellan          Elegant water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Elegant’), Eastern Australia (row of 4 edging the driveway)

Hercules aloe (Aloidendton ‘Hercules’)

Hercules aloe (Aloidendton ‘Hercules’)

**Cross Magellan at the intersection of Dorantes; then cross Dorantes to continue on Magellan to Pacheco Street.

6.5 As you turn from Magellan to Pacheco, look across the street to see a row of Hercules aloe (Aloidendron ‘Hercules’) on Pacheco just below Magellan.

Monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana)

Monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana)

Pacheco Street, Magellan to Castenada, west side

7. 201 Pacheco            Monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana), Chile (stiff sharply pointed leaves are said to prohibit monkeys, or anything else, from climbing the trees; watch for a mature specimen at #19)

8. 275 Pacheco            Irish yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’), Eurasia and North Africa (these 4 trees have recently been pruned to rejuvenate them)

9. 205 Castenada        European weeping birch (Betula pendula), Eurasia and North Africa (not usually well-adapted to SF; tree is on the corner of Magellan and Castaneda, within the front yard)

Castenada Avenue, Pacheco to Magellan, east side

10. 181 Castenada      Japanese cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), Japan & China (national tree of Japan, where it is known as “sugi”)

Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia)

Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia)

11. 145 Castenada      Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California and San Francisco native!

12. 127 Castenada      Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), Himalayas (the nearer tree)

                                    Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’), Morocco & Algeria (behind the deodar)

Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’)

Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’)

**Walk up Forest Hill Path, the narrow public steps from Castenada to Pacheco (note the beautiful cottage garden on the right side of the steps). Cross Pacheco and continue west along Lopez Avenue to Sotelo Avenue

American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Sotelo Avenue, Lopez to Santa Rita, northeast side

13. 10 Sotelo    Island oak (Quercus tomentella), California’s Channel Islands (a CA native) and Guadalupe Island, Mexico (these young trees represent a new species introduction that should thrive in the city’s climate)

Santa Rita Avenue, Sotelo to Mesa, east side

14. 11 Santa Rita         Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Eastern USA to Mexico & Central America

15. 11 Santa Rita         English holly (Ilex aquifolium), Eurasia and North Africa

16. 35 Santa Rita         Cutleaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’), Japan, China, & Korea

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)

17. 35 Santa Rita         Paperbark maple (Acer griseum), Central China (note the richly colored peeling bark)

** Cross Santa Rita at Mesa Avenue.

Mesa Avenue, Santa Rita to 9th, north side

18. 2 Mesa       Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Norfolk Island, South Pacific (2 trees, plus one across the street)

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) on left; its botanical sibling monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) on the right

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) on left; its botanical sibling monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) on the right

19. 2206 - 9th  Monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana), Chile (tree is on Mesa, across the street; it is a close relative of the Norfolk Island pine)

20. 32 Mesa     Sourgum or tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), Eastern USA

Sourgum or tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), just beginning to leaf out in May

Sourgum or tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), just beginning to leaf out in May

**Cross to the far side of 9th Avenue.

9th Avenue, west of Mesa, west side

European beech (Fagus sylvatica)

European beech (Fagus sylvatica)

21. 2193 - 9th  Lily-of-the-valley tree (Clethra arborea), Madeira (rarely happy in San Francisco, but this one is a city champion)

22. 2209 - 9th  Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Big Sur to southwest Oregon; California coastal native (tallest tree species in the world)

**Cross 9th and walk down the long flight of steps to Pacheco and continue on down more steps to Castenada Avenue.

Castenada Avenue, west to Montalvo, north side

23. 390 Castenada      European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Europe (these three trees are color selections of the wild green-leafed species)

Montalvo Avenue, Castenada to Dorantes, east side

New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa)

New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa)

24. 15 Montalvo          New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

25. 50 Montalvo          Brush cherry (Syzygium australe, previously known as S. paniculatum), Eastern Australia (across the street)

**Cross Montalvo at Dorantes.

Montalvo Avenue, Dorantes to Magellan, west side

26. 120 Montalvo        Paul’s Scarlet hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’), Europe (2 trees beginning to flower)

Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (2 trees)

Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (2 trees)

27. 130 Montalvo        Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (2 trees)

Magellan Avenue, east of Magellan, south side

28. 201 Montalvo        Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), China (thought by Western science to be extinct, but discovered in central China in the 1940s; 2 young trees flank the steps at corner of Montalvo and Magellan)

29. 201 Montalvo        European elm (Ulmus sp.), Europe (we’re not sure which species; the trees are on Magellan and many other streets in the neighborhood)

The tour ends here, a few yards short of its beginning at the Forest Hill Clubhouse.

Our regular commercial: This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. Richard edited another great book on San Francisco trees: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!

San Francisco Tree Map -Easily Find Landmark Trees Near You!

San Francisco tree lovers - wish you had an easy way to find San Francisco’s landmark trees easily, no matter where you are in the City?

Here’s a reminder about my MAP OF SAN FRANCISCO’S LANDMARK AND RARE TREES. Just click on the link to go to a map of San Francisco where each of the trees is represented by a dot at its location. Some of the locations are street addresses; where street addresses weren’t available, I’ve used GPS coordinates. Now you can walk or bike or drive anywhere in the City with your smart phone, navigate to the Landmark Trees section of sftrees.com, click on the link to the map, and easily find landmark and interesting trees near you! The data in the map is taken from the Landmark Trees link of my website, where I have catalogued the largest examples of each species of tree in San Francisco. Occasionally you’ll find a smaller tree on the map - typically because the tree is very rare in SF and only a few small specimens exist.

This map was introduced on the site in August 2020, but it’s not easy to find, and I’m not sure all of my readers know about it, so I’m giving it a bit of publicity here on my blog.

This map will live permanently at the top of the “Landmark Tree” page of sftrees.com. i hope you enjoy it!

Buena Vista "Social Distancing" Tree Tour 2-28-21

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Occupying 37 acres at the top of a steep hill near the center of town, Buena Vista Park is the oldest official park in San Francisco, originally designated as Park Hill in 1867. Considered the city’s most wooded park, its slopes contain one of the few remaining natural groves of coast live oaks in the city. On yet another gorgeous sunny day in February, we toured the winding street that marks the western, southern, and eastern edges of the park. Buena Vista Avenue offers a glimpse of elegance in its large and beautiful homes and apartment buildings, each with stunning views across the street to the forest peak that is Buena Vista Park. The avenue also happens to present an array of distinctive trees along the way.  

