Pinus heldreichii - Bosnian Pine

I really like this smaller pine tree. I saw them years ago at the Morton Arboretum and a few in England. I am not sure who designed the Aptos Village green space but they picked a great tree on one side and a bit of a mistake on the other, oh well.

The Bosnian pine develops a tight upright conical shape with a height in Bosnia of maybe 50 feet tall. The older ones I have seen are no more than 25' tall. There are several cultivars in the trade but most are dwarf selections, though there is one that was really dark green and compact. But I'm not sure if it's one of those so I'll stick with the species. This image is the Aptos Village tree taken 6/24.

This one is at the UCSC arboretum.

Needles are in 2's and 2-3" long, sharp pointed and very beautifully dark green, clustered at the tips and pointing forward.

Stems are light tan color.

Female strobilus (cone) is red, borne at the tips of the new growth.

Cones are 3-4" long, broad at the base and tapering to a point. They are purple when ripening, then be coming brown. They are retained on the tree for several years after dropping the seeds.

Bark is whitish gray. The older name for this species in Pinus leucodermis (white skin).

There is a cultivar named 'Compact Gem' which the plant in Aptos could be one though this cultivar is a bit rounded.

Misidentification: Austrian pine for sure, but the cones on the Austrian pine are not purple and are larger, the needles are longer as well.

Location: 

Aptos: Aptos Village green space in a raised bed.

Santa Cruz: Arboretum

Callitropsis nootkatensis 'Pendula' - Weeping Alaskan Cedar

Great plant --- names are a mess --- one of my favorites of all time. This cultivar is distinctly weepy when compared to the species which is slightly weeping itself. Trees grow to about 30' tall by 15' wide in cultivation. The lateral branches are slightly upright or horizontal with drooping branchlets giving the tree a graceful soft look.

This tree was sitting in a large nursery box for several or more years prior to being planted. Could have been placed a bit further from the house, they make such great focal points in landscapes.

Leaves are arranged on flat sprays (branchlets). 

Leaves opposite one-another, sort of in 4 rows, scale-like, bluish green in color, no more than 1/8" with distinct white lines on the lower surface where the leaves overlap.

Cones are smaller than Monterey cypress but larger than the Lawson falsecypress. They have a sharp bract (point) on the end of each scale. Usually 4 scales. Maturing brown and opening on the tree.

Bark is thin, gray silver in color with small resin bumps.

This is the "non" weeping species showing the more upright lateral branching with drooping branchlets.

These are 'Strict Weeping' at The Oregon Garden in Silverton.

These are also 'Strict Weeping' in Chelan WA.

I mentioned at the top of this post that the plant was great, but the naming is a mess. I prefer Chamaecypress nootkatensis, but that's because it's what I call it.

Kew Garden places the plant in Callitropsis and Wikipedia lists all of the names this poor plant has been given in alphabetic order but not chronological order. Read the wiki page for an interesting history lesson in plant classification and nomenclature.

Misidentification:

Lots of Chamaecyparis look alike. You need to look closely at the foliage. Lawson false cypress has small translucent glands when seen if you hold the foliage up to a light or the sun.

Cone size is larger than a Lawson cypress (maybe 1/3") as well.

Location:

Aptos - Corner of Dolphin and Lagunitas Ct. Might be 102 Lagunitas Ct. DEAD

Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera 'Aurea' - Golden Threadleaf Falsecypress

The golden threadleaf falsecypress is a beautiful conifer rarely seen in Santa Cruz. This evergreen conifer has a nice golden tinge to the awl-like leaves. You are much more likely to encounter one of many of the dwarf cultivars, such as 'Aurea Nana' or 'Mops'. This cultivar is a slow grower eventually reaching about 20' tall by about 15' wider or less.

This is a shot from the National Arboretum showing how nicely they add contrast to a landscape.

Foliage is evergreen, arranged spirally on the stems. Usually more awl-shaped than scale-like, more or less pointed at the tips and diverging from the stem. Distinct white X's on the lower surface of the branchlets. The characteristic that makes this filifera is the long string like stems of the newer growth.

A closer look at the awl-shaped leaves and the white areas on the stems.

The cones are small and round, with peltate scales, resembling a small soccer ball, but this specimen produces female reproductive structures, it does not produce and cones.

Bark is like other Chamaecyparis species.

Misidentification:
Other golden falsecypress, there are tons of golden ones but not around here. Look for the awl-shpaed leaves and the X's on the backs of the foliage.

