Richard Turner (left) and Jason Dewees (right), my co-collaborators in front of two beautiful king palms

This is now my third week of creating temporary “tree tours” in San Francisco neighborhoods by chalking tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks. This morning, for some reason I woke up full of energy at 6AM, and so in a burst of enthusiasm between over the next four hours, I chalked tours in the Castro (starting point = NW corner of Noe and 18th); Glen Park (start = SE corner of Chenery and Lippard) and Forest Hill (start = Forest Hill Clubhouse at 381 Magellan).

Last Sunday Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and I did a tour around Richard’s neighborhood of Noe Valley. Richard mentioned that several of his Noe Valley neighbors were looking for a more permanent (!) record of the tour so I’m copying Richard’s notes below:

'“The tour begins with the magnificent tall eucalyptus on the east side of Noe near the top of the Duncan steps. Most trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying purple numbers run from 1 to 44. The tree walk leads north on Noe to Clipper, west to Castro, north to 25th, east to Noe, north one block on Noe to Jersey, cross the street and back south on Noe to Clipper, east to Sanchez, south to 27th, and west to Noe. Tree #44 is on 27th, just before Noe, and a block from the beginning of the tour. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed. The street numbers provided below will help when the chalk has faded. Most of the trees are planted in pockets in the sidewalk pavement; a few are planted on private property between the sidewalk and the house.

Noe Street, Duncan to 27th St, east side

1. 1413 Noe Willow-leaf peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), SE Australia . Head downhill (south) on Noe Street.

Noe Street, 27th St to Cesar Chavez, east side

2. 1393 Noe Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin

3. 1393 Noe Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crist-galli), South America

Silver mountain gum (Eucalyptus pulverulenta), E Australia

4. 1375 Noe Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

Noe Street, Cesar Chavez to 26th St, east side

5. 1331 Noe Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

6. 1323 Noe Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia

7. (skipped)

Noe Street, 26th St to Clipper, east side

8. 1295 Noe Diamond-leaf pittosporum (Auranticarpa rhombifolia), E Australia (only one in SF)

9. 1287 Noe Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia

10. 1257 Noe Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

Noe & Clipper streets, SE corner of James Lick Middle School

11. Italian bay tree (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin. Turn left on Clipper, head to the corner with James Lick Middle School.

Clipper Street, Noe to Castro, north side

12. Clipper & Noe Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), E Australia (next to the school)

13. 335 Clipper Bracelet honey myrtle (Melaleuca armillaris), SE Australia (across the street)

14. Clipper at Castro Inside the fence - the Dinosaur Garden, James Like Middle School (planted with “living fossils”; look for the dinosaur mural along the Castro wall). Of particular note:

Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis), E Australia (in the middle of the garden, one of the taller trees - discovered near Sydney, Australia in 1997 after thought to have been extinct for millions of years)

Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), China (discovered in central China in 1944 during World War II, after thought to have been extinct for millions of years)

Castro at Clipper streets, east side, SW corner of school playfield

15. Castro at Clipper (northeast corner) Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) Mediterranean basin, also southwest Ireland. Cross the street at Castro and turn right (head north) on Castro

Castro Street, Clipper to 25th St, west side

16. 1518 Castro Sweet michelia (Magnolia doltsopa), Himalayas

17. 1518 Castro King palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamii), E Australia (two tall palms)

Waggie palm (Trachycarpus wagneriana), China (short palm)

18. 1514 Castro Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia. Cross 25th Street and turn right on 25th.

25th Street, Castro to Noe, north side

19. 4174 25th Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

20. 4172 25th Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

21. 4144 25th New Zealand Christmas tree, pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

22. 4136 25th Bronze loquat (Raphiolepis deflexa), E Asia

23. (skipped)

24. 4102 25th White mulberry (Morus albus), Asia (favorite food of silkworms). Turn left on Noe.

Noe Street, 25th to Jersey, west side

25. 1190 Noe London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species

26. 1188 Noe Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), E Asia

27. 1170 Noe Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis), Asia. At Jersey Street, turn right, cross the street and backtrack south on Noe on the east side of the street.

Noe Street, Jersey to 25th, east side

28. 293 Jersey Willow peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), SE Australia (4 trees on Noe)

29. 4098 25th Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA (3 trees on Noe)

Noe Street, 25th to Clipper, east side

30. 1213 Noe Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

31. 1229 Noe Paul’s Scarlet hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’), Europe. At Clipper Street, turn left and head east on Clipper.

Clipper Street, Noe to Sanchez, north side

32. 264 Clipper Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa), S Asia

33. 228 Clipper Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyanothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), CA’s Channel Islands

33. 206 Clipper Snow-in-summer tree (Melaleuca linariifolia), E Australia. At Sanchez Street, turn right and head south on Sanchez

Sanchez Street, Clipper to 26th St, west side

34. 1280 Sanchez Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China

Sanchez Street, 26th St to Cesar Chavez, east side

35. 1301 Sanchez Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan

36. 1307 Sanchez Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia

37. 3998 Cesar Chavez Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia (3 trees on Sanchez)

Sanchez Street, Cesar Chavez to 27th St, west side

38. 1366 Sanchez Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle), Peru, Chile

39. 1370 Sanchez Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia. At 27th Street, turn right and head west on 27th.

27th Street, Sanchez to Noe, north side

40. 402 27th Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Brazil

41. 412 27th Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

42. 446 27th Fern pine (Afrocarpus gracilior), E & S Africa

43. 476 27th Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), W & C China

44. 478 27th Primrose tree (Lagunaria pattersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands (you’re now one block from the start of the tour at 1413 Noe Street)

This walking tour of Noe Valley’s street trees 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 and a 39-year resident of Noe Valley. You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. One other great book on San Francisco trees, while you’re at it: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park [NOTE from Mike Sullivan - edited by Richard Turner!]. Buy all three books!”