This walk follows the full loop of Buena Vista Avenue. Starting at Buena Vista Avenue West and Haight Street (a few steps east of Central Avenue), the walk heads uphill on the right side of Buena Vista, takes a quick dip down Waller Street, then back to Buena Vista, and continues around Buena Vista Avenue West and Buena Vista Avenue East, back to Haight Street. From there, the walk leads west on Haight to Central Avenue, across the street from the start of the walk. This walk is about a mile and a half long, and involves both uphill and downhill segments.

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 52. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed. 

Our trio of tree geeks responsible for this tour is the same: Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco, Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture).

 Buena Vista Avenue West, Haight to Waller, west side

1. 969 Buena Vista      Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand

 2. 72 Central               Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (tree is between 935 and 921 Buena Vista; this is the back of a property on Central)

Three pollarded London plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia),

Three pollarded London plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia),

 3. 901 Buena Vista      London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of Eastern USA species and European species (3 pollarded trees on Buena Vista and more on Waller). To “pollard” a tree means to cut it repetitively, year after year, at the same joint - not every tree can handle this, but London plane trees react by creating a knobby ending that some (not all…) find aesthetically pleasing.   

 Waller Street, Buena Vista Avenue to Central, north side

4. 1118 Waller             Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), Eastern Australia (several trees in a row)

 Waller Street, Central to Buena Vista, south side

(The tour wraps around the north and southeast sides of Walden House, which fills the triangular block; the official address is 815 Buena Vista Avenue West.)

 5. 815 Buena Vista      Silver dollar tree or Argyle apple (Eucalyptus cinerea), SE Australia (tree is on Waller, just east of Central; note the silvery leaves)

 6. 815 Buena Vista      Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), Southwest Australia (tree is on Waller, just east of #5 above)

 7. 815 Buena Vista      Kōhūhū (Pittosporum tenuifolium), New Zealand (tree is on Waller, a few yards east of #6)

 8. 815 Buena Vista      Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia (tree is on Waller, a few yards east of #7; there are many blackwoods in this area, many of them seedlings of the oldest trees.)

 9. 815 Buena Vista      Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California native! (tree is on Waller near Buena Vista; this undoubtedly grew from a jay-planted acorn from the native grove within the park across the street)

 Buena Vista Avenue West, Waller to Central, north side

Hollywood juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ or ‘Kaizuka’)

Hollywood juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ or ‘Kaizuka’)

10. 815 Buena Vista    English holly (Ilex aquifolium), Eurasia and North Africa (tree is on the southeast side of Walden House, near Waller)

 11. 815 Buena Vista    Hollywood juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ or ‘Kaizuka’), East Asia (a row of well-pruned trees is on the southeast side of Walden House, near Central)

 Buena Vista Avenue West, Central to Frederick, north and west side

12. 783 Buena Vista    Persian lime (Citrus x latifolia), horticultural form of South and Southeast Asian species

 13. 777 Buena Vista    After Dark peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa ‘Jervis Bay Afterdark’), Southwest Australian cultivar (often less vigorous than the green-leafed species)

Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)

Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)

 14. 771 Buena Vista    Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly San Francisco’s most planted street tree)

 15. 755 Buena Vista    Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), Southwest Australia

 16. 731 Buena Vista    Cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata), South Africa

 17. 715 Buena Vista    Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), China (these two trees have been “skinned:” the fuzzy leaf bases have been pruned off to reveal the ringed trunks; for comparison, note the unskinned specimen of the same species in front of the next house)

 Buena Vista Avenue West, Frederick to Java, west side

18. 639 Buena Vista    Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), New Zealand

Dragon tree (Dracaena draco)

Dragon tree (Dracaena draco)

 19. 635 Buena Vista    Dragon tree (Dracaena draco), Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, and W Morocco (cool tree, this is a rare tree in San Francisco, and this specimen is a “city champion”: the largest of its kind in San Francisco)

 20. 635 Buena Vista    Hopseed tree (Dodonaea viscosa), native throughout tropical and subtropical parts of the world, and most commonly seen in its purple-leafed form

 Buena Vista Avenue West, Java to Upper Terrace, west side

21. 585 Buena Vista    Elegant water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Elegant’), Eastern Australia

 22. 525 Buena Vista    Butterspoon tree (Cunonia capensis), South Africa (very uncommon in San Francisco; note the curious leaf buds)

 23. 525 Buena Vista    Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), southeastern USA (2 trees)

 24. 501 Buena Vista    Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), West Mediterranean Basin (northernmost natural range of any palm in the world)

 Buena Vista Avenue East, Upper Terrace to Park Hill, south side

25. 485 Buena Vista    Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum), New Zealand (this species is dying all over San Francisco, due to an insect pest called thrips; note that the leaves are poisonous)

 26. 455 Buena Vista    Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), Eastern Australia

 27. 447 Buena Vista    Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile

 28. 423 Buena Vista    Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Eastern Australia (two trees; feel the spongy bark)

 28b. 415 Buena Vista  Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), Southwest Oregon and Northwest California (this is the twin-trunked coniferous tree just inside the fence; the branchlets droop)

 29. across the street    Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), a California native! (tree is across the street)

 **The walk passes the front of the old St Joseph’s Hospital, which was turned into the Park Hill condominiums in the early 1990s**

 [30 not used]

 31. 351 Buena Vista    Kapuka (Griselinia littoralis), New Zealand (a city champion: the largest of this species in San Francisco)

Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos)

Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos)

 31b. 351 Buena Vista  Chinese fan palms (Livistona chinensis), Japan and Taiwan (the young palms midway along the Park Hill drive, inside the gate; these are the only ones we know of in San Francisco; watch these rare trees as they grow up)

 32. 351 Buena Vista    Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), Eastern Australia (a row of four trees)

 33. 351 Buena Vista    European weeping birch (Betula pendula), Eurasia and North Africa (not usually well-adapted to San Francisco)