Location:
Santa Cruz
503 Ocean View Ave, Corner of Ocean View and Broadway on the Broadway side of the building.

Pinus attenuata - Knobcone Pine

The Knobcone Pine is a California native conifer closely related to the Monterey Pine and will hybridize in overlapping native stands. Often seen as a single stemmed tree, one of the most obvious features to me is its commonly seen multi-stemmed habit. The trees prefer poor sandy soils and will likely reach 30-50' tall. The most recognizable features are the clusters of long lasting cones and groves of all the same age due to their dependance on fire to open the cones.

Leaves are evergreen, needle shaped, 3 needles per cluster, medium green or yellowish green, straight or twisted, slender but stiff, lasting 4-5 years, 3-1/2 to 6" long.

Stems reddish brown, not thick, not thin.

Long terminal bud, most likely going to develop female cones.

Cones 4-6" long, in whorls of 4-5, conical but asymmetrical, yellowish brown, hard, and heavy. The scales are tipped with prickles that are long on the tops of the cone but do not elongate on the cone side closest to the stem. Cones very persistent and do not open without the heat of fire. (Other closed cone pines do open with high heat after some years). 

You can see the color, the pitch, and the asymmetrical shape. You can also see the shape of the scales at the top of the cone, larger, verses the ones on the lower edge, more compressed. While the picture below is too close to the branch, you can also get a sense of how many cones are produced in one area.

Here is somewhat of a close up of the scales with hooks.

Bark is thin, brown to gray, with thin fissures showing some reddish color.

Misidentification:

Pinus radiata for sure. They are both 3 needle pines, with variable color leaves and asymmetrical cones, though these have cones that remain on the tree forever, and have pointed hooks on the ends of the scales. The growth habit is also very different.

Other 3 needle pines in our area:
P. attenuata, Knobcone Pine is native to the northern county and can be seen in UCSC wild areas. Cones are very different, in large clusters on the main stems and held for years.
P. canariensis, much longer softer needles, longer cones, much fuller habit but more or less the same overall shape but way full.
P. coulteri, longer bluer leaves, more stiff and dont seem to droop on the stems, not as restricted to the ends of the branches as they last 3-4 years. Much broader habit. There are some around.
P. jefferyi, the cones are different in that the prickle on the scale is curved inward and will not stick you and you will not likely see one in SC.
P. radiata,  dark green leaves, shorter and softer cones without curved hooks.

Location:

Santa Cruz

Empire Grade at the enter section with Felton Empire Rd and Ice Cream Grade. Actually they are all along Empire Grade well past UCSC.

Abies grandis - Grand Fir

The Grand fir is another uncommon sight in our warmer climate but, to a conifer lover, a welcome one. Growing up to 250' in its native range, we will likely to see them 50-60' tall by about 15-20' wide. They form a beautiful conical shape. Generally quite dense when young eventually a bit more open. You can see the one on the left is much fuller than the one on the right. Looks like a redwood if you look quickly at the foliage. This planting has two trees, right next to a redwood, and I suspect there was some confusion at planting time or when they were pulled from a nursery. Supposed to be three redwoods?

Leaves are evergreen, spirally arranged, linear, needle-like, 3/4 - 2" long, narrow, bright green upper surface, lower surface with 2 distinct white bands of stomates. The leaves on reproductive branches are very different than lower down on the tree. Those tend to form a very strong "V" shape. This feature is common to most firs and makes this characteristic useless for identification. The lower leaves form a single flat plane with the leaves spreading out sideways. 

The leaves on the top appear to be different lengths, alternating long and short.

Bands of stomates in 2 rows on the lower portion of the leaf.

Stems are yellowish-green initially, persistently smooth, with round depressions where leaves were once attached.

Female cones are found only at the top of trees. Growing 2-4" long, yellowish green or purple green when young turning brown at maturity and like all fir trees, the cones disintegrate on the tree, shedding the seeds, scales and bracts leaving behind only the thin central stalk. Bracts shorter than scales so you don't see them until they hit the ground. In this image you can see the scale on the left has its attached bract on its "back" while the one to the right is not showing a bract.

Male cones are yellow and found on the lower branches.

Bark on trees initially is smooth, gray or silver with horizontal resin blisters, becoming furrowed or flaked with age.

Misidentification:
First, determine that it's a fir and not a spruce. Once you a certain it is a fir, you have to look at how leaves are arranged on the stems and avoid the reproductive ones. Look for the presence or absence of stomatal bands on the upper surfaces, they are always on the lower surface, not the upper for this species. Look up for cones and down for cone scales and bracts.

