This is the one on Chestnut that is listed as a heritage tree.
Here is the one at the Mission.
This is one from SLO but you can see the typical spreading of the branches and the foliage on the tips of the branches.
Leaves are very sharp, stiff, 1-2" long, arranged in a whorled fashion but spreading and twisting at the base to appear two-ranked, dark green upper surface, lighter green on the lower. Did I say sharp? Ouch. You may encounter some leaves that are more awl-shaped but they will only be right below the maturing cones.
The trunks are mostly bare with age and are very attractive. Not sure how to describe them, they are gray to brown with small bumps.
Female cones are huge (10" x 8") and very heavy, 10-15 pounds. The seeds are edible. You are not likely to find a cone on the ground as they, like true firs and true cedars, fall apart in the tree. You will find large scales which are 2-3" across. I have one from the trees in Scotts Valley by the Pasatiempo Country Club that blew down during a large storm. One of my students brought it to me. I forgot to wire it up in hopes of keeping it from falling apart but here it is.
Male cones are smaller, cylindrical and fall once the pollen is released. Looks like the foliage of another Araucaria, A. heterophylla.
Misidentification? A. auracana, the Monkey Puzzle Tree. Similar, but the leaves are all scale like, maybe 3/4" to 1" long, never long like Bunya-Bunya. Not as common in Santa Cruz (one on 3rd in SC).
Locations:
The trunks are mostly bare with age and are very attractive. Not sure how to describe them, they are gray to brown with small bumps.
Female cones are huge (10" x 8") and very heavy, 10-15 pounds. The seeds are edible. You are not likely to find a cone on the ground as they, like true firs and true cedars, fall apart in the tree. You will find large scales which are 2-3" across. I have one from the trees in Scotts Valley by the Pasatiempo Country Club that blew down during a large storm. One of my students brought it to me. I forgot to wire it up in hopes of keeping it from falling apart but here it is.
Male cones are smaller, cylindrical and fall once the pollen is released. Looks like the foliage of another Araucaria, A. heterophylla.
Misidentification? A. auracana, the Monkey Puzzle Tree. Similar, but the leaves are all scale like, maybe 3/4" to 1" long, never long like Bunya-Bunya. Not as common in Santa Cruz (one on 3rd in SC).
Locations:
Aptos: Cabrillo a large old one at the Sesnon house.
SC: Mission over looking downtown
Chestnut St.
Scotts Valley: Pasatiempo exit