 Park Hill Avenue, south of Buena Vista, west side

34. 351 Buena Vista    Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), southeast Australia (trees are on Park Hill, above the wall and fence; note their wonderfully contorted trunks)

 35. 351 Buena Vista    New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand (several trees are along Park Hill)

 Buena Vista Avenue East, Park Hill to Buena Vista Terrace, southeast side

36. 267 Buena Vista    Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), South Asia (these street trees have been beautifully pruned into a “lifted” hedge, or a hedge on stilts)

 37. 259 Buena Vista    Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana), San Diego County, CA (this long-needled pine is across the street in Buena Vista Park; though adaptable to cultivation, this is the rarest pine species in the world)

 38. 253 Buena Vista    Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) Eastern USA (row of street trees from here to Buena Vista Terrace; beware of the long thorns on the branches)

 39. 253 Buena Vista    Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Big Sur to Southwest Oregon; CA coastal native (tallest tree species in the world)

 40. 215 Buena Vista    Grapefruit tree (Citrus x paradisi), hybrid of two Southeast Asian species: sweet orange and pomelo (within the yard to the west)

 41. 201 Buena Vista    Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands, Spain

a row of Mexican fan palms (Washingtonia robusta), with the financial district in the background

a row of Mexican fan palms (Washingtonia robusta), with the financial district in the background

 Duboce Avenue, Buena Vista to Alpine Terrace, both sides

42. 5 Buena Vista Terrace       Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Baja California and Sonora, Mexico

 Buena Vista, Duboce to Adah’s Staircase (Waller), east side

43. 181 Buena Vista    Himalayan white birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii), Western Himalayas

 44. 171 Buena Vista    Princess tree (Tibouchina urvilleana), Southern Brazil (usually a shrub, sometimes becoming a tree; notable for its intense purple flowers; loves San Francisco!)

 45. 141 Buena Vista    Italian bay tree (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin (this is the bay leaf of culinary value; crush a leaf to smell it)

 Adah’s Staircase (Waller Street), east of Buena Vista, north side

46. 25 Buena Vista      Shamel ash (Fraxinus uhdei), Mexico (tree is a few yards down the steep sidewalk on the south side the building)

 Buena Vista, Adah’s Staircase to Haight, east side

47. 21 Buena Vista      Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), Mediterranean Basin (not a tree; usually a large shrub)

 48. 15 Buena Vista      Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Carmel, CA (four trees on the property line)

 49. 11 Buena Vista      Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Norfolk Island, South Pacific (this is the distinctive “Christmas tree” in the yard to the east of the building)

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)

 50. 1 Buena Vista        Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay

 **Cross Haight Street and head west along the north side of the street**

 Haight Street, Baker to Central, north side

51. 1 Baker                  Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), Eastern Australia (tree is on Haight)

 52. 1150 Haight          Sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum), Eastern Australia

 This walk ends at Haight and Central, across the street from its beginning.

Our regular commercial: This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. Richard edited another great book on San Francisco trees: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!

Marina "Social Distancing" Tree Tour 2-21-21

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Laid out following the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Exposition, the Marina District is, today, one of the most appealing neighborhoods in the city, marked by a decidedly Mediterranean theme in the design of its elegant homes and by a disruption of the street grid seen in most other parts of the city. Neighborhoods of relative affluence generally result in well-tended trees and gardens, and the Marina is no exception, with trees carefully shaped and pruned to preserve views and let in sunlight on the narrow streets. This neighborhood enjoys easy access to the Marina Green, Fort Mason, the Presidio, and the Bay. Fog and steady winds can be a daily presence during the summer, but a sunny winter day in the Marina is like no other in the city. We enjoyed such a day on Sunday as we laid out this tree tour.  

This walk focuses on the triangle defined by Marina Boulevard, Fillmore Street, and Cervantes Boulevard. It begins at the southwest corner of Marina Boulevard and Fillmore Street. The walk leads a few yards south on Fillmore before turning southwest on Retiro Way, jogging slightly at Casa Way, and continuing west on Rico Way. At Avila Street, the walk heads northeast for half a block, then returns southwest on Avila to Cervantes Boulevard, southeast on Cervantes to Beach Street, east on Beach to Retiro, and then north on Retiro back to its starting point on Fillmore. This walk is a little more than one mile long, but, unlike recent walks, this one is entirely flat.  

Giant yucca (Yucca gigantea

Giant yucca (Yucca gigantea

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 43. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed. 

Our trio of tree geeks responsible for this tour is the same: Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco, Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture).

Fillmore Street between Marina and Retiro, west side

1. 301 Marina  Giant yucca (Yucca gigantea), Mexico and Central America (tree is on Fillmore)

 2. 301 Marina  Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Southeastern USA (tree is on Fillmore, tucked tightly against the wall of the house)

Turn right on Retiro Way.  Retiro Way, Fillmore to Casa Way, northwest side

3. 301 Marina  Meyer lemon (Citrus x meyeri), hybrid of Southeast Asian species (tree is on Retiro)

 4. 155 Retiro    Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly San Francisco’s most planted street tree)

 5. 143 Retiro    Marjory Channon pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Marjory Channon’), New Zealand

 Jog slightly to the right to 2 Casa Way, then continue south on Retiro.

closeup of Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon

closeup of Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon

6. 2 Casa         Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), Southeast Australia (there are many throughout the neighborhood, but this is one of the largest and most beautiful)

 Turn right (west) on Rico Way. Rico Way, Casa to Avila, north and northeast side

7. 12 Rico        Brush cherry (Syzygium australe, previously known as S. paniculatum), Eastern Australia

 8. 26 Rico        Evergreen dogwood (Cornus capitata), Himalayas (watch for the white flowers in late spring, followed by red fruits in the fall)

 9. 40 Rico        Tree aloe (Aloe arborescens), South Africa (this species blooms reliably almost anywhere in the city from late January into March; hummingbirds love the tubular flowers)

                         English holly (Ilex aquifolium), Western Europe and North Africa (tree is behind the aloe; this cultivar lacks the sharp teeth typically found on the leaf margins, and has smaller clusters of red berries)

Natchez crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’)

Natchez crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’)

 10. 60 Rico      Natchez crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’), hybrid of Asian species (developed by the National Arboretum in DC; notable for its beautifully mottled bark, outstanding fall color, and its mildew resistance, making it a good choice for San Francisco; these two trees are the biggest of their kind in San Francisco: City Champions!)

