On a spectacular November day, the tree geeks met at JP Murphy Playground for a short walk around this meeting of the Inner Sunset and Forest Hill neighborhoods. With the rains of the past month, the trees, lawns, gardens, and, above all, lichens on the tree trunks are showing signs of recovery from the drought of the last couple of years. There’s no guarantee, of course, that rains will continue this winter, but, for the moment, we can rejoice in those early and heavy rains of October.

At the entrance to the Playground, the staff of San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department have posted some informational signs about the trees in the Playground. Our walk covers only a few of the trees along the street in front of the clubhouse, but we hope you’ll take a moment to read the postings about the park’s trees.

Today’s walk begins at the Playground on 9th Avenue, just north of Pacheco. It heads south on 9th to Pacheco, then east and south on Pacheco to Alton Avenue, west on Alton to 9th, and finally north on 9th to a fine tree opposite the Playground. This short walk is barely a mile in length with some gentle hills.

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).

9th Avenue, north of Pacheco, east side

1. 1960 - 9th Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand (the tree is not as vigorous as we often see for this species in San Francisco, but the lichens covering the upper trunks are outstanding)

Hopseed tree (Dodonaea viscosa), native throughout tropical and subtropical parts of the world (most commonly seen in its purple-leafed form; this tree was a spontaneous seedling that has grown beautifully in this location)

2. 1960 - 9th European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Portugal, UK, Sweden to Greece and Bulgaria (watch in spring as the buds enlarge and the beautiful foliage develops on this deciduous tree)

3. 1960 - 9th Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), CA native: Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, plus Cedros and Guadalupe islands, Mexico (most widely planted coniferous tree in the world, mostly for lumber)

Pacheco Street, 9th to 8th, north/northeast side

4. 494 Pacheco English holly (Ilex aquifolium), Eurasia and north Africa

5. 494 Pacheco Brush cherry (Syzygium australe, previously knows as S. paniculatum), east Australia

6. 460 Pacheco Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of 2 Mediterranean species (first introduced in San Francisco)

7. 460 Pacheco Santa Cruz Island Ironwood (also known as fern-leaf Catalina ironwood) (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. aspleniifolius), California’s Channel Islands, except Catalina Island

*Note the well maintained garden at 460 Pacheco; thank you to the owners*

***Cross 8th Avenue carefully; cars from the right do not have to stop***

Pacheco Avenue, 8th to Alton, east side

8. 444 Pacheco Flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata), east Asia (note the slightly different branching habits and leaf characters of this cherry and the next one)

9. 444 Pacheco Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), east Asia (watch for the big pink flowers in April; note the graft union at about 5’ height; it was most likely grafted onto the root stock of a Prunus serrulata seedling)

10. 444 Pacheco Silver tree (Leucadendron argenteum), Cape Town, south Africa (2 trees against the house)

***Cross Pacheco carefully; cars from the left do not have to stop***

Alton Street, Pacheco to 9th, north side

11. 100 Alton Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), easterm USA to Mexico and Central America

12. 100 Alton Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Norfolk Island, Australia (other Norfolk Island pines may be seen on the horizon from this elevated vantage point)

13. 100 Alton Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (3 trees in the lawn, more along Alton)

14. 150 Alton Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) Mediterranean basin, Atlantic coast of France and Ireland (several trees in the front garden)

15. 150 Alton Raywood ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa ‘Raywood’), central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, southwest Asia (2 trees; a selected seedling found in a south Australia garden; note the rich array of lichens growing on the bark)

16. 150 Alton Golden Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Aurea’), Japan

9th Avenue at Alton, NE corner

17. 2020 - 9th Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), California native; Oregon to southern California to Baja (the wood was used in construction and for making pencils)

9th Avenue, Alton to Sotelo, east side

18. 2050 - 9th Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), east Australia (this tree grows in streamside locations in the wild, hence the common name; San Francisco’s most commonly planted street tree; these young trees are flowering heavily)

19. 2050 - 9th Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin

***Cross 9th Avenue carefully***
9th Avenue, to Pacheco, west side

20. 2101 - 9th Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), east Australia (intensely fragrant flowers in winter and spring)

21. 2085 - 9th Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), China (2 trees)

22. 2085 - 9th Irish yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’), a cultivar of species native from Ireland and the Baltics to Morocco and Iran

23. 2031 - 9th Sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum), east Australia (smell the flowers)

[#24 not used]

25. 2015 - 9th Silver-leafed princess flower (Tibouchina heteromalla), Brazil

26. 495 Pacheco Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), southeast Australia (a row of trees across the street)

27. 2001 - 9th Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Baja California and Sonora, Mexico (4 trees)

28. 2001 - 9th Pindo palm (Butia odorata), southeast Brazil and Uruguay

9th Avenue, north of Pacheco, west side

29. 1955 - 9th Little-leaf linden (Tilia cordata), Eurasia (city champion; San Francisco’s biggest specimen of this tree)

This tree walks ends here, across the street from its beginning at the JP Murphy Playground.

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!