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.

Azara serrata - Saw-toothed Azara

Wow, early April or late May you might see a huge flash of yellow out of the corner of your eye. Not a very common color flower this time of year, for a tree anyway. The Saw-toothed Azara is a pretty rare small evergreen large shrub or small tree from Chile. Generally to about 20' but I have seen more of them treated like a wall shrub, pruned flat against a wall. The form is generally upright to spreading, sort of stiffly branched, but nice. Really different color for spring blooming plants, seems yellow is a summer color. (This is a confusing image, there is a white fence that makes the tree in front of the Azara  look like a second image, to me anyway.)

Foliage is evergreen, alternate, simple, elliptical, serrated about 2.5 - 3" long, about 1" wide, and very glossy green upper surface.

Foliage is arranged differently on this plant than many others. You can see what looks like little leaves along the stem along with larger ones. The smaller ones are coming from the lateral buds that produce one or two leaves only.

Flowers are very beautiful, small yellow clusters, very fragrant as well. Smells somewhat like vanilla.

Fruit are small white berry.  Have to say I can't recall seeing any, but I will look harder.

Misidentification - hard to say

Locations: 

Aptos

Nicest one I have seen is at 413 Ewell Ave

Capitola

123 Center Ave. Espalier by door

517 McCormick Ave

Santa Cruz

620 35th Ave (Pleasure Point)

Corner of River and Water St at the bank