 11. 85 Rico      Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, CA native (tree is across the street; the most widely planted coniferous tree in the world, mostly for lumber)

 12. 490 Avila   Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (four trees on Rico)

 13. 490 Avila   Japanese camellia or rose of winter (Camellia japonica), East Asia (two multi-trunked trees on Rico; though usually grown as a shrub for its beautiful late winter/spring flowers, Japanese camellia is actually a small tree)

Turn right on Avila, and cross to the west side of the street. Avila Street, Marina to Cervantes, northwest side

14. 425 Marina            Orange tree (Citrus x sinensis), hybrid of Asian species (tree is in the rear garden, on Avila)

White flowering plum (Prunus cerasifera)

White flowering plum (Prunus cerasifera)

 15. 425 Marina            White flowering plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (tree is in the rear garden, on Avila; less commonly seen than the pink flowering plums)

 16. 465 Avila               New Zealand tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium), New Zealand

 17. 465 Avila               Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana), hybrid of East Asian species, developed in France

 18. 451 Avila               Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), Southwest Australia (on the right of the driveway)

Hercules tree aloe (Aloidendron ‘Hercules’)

Hercules tree aloe (Aloidendron ‘Hercules’)

 19. 451 Avila               Hercules tree aloe (Aloidendron ‘Hercules’), hybrid of two South African species (this small but stunning front garden was created by Stephanie Green).  The Hercules tree aloes may be City Champions – the largest in San Francisco.

 20. 451 Avila               Sago (Cycas revoluta), Japan (eventually becomes a short-trunked tree; note the dramatic flowering cone in the center of the foliage)

Sago (Cycas revoluta

Sago (Cycas revoluta

 21. 431 Avila               Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis ‘Atropurpurea’), New Zealand

 22. 431 Avila               Blue Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis var. argentea), Morocco and Algeria (this is another stunning garden created by Stephanie Green)

 23. 431 Avila               Baby queen palm (Chamaedorea plumosa), Chiapas, Mexico (tree is within the entry courtyard)

Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana

Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana

                                     Queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana), South Brazil (five trees)

Ovens wattle (Acacia pravissima)

Ovens wattle (Acacia pravissima)

Turn right on Cervantes Boulevard for a number of trees fronting 200 Cervantes, after which you’ll backtrack and head southeast on Cervantes, crossing Avila Street.

24. 200 Cervantes       Ovens wattle (Acacia pravissima), East Australia (tree is on Avila, in another garden by Stephanie Green; the tree is one of San Francisco’s biggest, possibly a City Champion)

 25. 200 Cervantes       Waggie palm (Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Wagnerianus’), China (tree is on Avila)

Waggie palm (Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Wagnerianus’)

Waggie palm (Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Wagnerianus’)

 Cervantes Blvd, northwest of Avila, northeast side

26. 200 Cervantes       Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand (6 trees)

 27. 200 Cervantes       Showy banksia (Banksia speciosa), Western Australia

 28. 200 Cervantes       After Dark peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa ‘Jervis Bay Afterdark’), southwest Australian cultivar (often less vigorous than the green-leafed species)

 29. 200 Cervantes       Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia ‘Charles Grimaldi’), hybrid of South American species (big yellow flowers within the walled garden; developed locally and named for the late San Francisco garden designer)

 30. 200 Cervantes       China doll tree (Radermachera sinica), China and Taiwan (within the walled garden, behind the angel’s trumpet)

 Cervantes Blvd, Avila to Beach, northeast side

31. 400 Avila               Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), South Asia (tree is on Cervantes; a common, although problematic, street tree throughout San Francisco)           

 32. 178 Cervantes       Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus subsp. asplenifolius), CA’s Channel Islands, except Catalina; CA native

 33. 168 Cervantes       Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), Eastern Australia

Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia)

Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia)

 34. 138 Cervantes       Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), Southwest Australia

 35. 130 Cervantes       Purple potato bush (Lycianthes rantonnetii), Paraguay (typically a large shrub, this has been trained into a tree-like form; flowers all year)

Purple potato bush (Lycianthes rantonnetii)

Purple potato bush (Lycianthes rantonnetii)

 36. 124 Cervantes       English hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata), west and central Europe

 37. 118 Cervantes       Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), East Asia (watch for the big pink flowers in April)

 Turn left (east) on Beach Street. Beach Street, Cervantes to Retiro, north side

Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

38. 1770 Beach            Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), Southern China

 39. 1775 Beach            Loquat (Rhaphiolepis loquata, syn. Eriobotrya japonica), Southeast China, Vietnam, and Taiwan (two trees across the street; fruit is edible)

 40. 1764 Beach            Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), Eastern Australia

 Turn left on Retiro Way. Retiro Way, Beach to Casa, west side

41. 25 Retiro                Soapbark tree (Quillaja saponaria), Chile

 **Carefully cross Retiro Way to the east side**

Not a tree, but a cool solar installation in lieu of windows in the Marina!

Not a tree, but a cool solar installation in lieu of windows in the Marina!

 42. 20 Retiro                Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan

 Retiro Way, Casa to Fillmore, southeast side

43. 120 Retiro              Mock-orange (Pittosporum tobira), Japan, China, and Korea (intensely fragrant flowers later in the year)

 The Marina tree tour ends here, a few yards from its beginning at Fillmore and Marina Blvd.

Our regular commercial: This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. Richard edited another great book on San Francisco trees: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!

Sunnyside "Social Distancing" Tree Tour

 

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In the euphemistically named Sunnyside neighborhood, we enjoyed a truly superb sunny Sunday chalking out our latest tree tour. We began at a neighborhood treasure: the Sunnyside Conservatory, which dates to 1898. After years of decline, it was designated City Landmark #78 in 1975 and has, in recent years, seen a series of upgrades in access, hardscape, and plantings, thanks to a notable partnership between the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, the Department of Public Works, and an active local support group, Friends of Sunnyside Conservatory. (Read more about the project at sunnysideconservatory.org.)

