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 falsecyparis 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.

Neolitsea sericea

I came around a corner and this tree looked so unfamiliar I had to stop to look. That's when I saw the red foliage that was growing on a sucker at the base and wow! No chance I had seen that before. I sent pictures to Matt Ritter of Cal Poly SLO for some ID help, and this was his educated guess from pictures.

This evergreen tree has a rounded, dense habit, reportedly growing up to 35'. This one seems to be close to 25' and about the same width.

Foliage is evergreen, simple, elliptical, oblong to ovate, about 3 -7" long, with three distinct veins coming from the base. Medium to dark green.

When the leaves emerge they have a downy look to them. This is the lower surface of the leaf.

Soon afterward the hairs fall off (?) and the the blade turns red. I must get to the tree in early spring. I cant image the foliage change over those few weeks.

Stems should have the same reddish colored hairs eventually turning green.

Flower buds are copper colored in clusters at the tips of the branches.

Fruit is a small red berry. Though I read the plants are dioecious, I doubt there is another one around supplying pollen.

Smooth bark.

Misidentification:
not sure, look at the leaves for the silvery lower surface and the 3 veins, and of course the red newish foliage.

Location:
Santa Cruz
100 Myrtle St.

Picea glauca - White Spruce

I was really surprised to see this specimen the other day while walking the cemetery next to Dominican Hospital (seems oddly convenient to be next to the hospital). I actually went to look at the allee of Calocedrus decurrens. To bad they are on their way out, I bet they were beautiful years ago. This specimen was hard to photograph because it was so close to the liquidambar.

The white spruce is rarely planted around here. The species has tons of cultivars but most are dwarf versions of the dwarf Alberta spruce.

Leaves are needle-like, 1/2" to 3/4" long, stiff, blue-green upper surface and white lower surface. Can be flattened on the stem or radiating around the stem in a circle.

Cones are small, 1-1/2" - 2-1/2" long, narrow, light brown, with rounded entire scale tips.  Lots of pitch is common, so don't put them in your pocket.

You are more likely to see something like this in the landscape, where the plant reverted to the large normal form. I think the newer cultivars are more stable.

This is one where King runs into Mission. You can barely see the original dwarf foliage at the bottom.

There are lots of issues with this plant in the landscape, the most common one is an aphid that created a gall at the tip of the stem. This gall dies and looks sort of like a cone.

There are wonderful dwarfs available and a beautiful weeping form.

Misidentification:
you could easily misidentify these trees, many of the spruces look very similar, especially if you find a few that are not common. In our area, look for short needles, small cigar shaped cones, and bluish colored leaves. And, if you think its a white spruce around here it might not be…..

Location:
Santa Cruz at the cemetery, next to the Hospital

Acer palmatum dissectum 'Seiryu' - Seiryu Japanese Maple

The Japanese maple cultivar 'Seiryu' is the considered the only upright growing dissected maple available although my guess with such variety in the species there are others. Growing to about 15' they are usually a bit more open than the one shown below, which has been pruned over the years. These are fast growing maples with great dissected leaves and nice fall color. We had one in Spokane years ago and the fall color was fantastic.

Leaves are opposite and maple like though deeply dissected and each lobe is deeply serrated. Medium to light green in color, about 2" long. Fall color is nice gold though you might see some red depending on the site and the environment.

Flowers and fruit identical to other Japanese maples.

Misidentification: Doubt it.

Location:
Aptos
524 Humes, just recently planted.

505 Encino Dr and 2 great trees.

Seacliff
421 Hillcrest Dr. See above, pruned into a ball but still nice.

x Chiranthodendron lenzii

I can't tell you how many times I must have driven past this tree and not seen it. Then, a few days ago there is was in full bloom standing up against a larger magnolia that must have caught my eye.

This is a man made hybrid between the Mexican hand tree and a California native.
Chiranthodendron pentadactylon x Fremontodendron 'Pacific Sunset'. Sometimes called x Chiranthofremontia lenzii and I recall a citation that the whole group might be one species. There is not a lot of information on these trees and I think I have only seen 3-4 of them in person. I think the more common name is the Hybrid Monkey Hand Tree.

Evergreen tree growing 30+ feet tall upright branching, sort of pyramidal to columnar with stiff branches. Lower branches flattening out, which is nice because the flowers sit on the tops of the stems.

Foliage is attractive, resembling its parents, alternately arranged, simple, 4-5" long and wide, palmately lobed with 3-5 lobes, dark green glossy leathery upper surface and a whitish bronze below due to all the hairs on the surface.

Stems are also covered with hairs, at least when young. The oldest specimen I have seen shows smooth bark.

Flowers are really pretty cool looking. Borne on the upper surface of the stems, they are a yellowish orange color on the outside and more orange inside. The monkey paw part of the flower is the 5 stamens and are golden colored rather than red like one of its parents. You can see the stigma pointing to 11 o'clock.

Flowers with the stamens still closed.

Flower bud.

Flowers are often found along the tops of the branches.

Misidentification:
Likely to think its a Fremontidendron but the flowers are different, these flowers have red/orange inside and not yellow like our native tree.

Chiranthodendron pentadactylon has red stamens.


Location:
Corralitos
2957 Freedom Blvd

Santa Cruz
Arboretum, past the small nursery growing area.

Carya illinoinensis - Pecan

The pecan is an unusual tree in our area. Looking very much like a walnut, its easily misidentified as such. The pecans are large deciduous trees, 50+ tall and wide, with a large rounded crown, and several main scaffold branches. One on Laurel and this one in SLO. Our's in Santa Cruz has been removed.

Here is ours on Laurel. (Cut back but coming back.)

Foliage is alternate, pinnately compound, 12-18" long with 9-15 elliptical to lanceolate, serrated leaflets, dark green. Leaflets have an unequal base.

Flowers are male catkins, yellowish green, pendulous, female back some distance, small.


Fruit is large, 1-1/2" long, oblong, brown, thin shelled, dry drupe, usually in clusters of three.

Bark is thin when young, becoming fissured with age. Brown, mostly.

Twigs stout, thick, pubescent in the spring, large leaf scars, pointed buds, terminal large, and pubescent. Superposed bud (one bud on top of another, usually a flower bud, with the vegetative bud being the smaller one).

Misidentification
Black walnuts. Look at the fruit if possible, and the lateral buds are rounded on the walnut, pointed on these.

Location
Santa Cruz
302 Laurel Ave (removed) But trying to make a comeback

Corralitos

1800 Hamas Rd.