Not at all easily. I used my trusted Pacific Coast Trees by McMinn and Maino.
Foliage is found in one plane, often called 2 ranked but I like the plane concept, or in 1 dimension. To use a key on these you have to find the resin glands with are inside the leaf, either along the margins or near the main vein. These are shallow and along the margin. To see the resin glands you need a 10X hand lens. Cut the leaf in half crosswise and then carefully squeeze the leaf with your nail while looking for where some resin comes out.

Location:

281 Pebble Beach Drive

Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress

The bald cypress is a large deciduous tree with a narrow pyramid-shaped crown, 50' or so in cultivation (much larger in wet soils, and with knees). Resembles Metasequoia but not as symetrical with lateral branches going in more than one direction. One of a few deciduous conifers. Uncommonly planted in Santa Cruz but there are lots in one condo landscape in Capitola.

Great orangish brown fall color.

Generally deciduous, linear (needle-like) shaped leaves, 1/2- 3/4" long, light green, sprially arranged but appearing 2 ranked on laterlal shoots. Side shoots are called deciduous branchlets and fall as a unit, they appear to be a single pinnately compound leaf.

Deciduous branchlets are alternately arranged but can be subopposite, differing from Metasequoia being strongly opposite, and the branchlets seem to point more forward on this species. Stems green on deciduous branchlets, brown on others, below you can see the main branch going left to right. The laterals, looking like compound leaves, are green.

Cones are composed of peltate scales forming a woody, brown sphere with rough surfaces, 3/4 to 1" in diameter, differing from Metasequoia by not having the "lips". They break apart when mature.

Trunks develop into a widened buttress with fibrous peeling bark. Trees are native to areas with standing water, some times called Swamp Cypress. To survive flooded conditions, they develop upright extensions from the roots called knees. They allow the plants to get oxygen to the roots. These are located in North Carolina.

These are at a homeowners association in the lawn, and the mowers keep hitting the tops. 

As usual, there are disagreements concerning one species or more. Lumpers vs, splitters. Other species include T. ascendens (Pond Cypress), and T. mexicanum (Montezuma Bald Cypress) though Kew Gardens considers them to be botanical varieties due to the size and shapes, awl-shaped leaves on one.

Misidentification:
Without a doubt you will think its a Metasequoia glyptostroboides, but the branchlets are alternate not opposite. You might encounter another Taxodium and there are quite a few cultivars.

Location:

Aptos

On the campus of Cabrillo College in the depression near the ceramics department and display.

Capitola
On Frederick in the lawn area the Capitola Knolls Condos (private property) there are 5-6 trees pretty close to the road.

Araucaria aruacana - Monkey Puzzle Tree

The monkey puzzle tree, a native of Chile and Argentina, is a beautiful evergreen conifer with a very formal and symmetrical habit when young. With age they develop into rounded or flat topped trees when very old. Trees have a distinct look with the lateral branches growing outward and slightly upward, but having few secondary branches. I have seen references to them being "prehistoric", or "reptilian" and with monkey tails sticking out of the trunk. The common name came from a gentleman in England centuries ago showing his guests the tree and remarked that "would puzzle a monkey to climb that". 

This is fairly young specimen in a garden in the UK.

A slightly more mature specimen on Bainbridge Island WA.

Classic form of a century old specimen at Chatsworth Garden. This species is by far the hardiest of the genus.

Leaves are evergreen, simple, triangular, held densely on the stem, spirally arranged, very stiff and sharp. Leaves can reach 2" long.

Leaves lasting 15 plus years makes for pretty interesting branches. You can find leaves on pretty large main trunks as well.

Younger trunk showing leaves still attached and functioning.

Trees are dioecious, and the ones I have seen are males. The male cone is 4-6" long and by 2" wide, green when young, maturing brown. Cone scales elongate to release the pollen. 

Bark is smooth when young (at least after the leaves have fallen off) developing into flaking bits as they age and ultimately getting very large. 

This is in Santa Rosa.

Here is the one in Capitola with A. bidwillii growing next to it, a conifer lover if I ever saw one! Someone removed the A. bidwillii.

Misidentification:

Perhaps the Bunya Bunya tree, but those leaves are more spread out from each other, tend to be in flatted sprays and longer. Have a look at the picture of both in the front yard. (Remember, the light green one is gone.)

Location

Aptos

601 La Honda Ct. (Corner of La Honda and Clubhouse,)

Capitola
4800 Emerald St.