 This walk begins at the front gate of the Sunnyside Conservatory on Monterey Blvd. Look for the white numbers on the concrete curbing and retaining walls along the broad walk through the Conservatory’s garden, eventually exiting up the steps at the northeast corner to Joost Avenue. At Joost, the tour heads west on Joost to Congo Street, then returns on the north side of Joost to the Mini-Park mid-block. It then heads up the steps through the Mini-Park to Mangles Avenue, before returning down the steps to Joost again. At Joost, the walk continues east to Baden, then south on Baden to Monterey Blvd, and finally west on Monterey to the Sunnyside Conservatory. This walk is barely one mile long. Be forewarned that there are several flights of steps involved, through the Conservatory and up to Joost, and again from Joost up to Mangels and back down within the Mini-Park.  

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 51. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed. (To preserve the sanctity of the Sunnyside Conservatory’s garden, we have only provided the numbers, in white, for the trees on this portion of the walk.) 

Our trio of tree geeks responsible for this tour is the same: Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco, Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture).

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Sunnyside Conservatory at 236 Monterey Blvd, between Baden and Congo streets, north side

(We have only chalked the numbers, in white, on concrete curbing and retaining walls within the Conservatory gardens.)

1.         Pindo palm (Butia odorata), Southern Brazil and Uruguay

 2.         River banksia (Banksia seminuda),southwest Australia (look for the bright yellow flowers)

 3.         Grass-leaf hakea (Hakea francisiana), south and southwest Australia

Variegated century plant (Agave americana ‘Variegata’)

Variegated century plant (Agave americana ‘Variegata’)

 4.         Variegated century plant (Agave americana ‘Variegata’), Mexico,southwest USA

 5.         Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands, Spain (these trees are over            100 years old)

Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)

Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)

 6.         Waggie palm (Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Wagnerianus’), China

 7.         Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand

 8.         Tree fuchsia (Fuchsia arborescens), C America (this large shrubby fuchsia flowers all year in San Francisco)

Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis)

Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis)

 9.         Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis), Chile (one of San Francisco’s finest specimens, this specimen is over 100 years old)

 10.       Evergreen dogwood (Cornus capitata), Himalayas (watch for the white flowers in late spring, followed by red fruits in the fall)

 11.       Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Australia, Norfolk Island

 12.       Tasmanian tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica), southeast Australia

 12B      Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi), NE Australia (compare the trunks on this tree fern and the previous one)

 13.       Nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida), New Zealand

 **Exit the main part of the Conservatory’s garden at the northeast corner, following a flight of steps through a garden passageway to Joost Avenue; the trees noted by number are on the right and left of the steps**

 14. (right)        Giant bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), South Africa

 15. (left)           Stinging wigandia (Wigandia urens), Southern Mexico to NW South America (beware of the stinging hairs on the leaves)

 16. (left)           Firewheel tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus), NE Australia

closeup of a lilly pilly tree (Syzygium smithii, previously known as Acmena smithii)

closeup of a lilly pilly tree (Syzygium smithii, previously known as Acmena smithii)

 17. (right)        Pompom tree (Dais cotinifolia), South Africa (watch for the pink flowers in early summer)

 Joost Avenue, west to Congo Street, south side

18. 257 Joost    Lilly pilly tree (Syzygium smithii, previously known as Acmena smithii), eastern Australia

 19. 265 Joost    Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand (this is a much older specimen than the one in the Conservatory’s garden)

 20. 277 Joost    Lemon (Citrus x limon) hybrid of southeast Asia species

 21. 281 Joost    Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Norfolk Island, South Pacific

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)

 22. 289 Joost    Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species (first introduced in San Francisco)

 23. 293 Joost    Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Japan, China, Korea

 ** Cross to the north side of Joost**

 Joost Avenue, east of Congo Street to the Mini-Park, north side

Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus)

Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus)

*Note: the next five trees are actually on Joost, along the side of 400 Congo)

 24. 400 Congo             Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), eastern Australia

 25. 400 Congo             Hackberry (Celtis species)

 26. 400 Congo             Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), Iran

 27. 400 Congo             Mulberry (Morus species)

 28. 400 Congo             Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’), Morocco and Algeria

 29. 268 Joost                Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa),southwest Australia

 30 266 Joost                 Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle), Peru, Chile

 31. 262 Joost                Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), eastern Australia

 **Head up the steps through the Mini-Park, almost to Mangles Avenue**

 Within the Mini-Park, on right or left of steps

31B. (left)        Coffeeberry (Frangula californica), CA native, including San Francisco

 32. (left)           Champak (Magnolia champaca) South and southeast Asia (flowers are fragrant)

 33. (left)           Flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata), E Asia

 34. (right)        English or cherry laurel, English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), Black Sea (this species and the next one were originally part of a hedge that has been allowed to   grow beyond its original bounds)

 35. (right)        Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica), France to Portugal and Morocco

 36. (left)           Islay (Prunus ilicifolius), San Francisco native tree (the namesake of Islais Creek in Glen Canyon)

 37. (left)           Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), CA native, including San Francisco

 38. (left)           Grapefruit tree (Citrus x paradisi), hybrid of two other citrus: sweet orange and pomelo (within the yard to the west)

 39. (right)        Ray Hartman ceanothus (Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’), hybrid of CA native species

 40. (right)        Hopseed tree (Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’), native throughout tropical and subtropical parts of the world (this was likely a hedge planting originally)

Century plant (Agave salmiana var. ferox)

Century plant (Agave salmiana var. ferox)

 41. (right)        Century plant (Agave salmiana var. ferox), Mexico (this succulent is not a tree at all, but the tall, asparagus-like flower stalk will be tree-like in form when in full bloom; the stalk will likely grow another 15 feet taller before flowering; the plant will die after flowering)

 **Return down the steps to Joost**

 Joost Avenue, east to Baden Street, north side

42. 238 Joost    Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands, Spain

 43. 226 Joost    Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), eastern Australia (often the first species to bloom in January)

 ***Cross Joost carefully***

 Joost Avenue, east to Baden, south side

44. 201 Joost    Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), eastern USA to Mexico and Central America (these two trees are surprisingly evergreen)

English holly (Ilex aquifolium)

English holly (Ilex aquifolium)

 45. 201 Joost    English holly (Ilex aquifolium), W Europe and N Africa (a magnificent specimen)

 Joost Avenue, east of Baden, south side

46. 199 Joost    Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia),southwest Australia (first tree across the street)

 Baden Street, Joost to Monterey, west side

47. 201 Joost    Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii), Japan and Korea (tree is in the rear yard, on Baden)

 48. 190 Monterey        Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata), eastern Australia (tree is in the rear yard, on Baden, across the street; seldom planted anymore, as it has proven to be highly invasive)

Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata)

Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata)

 48. 215 Baden             King palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana), eastern Australia

 [49 not used]

 Monterey Blvd, west from Baden, north side

50. 222 Monterey        Red-leaf photinia (Photinia x fraseri), hybrid (more commonly seen as a dense shrub with red new foliage along our freeways)

 51. 236 Monterey        Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), eastern Australia (several nice specimens continue along Monterey to Congo St.)

