Hesperocyparis macrocarpa 'Saligna Aurea' - Golden Weeping Monterey Cypress

This is a pretty cool cultivar of our Monterey Cypress tree. Growing to 25' or so and about as wide, the thin lateral branchlets are long and thin, sort of like the thread branched cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filiera Aurea'). Trees have a strong central leader with upright arching lateral branched. 

This unbelievable specimen is in a private garden in town.

These are located at the old Suncrest Nursery on Casserly Rd. Now Griggs Nursery

Another great one across from the K-9 clinic.

The foliage is scale-like, opposite, sharp pointed, and diverging from the stems. The internodes are elongated making for thread-like stems. They remain green in the shaded part of the plant so be sure to put them in a sunny location.

Fruit is the same as you would see on the species.

Misidentification: When young they might look like a Chamaecyparis pisifiera 'Filifera Aurea' form though Hesperocyparis macrocarpa 'Saligna Aurea' has a much more open habit with a strong central leader and long ascending lateral branches.

Older name is Cupressus macrocarpa, with a Callitropsis thrown in and then out.

Location:

Corralitos - Pioneer road across from the K9 clinic.

Watsonville - 400 Casserly Rd (Griggs Wholesale Nursery - near the office)

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

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

Wollemia nobilis - Wollemia Pine

Such a great story behind the "discovery" of another lost species of trees. Much like that of Metasequoia, the Wollemia pine was though to be extinct until 1994 when a park ranger west of Sydney Australia found a grove of what he thought looked like an Aruacaria. The plant was identified as a new species and named in honor of the park ranger.

The Wollemia pine grows to 130' in its native habitat but who knows how well or how tall they will grow in cultivation. Trees are reported to be fast growing, and sprout from the base making a grove somewhat like Sequoias. The branching is reported to be pretty unique as well, with lateral branching off the main stem to never develop laterals of their own.

Most likely will be a real novelty for many years, though if you want to spend some serious money on a small tree, you can find them. My guess is Dig Gardens would be a place to look. San Marcos Growers had sold them since 2008 (sadly they are out of business).

I have only seen two specimens, one at Cal Poly SLO and the other right here in Live Oak. Both seen below.

Leaves are evergreen, 2-5" long, narrow needle-like, sharp tipped, light bluish green in the spring or on new growth and turning more yellow green as they mature. Lower surface of the leaves are almost silver.

The leaves are arranged in a typical spiral fashion but all the needle curve from the stem and form two flattened ranks. Quite unusual to see four rows of leaves, two of them up like wings. Worth having just for that.

Younger stems are green with distinct leaf base scars.

Cones are produced at the ends of the unbranched laterals. Male and female on the same plant.

Females seen below.

Male below.

Misidentification:
The leaves themselves are somewhat similar to Abies bracteata but nothing else is.


Location:
Live oak
1484 Chanticleer

Santa Cruz

Arboretum has at least one, near the main building

Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' - Emerald Arborvitae

The 'Smaragd' cultivar of the common arborvitae is a popular compact version of some of the old school pyramidal arborvitaes that grew too large and fell apart in the snow. Growing more conical than columnar, they make a nice hedge growing to about 12' by 5' at the base. Dark green for the most part. I was under the impression this cultivar was a hybrid, but I cant seem to find that reference any longer. The foliage resembles foliage in the oriental arborvitae group. 

Foliage is scale-like, in pairs, along an almost oval stem. Leaves tightly clasping the stem and not diverging at the tip like some others. New foliage is light green, older foliage is emerald green, which is the american name for this cultivar.

Branchlets are flattened, somewhat fan shaped and held partially vertical.

This plant is often called 'Emerald' Arborvitae in the USA, we can't pronounce foreign words very well…..

Misidentification:
Other arborvitaes that form columns. Look for the smaller size plant, nice color foliage, and the slightly vertical orientation of the branchlets.

Location:
Aptos
3595 E. Ledyard Way

601 Clubhouse Dr.

Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon' - Yellow Ribbon Arborvitae

An uncommon cultivar spotted one day, the Gold or yellow color jumped out at me and I had to stop. Its in a line of 'Smaragd' arborivates and most likely was planted by mistake. Oh well, its nice to see. Reported growing to 12', forms a narrow upright cone with brilliant yellow leaves. Makes a nice specimen, but not sure I could handle it as a hedge.

Leaves are scale-like, very small, typical of arborvitaes, on flattened stems.

Close-up of the leaves as well as the young cones.

Misidentification:
Not the oriental arborvitae, the leaves though small are larger than the oriental and the cones are very different. There are a few yellow western arborvitaes around but they have elongated branchlets rather than fan shaped.

Location:
Aptos
3595 E. Ledyard Way

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.