This is now our fourth week of creating temporary “tree tours” in San Francisco neighborhoods by chalking tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks. Word is getting out - we made the second page of the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday when Carl Nolte wrote about our Noe Valley tour!

Yesterday (5-3-20) 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). If you live in those neighborhoods, please help get the word out - the chalk will fade in a week or so!

On Saturday, Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and I did a tour of the Bernal Heights neighborhood. Chalk fades (!) but fortunately Richard typed up detailed notes as to tree locations and direction - I’m copying Richard’s notes below:

“The tour begins with the tall eucalyptus near the corner of Eugenia Avenue and Bonview Street, just a block uphill from Cortland Avenue. Most trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers run from 1 to 37.

The walk heads west on Eugenia to Winfield, then north on Winfield to Virginia, west on Virginia to Prospect, south on Prospect to Cortland, east on Cortland to Bonview, and north on Bonview to Eugenia, the start 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.

Eugenia Ave, Bonview to Elsie, south side

1. 418 Eugenia Willow-leaf peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), SE Australia. This is the very large tree at this address. Head west (towards Elsie) from here.

2. 418 Eugenia Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), E & SE Australia

3. 412 Eugenia Showy honey myrtle (Melaleuca nesophila), W Australia

4. 412 Eugenia Lemonwood (Pittosporum eugenioides), New Zealand

Eugenia Ave, Elsie/Virginia to Winfield, north side

5. 332 Virginia Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (tree is on Eugenia)

6. 332 Virginia Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), E Australia (tree is on Eugenia)

7. 301 Eugenia Australian willow (Geijera parviflora), E & SE Australia (tree is on Winfield)

Winfield St, Eugenia to Virginia, west side

8. 266 Winfield Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil (tree is near top of Eugenia Steps)

9. Top of Eugenia Steps , to the right as you face the stairs Buttercup bush (Senna multiglandulosa), Mexico & S America. From the top of the stairs, turn north and head downill on Winfield.

10. 228 Winfield Himalayan white birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii), Himalayas

11. 229 Winfield Italian bay (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin (tree is across the street)

12. 222 Winfield Hackberry (Celtis sp.), Asia; turn left on Virginia

Virginia Ave, Winfield to Prospect, north side

13. 217 Virginia Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Baja

Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia); bark closeup

14. 217 Virginia Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia

15. 217 Virginia Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis), Baja

16. 217 Virginia Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

17. 215 Virginia Elm (Ulmus sp.), Europe

18. 201-A Virginia Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia (tree is on Prospect). Turn left and head south on Prospect.

Virginia Ave at Prospect, NW corner

19. 195 Virginia Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana), Brazil (tree is on Prospect, inside fence)

Prospect Ave, Virginia to Heyman, west side

20. 120 Virginia Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), E Australia (tree is on Prospect)

21. 214 Prospect Little Gem magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’), SE USA

Prospect Ave, Heyman to Eugenia, west side

22. 268 Prospect Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands

23. 270 Prospect Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia

Prospect Ave, Eugenia to Kingston, west side

24. 312 Prospect Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile

25. 316-A Prospect Hercules aloe (Aloe ‘Hercules’), hybrid of S African species

Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Brazil

Prospect Ave, Kingston to Cortland, west side

26. 336 Prospect Meyer lemon (Citrus ‘Improved Meyer’) At Cortland, cross the street, turn left and head uphill on Cortland.

Cortland Ave, Prospect to Elsie, south side

27. 126 Cortland Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

28. 140 Cortland Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

29. 144 Cortland Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), E Asia

30. 146 Cortland River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), Australia (very rare - may be the only one on San Francisco’s streets)

Cortland Ave, Elsie to Bonview, south side

31. 210 Cortland Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

***At the corner of Bonview, please cross Cortland safely; there is no stop sign or pedestrian crossing at the intersection with Bonview.*** Then head up Bonview.

Bonview St, Cortland to Eugenia, west side

32. 248 Bonview Weeping birch (Betula pendula), Europe

33. 248 Bonview Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa), S Asia

34. 214 Bonview Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia x candida ‘Double White’), Andes Mountains

Bonview St, Cortland to Eugenia, east side

35. 229 Bonview Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis ‘Atropurpureum’), New Zealand

36. 219 Bonview Mirror plant (Coprosma repens), New Zealand

37. 209 Bonview Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA (beautiful tree; one of the best of this species in San Francisco)

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 . 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, edited by Richard Turner. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!”