 The Sunnyside Tree Walk ends here, where it began, at the Sunnyside Conservatory.

A short commercial: I’m Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com, and I created this tour. You can follow me on my tree-themed Instagram page at @sftreeguy. If you enjoyed the tour, I think you’ll like my book - it’s hard to keep a local book in print, so click here to buy a copy or visit your local independent bookseller to get a copy!

Tu Bishvat ט״ו בשבט‎ Tree Tour

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This tour celebrates the Jewish holiday of Tu BiShvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בשבט‎), which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat (in 2021, Tu BiShvat begins at sunset on January 27 and ends in the evening of January 28). It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot, literally “New Year of the Trees”. In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day.

The tour starts at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, at the northwest corner of California Street and Presidio Avenue. From there, head west on California Street, towards Walnut Street.

1. The last two trees before you reach Walnut Street are London plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia). The London plane is the most common street tree in San Francisco, and one of the most popular urban trees in the world. It was a natural hybrid that occurred as European visitors to America in the 1600s brought American plane trees home to Europe, where they mingled with a close botanical relative (oriental plane trees) from Europe. The “children” of these American and European parents had what we call “hybrid vigor”, and the London plane has been with us ever since!

Cross Walnut Street, and turn right onto Walnut.

2. 431 Walnut Two ficus trees (Ficus microcarpa), from South and Southeast Asia to northern Australia. This used to be San Francisco’s most common street tree, but it hasn’t been planted for many years, as its roots are bad sidewalk-breakers. We also lost a third of the city’s ficus trees in a cold snap in 1991, when the temperature dipped to 27 degrees fahrenheit in some parts of the city - causing the trees to die overnight.

two red-flowering gums (Corymbia ficifolia)

two red-flowering gums (Corymbia ficifolia)

3. 3428 Sacramento Two red-flowering gums (Corymbia ficifolia), from southwest Australia, near Perth. Despite its name, this tree’s flowers can be red, orange, pink, white or in between - the flowers of these trees on Sacramento seem to have a coral hue to them. The fruits of this species look like the bowl of a small pipe. It’s my favorite San Francisco tree - it puts out spectacular blooms typically in July and August. This tree hasn’t gotten the message and is putting out its blooms in January!

Continue west on Sacramento, and cross Laurel Street.

4. NW corner of Sacramento and Laurel. New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand. This tree is called pōhutukawa in the Māori language, and that is what it is called by New Zealanders. This is the 2nd most common street tree in San Francisco. It’s known for its brilliant red flowers in summer - you can’t see them now, but you can see the other thing that the tree is famous for, which is its “aerial roots” - roots that hang down from the tree’s canopy.

5. 333 Laurel Two southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora), native to Southeast USA. (This is state tree of Mississippi). The next tree on Laurel is a large London plane tree (like the ones you saw on California Street). You can easily see the seed balls of the tree in the tree canopy.

Cross Laurel Street, and head left (west) on the north side of Clay Street.

pollarded London plane trees (Platanuts x acerifolia) in front of the Korean consulate

pollarded London plane trees (Platanuts x acerifolia) in front of the Korean consulate

6. 3500 Clay In front of the Korean consulate at this address are four London plane trees that have been “pollarded”. To “pollard” a tree means to cut it repetitively, year after year, at the same joint - not every tree can handle this, but London plane trees react by creating a knobby ending that some (not all…) find aesthetically pleasing.

Princess tree (Tibouchina urvilleana)

Princess tree (Tibouchina urvilleana)

7. 3512 Clay (to left of the driveway as you face the house) Princess tree (Tibouchina urvilleana) from Southern Brazil. This is the small tree with deep purple flowers.

8. 3580 Clay The large tree in the yard (not in the sidewalk) at this address is a Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) from Eastern Australia. When it’s in bloom, this tree has a powerful perfume that you can smell from around a corner.

Turn right and head downhill on Locust.

9. 200 Locust. As you approach the corner, there are six blackwood acacia trees (Acacia melanoxylon) from southeast Australia at this address. These trees get very large and are very brittle when mature, so the City is discouraging the planting of this species.

Turn right onto Washington Street.

10. 3565 Washington Two Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) from Japan, China, Korea in the courtyard and against the house at this address.

Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus)

Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus)

11. 3525-27 Washington A Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus); this is the first California native that we’ve seen so far - it’s native to the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California.

12. 3515 Washington Two olive trees (Olea europaea) from the Mediterranean Basin. This tree has a part in the story of Noah and the ark from the book of Genesis: וַתָּבֹא אֵלָיו הַיּוֹנָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב, וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה-זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ; וַיֵּדַע נֹחַ, כִּי-קַלּוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ. “And the dove came in to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.”

13. 3461 Washington Another Victorian box tree from Australia (look up - it’s the big tree above the garage).

Turn right and head uphill on Walnut.

deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara)

deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara)

14. As you walk up Laurel, at the driveway to the large corner property, you’ll see a very large deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) from the Himalayas. Among Hindus, deodar cedars are regarded as divine trees - the name deodar derives from the Sanskrit term devadāru, meaning “wood of the gods”.

Cross Clay Street, then turn left and cross Walnut to the east side of the street. Then head downhill on Walnut.

closeup of bark of a Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

closeup of bark of a Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

15. 304 Walnut Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) from East Asia. The bark of this tree is beautiful - it comes off in puzzle-piece shapes.

Cross Sacramento Street and turn left/east on Sacramento.

16. All of the trees on this block of Sacramento between Walnut and Presidio are Brazilian pepper trees (Schinus terebinthifolius), from Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. There are two at 3391 Sacramento, two at 3375 Sacramento, and three large ones at 3555 Sacramento.

mayten trees (Maytenus boaria)

mayten trees (Maytenus boaria)

17. When you reach the corner of Presidio Avenue, look kitty-corner to the northeast corner of Presidio and Sacramento, and you’ll see three mayten trees (Maytenus boaria) from Chile.

Turn right, head downhill one block to your starting point!

A short commercial: I’m Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com, and I created this tour. You can follow me on my tree-themed Instagram page at @sftreeguy. If you enjoyed the tour, I think you’ll like my book - it’s hard to keep a local book in print, so click here to buy a copy or visit your local independent bookseller to get a copy!

 

Telegraph Hill "Social Distancing" Tree Tour 1-16-21

 

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If there is one iconic neighborhood in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill is it. On a beautiful but worrisomely dry Saturday, the neighborhood’s trees drew us to enjoy spectacular views of the Bay, the downtown skyline, and Russian and Nob hills, along with the distinctive gardens of the Filbert Steps. Narrow streets don’t always allow for generous tree plantings, but we found quite a few trees of interest in this week’s tour.  

Our walk begins at the northeast corner of Washington Square at Stockton and Filbert streets, opposite the popular Mama’s restaurant. It then heads north on Stockton to Greenwich Street, east on Greenwich for two blocks to its dead end below Coit Tower, then back west to Grant Avenue, south on Grant to Filbert, and east on Filbert to Kearny Street. At the intersection of Filbert and Kearny, the walk heads east up the steps toward Coit Tower, then back down the east side of the hill on the Filbert Steps to Montgomery Street, south on the east side of Montgomery to Vallejo Street, west on Vallejo to Columbus Avenue, northwest on Columbus to Stockton, and north on Stockton. At Union Street, the walk circles Washington Square in a clockwise direction, heading west on Union, northwest on Columbus, and finally east on Filbert, back to the beginning of the tour at Stockton and Filbert. This walk is approximately 2 miles long. Be forewarned that there are several flights of stairs on Filbert, Montgomery, and Vallejo streets; this is, after all, a hill.

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 Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 49. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.  

Our trio of tree geeks responsible for this tour is the same: Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco, Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture).

Washington Square, northeast corner

1. Stockton at Filbert   Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia and South Pacific Islands. Sadly, these 3 trees have been topped (what’s that about, Recreation & Park Department?), but they remain the biggest specimens of this tree in San Francisco.

Filbert Street, west of Stockton, north side

2. 620 Filbert               Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), Southeast Asia (typically grown as a house plant in most of the country)

 Stockton Street, Filbert to Greenwich, west side

3. 1736 Stockton         Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), Eastern Australia (3 trees across the street, in front of the Maybeck Building; Bernard Maybeck was one of the Bay Area’s most important architects)

Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana)

Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana)

 Stockton Street, north of Greenwich, west side

4. 1821 Stockton          Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), Eastern Australia (often the first species to bloom in January - this tree was just beginning to bloom on our visit)

 5. 1801 Stockton          Elegant water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Elegant’), Eastern Australia (a large-leafed selection of the water gum seen at #41) 

Greenwich Street, Stockton to Grant, north side

6. 576 Greenwich        Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China (the first in this row is one of San Francisco’s shapeliest specimens and is a rare female ginkgo, hence foul-smelling fruit in autumn) 

7. 568 Greenwich        Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis), Guadalupe Island, Mexico (above the wall; this species is perfectly adapted to San Francisco) 

8. 526 Greenwich        Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China (this tree is the other female in the row – on our visit we could see fruits on the sidewalk and a few still hanging in the upper branches of the tree)

 Greenwich Street, east of Grant, north side  

9. 444 Greenwich        Loquat (Rhaphiolepis loquata, syn. Eriobotrya japonica), Southeastern China (fruit is edible) 

Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)

Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)

10. 442 Greenwich      Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), China (the furry trunk is characteristic of this palm) 

Octopus tree, (Schefflera actinophylla), N Australia) 

11. 430 Greenwich      Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands

 Greenwich Street, east of Grant, south side

12. 427 Greenwich      Philodendron (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum), Brazil (city champion: the largest specimen of this species in San Francisco)

 13. 439 Greenwich      Silver maple (Acer saccharinum), Eastern North America (2 trees) These trees, like the horse chestnut next door at 447 Greenwich, have been heavily pruned, apparently to preserve views.

Philodendron (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum) - we think this may be a “City Champion: - biggest philodendron in SF!

Philodendron (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum) - we think this may be a “City Champion: - biggest philodendron in SF!

 14. 447 Greenwich      Horse chestnut (Aesculus sp.), Eurasia

 15. 449 Greenwich      Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), South Asia (a common, although often problematic, street tree throughout San Francisco)

 16. 459 Greenwich      English hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata), western and central Europe

 17. 483 Greenwich      Fern pine (Afrocarpus gracilior), East Africa (4 trees)

A “rock library” on Grant with a Kerouac quote - only on Telegraph Hill!

A “rock library” on Grant with a Kerouac quote - only on Telegraph Hill!

 Grant Avenue, Greenwich to Filbert, west side

18. 1653 Grant            London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of Eastern USA species and European species (2 trees)

 19. 1601 Grant            Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), southeastern USA

 Filbert Street, Grant to Kearny, north side

20. 480 Filbert             Brush cherry (Syzygium australe), Eastern Australia

 21. 456 Filbert             White alder (Alnus rhombifolia), California native

 End of Filbert Street at Kearny, inside the park

22. Inside the park      Italian stone pine (Pinus pinea), Mediterranean Basin (source of pine nuts/pignoli)

 **Take the steps up to Telegraph Hill Boulevard and Coit Tower**

 Filbert Steps east of Kearny, north side

23. ¾ up the steps       Ombu (Phytolacca dioica), Argentina

 **Follow Lombard Hill Boulevard for a few yards, then take the Filbert Steps down toward Montgomery Street**

 Filbert Steps, east of Lombard Hill Blvd, north side

24. first set of steps     Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), New Zealand

Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris)

Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris)

 25. 310 Filbert             Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia), Eastern Australia (this small tree has been artfully trained over the gate to the entry walk)

 26. 300 Filbert             Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris), New Caledonia. Similar to Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), but this species has a pronounced lean or curve at its base - it was only recently learned that the tree always leans towards the equator, so here it is leaning towards the south, but in the southern hemisphere it leans north.

 **Turn left when you hit the landing**

 27. 300 Filbert             Princess tree (Tibouchina urvilleana), Southern Brazil (usually a shrub, sometimes becoming a tree; notable for its intense purple flowers; loves San Francisco!)

Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta)

Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta)

 28. 300 Filbert             Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Baja California and Sonora, Mexico

 **Continue down the last flight of steps to the upper part of Montgomery, cross the street, and take the next set of steps down to the lower part of Montgomery, then head south**

 Montgomery Street, Filbert to Union, east side

29. 1360 Montgomery            Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Japan, China, Korea (this Art Deco building from 1937 was featured in the 1947 movie, “Dark Passage,” starring Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart)

 30. 1360 Montgomery            Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand

 **Note the row of Italian stone pines in the median of Montgomery**

 31. 1308 Montgomery            Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’), a variety of Eurasian species (2 trees in the median)

 **Continue south on Montgomery, down the steps, and on to Vallejo Street**

 Vallejo Street, Montgomery to Kearny, north side

32. top of first set of steps       Giant bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), South Africa (one of San Francisco’s biggest specimens of this species)

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 33. 418 Vallejo            Flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata), East Asia

 34. 420 Vallejo            Mountain aloe (Aloe marlothii), South Africa

 35. 420 Vallejo            Bearss lime (Citrus x latifolia), Southeast Asia

 36. 442 Vallejo            Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), Eastern Australia

 37. 455 Vallejo            Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), Southeastern Australia (six trees across the street)

 38. 470 Vallejo            Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin

 39. 490 Vallejo            Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), Southwest Australia

 Vallejo Street, Kearny to Grant, south side

WOW - this Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) was an unexpected find at the corner of Vallejo and Kearny!

WOW - this Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) was an unexpected find at the corner of Vallejo and Kearny!

40. 1165 Kearny          Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), Eastern North America (tree is on Vallejo at Kearny; possibly a “City Champion”; certainly one of San Francisco’s largest specimens)

 41. 551 Vallejo             Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), Eastern Australia (this tree grows in streamside locations in the wild, hence the common name; it is San Francisco’s most commonly planted street tree)

 42. 1268 Grant            Red maple (Acer rubrum), Ontario to Florida to Texas (two trees on Vallejo)

 **There are few trees on the route along Columbus Avenue from Vallejo to Stockton, and on Stockton from Columbus to Union; enjoy the aromas of the many coffee shops and Italian restaurants along the way, and hope for an end to the pandemic so we may again enjoy the gastronomic pleasures of this neighborhood**

 Washington Square, south side (all trees are within the park)

43. Union near Stockton         Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), Eastern Australia (2 trees)

Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

 44. West of #43            Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), Morocco and Algeria

 45. Near the Pit Stop  Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Big Sur to southwest Oregon; California coastal native (tallest tree species in the world)

 46 Union near Columbus       Sweet michelia (Magnolia doltsopa), Himalayas (3 young trees with brown fuzzy buds that will soon open into large fragrant white flowers)

 Washington Square, west side (all trees are within the park)

47. Columbus near Filbert      Fastigiate European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’), northwest Europe to Iran (eight young trees)

 Washington Square, north side (all trees are within the park)

London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia) in Washington Square park

London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia) in Washington Square park

48. Filbert opposite the church          London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of Eastern American and European species (six tall, deciduous trees)

 49. Filbert near Stockton        Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), Himalayas

 The Telegraph Hill Tree Walk ends here, a few yards from its beginning at Stockton and Filbert.

Our regular commercial: This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. Richard edited another great book on San Francisco trees: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!

 

 

 

Female ginkgos are "in season" - here's where to find them!

female ginkgo fruits - 1044 Shrader Street

female ginkgo fruits - 1044 Shrader Street

Ginkgo trees are popular street trees worldwide, and San Francisco is no exception - many hundreds of them can be found citywide. There is a lot to like: ginkgos are beautiful trees, they thrive in urban settings, and the species has an amazing and ancient lineage, dating back 200 million years to the time of the dinosaurs.

But as in any metropolis, almost all of the ginkgos in San Francisco are male. That’s because female trees produce fleshy, yellowish, cherry-sized fruits that have a disagreeable (many would say disgusting) odor that has been likened to vomit or rancid butter. As a result, female ginkgos on San Francisco’s streets are typically mistakes - trees believed to be male when planted. And once owners discover that their ginkgo is a female, they often remove it, leaving even fewer on the City’s streets.

But I’m guessing that my blog readers would actually relish finding one of these smelly (but rare) trees nearby. Or maybe you have a pre-adolescent kid who would think it’s fun to visit a tree that smells like barf :) So readers, whatever your interest in the female of this species, I’ll give you some addresses in San Francisco where you can find female ginkgoes. There aren’t many, but I recently discovered some new ones in our 2020 #covidtreetours. The fruits are dropping from the trees now as I write this in January 2021, so it’s a good time to get the olfactory experience at these locations:

  • 3371 21st between Valencia and Guerrero in the Mission

  • 3386 22nd Street between Valencia and Guerrero in the Mission

  • Three female trees at 845 Guerrero (but on the Liberty Street side of the building)

  • 1351 Clay Street on Nob Hill

  • Divisadero Street north of Oak Street, bordering the carwash

  • 278 Eureka Street between 19th and 20th Street in the Castro

  • 520-522 and 572 Greenwich on Telegraph Hill

  • 116 Fair Oaks (two trees) in the Mission

  • 654 Minnesota in Dogpatch

  • 366 Montcalm Street in Peralta Heights

  • 102 San Jose (two trees) in the Mission

  • 592 Sanchez/19th in the Castro (two trees)

  • 1044 Shrader in Cole Valley

  • 2860 Union Street in Cow Hollow

    And if you know of others, let me know at michaelsullivan415 [at] gmail.com!