Bauhinia × blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree

I first encountered this specimen while investigating Oceanview Ave. on a tip from a student about the huge trees. I was in Oceanview park and came out to find this poor little tree with only a few leaves, looking like it might be dead soon. Put in my notes that is was there but didn't think much about it. I went back in late November only to find it in bloom and doing quite well. I doubt it will reach its full potential here, it's reportedly damaged with temperatures of 20F. Trees reportedly semi-deciduous or completely deciduous, 15-20' tall and usually wider that tall, dome shaped. Looks a bit coarse with its long branches going in all directions.

Leaves are semi-deciduous or deciduous, alternate, simple, and more or less round in outline. The tip of the leaf is deeply lobed at least 1/3 of the way to the base. All the veins originate at the base of the leaf and radiate outward. Generally bluish green in color and often folded up like a clam closing or a butterfly.

Fragrant flowers appearing in fall into the winter and blooming until spring. Magenta color, five petals and sepals, 5+ inches wide, asymmetrical, long stamens with curving tip and female part even longer and more curved.

Stems some what zig-zagging at the nodes, smooth and green or brown in the fall, but new strong growth may have copper colored hairs. Vegetative buds look naked but I have not seen references to that.

Misidentification:
I have read references suggesting the leaves can look like Cercis canadensis but deeply lobed at the tip. I think the give away that its not a Cercis is the leaves folded up and deeply lobed. Now the trouble begins, as there are more than on species of Bauhinia, B. variegata has smaller leaves, less shallowly lobed to almost not lobed, smaller flowers, but same color flower or very pale to almost white. The pictures I have seen of B. variegata in full bloom the flowers all look very light colored, almost white.

I am open to being schooled on this plant. Doubt the owner will read this and most don't know what is planted in their yards.

Location:
Santa Cruz
113 Oceanview Ave.

Michelia doltsopa - Chinese Magnolia

The Chinese Magnolia is a relative of the magnolias which is really obvious when you see one. Growing as a shrub or smaller tree to 30'. Habit is usually an upright to oval to perhaps spreading with age or space. Blooms very early, January for us and contrasts very nicely with the dark green leaves.

This is one at the SF Arboretum.

Flowers fragrant, white petals, 12 or more each 3" long somewhat oblong to lanceolate petals (way different than most of the magnolias you will see). All the male parts are yellow.

Flowers are axillary and not terminal like magnolias, If you look closely at a magnolia in bloom all the flowers are coming from a terminal bud. The stems maybe short and a lot of them but they do not flower from axial buds on stems. Flower buds are almost as pretty as the flowers. Green with a copper cast, 2-3" long.

This tree blooms for us like magnolias should, all at once rather than weakly over a month.

Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptical (oblong to lanceolate maybe) , 4-8" long, dark glossy green upper surface and lower covered with light copper colored hairs.

Another beauty in bloom in the Seacliff Area.

Misidentification: 

Some magnolias perhaps. Look for the flower buds in the axils. 

Location:
Aptos
535 Bayview Drive
100 Oakdale Drive

Santa Cruz
Louden Center on the Center St side of the building, about in the middle of the building.

Tilia cordata - Little leaf linden

The linden trees of Northern Europe are really something. Long broad avenues lined with huge specimens hundreds of years old. The are called lime trees in the UK and elsewhere I am sure. They often prune them using a technique called Pleaching. 

So, the little leaf linden is one of 3-4 you might encounter. They are medium to large deciduous trees,  60-70 feet, typically pyramidal in youth becoming a little more rounded with age. Overall a pyramidal tree however there are several cultivars available in the trade so they will likely be different. Lindens all have very distinct leaves and an interesting way of hang their flowers and fruit.

Fall color is exceptional. Especially where it gets cold. Notice the very nicely pyramidal habit.

Leaves are alternate, simple 1.5-3" long mostly cordate shaped. Margins serrated and with a long drawn out tip, (acuminate tip). While not totally unique, the leaf base is unequal making one side of the leaf look larger than the other. 

Look for small tufts of orangish hairs in the axils of the viens on the lower surface of the leaves.

Twigs are smooth, gray green sometimes turning redish in winter. May have glaucous bloom.

Flowers are fragrant, small, yellowish green in clusters of 5-7, subtended by a large leaf like bract. Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence.

Fruit is a nutlet in groups of 5-7. Slightly ridged, and still attached to the flower bract. (Small nut-like drupe according to many references.)

Branching pattern is congested resulting form poor pruning in the nursery. But they do have a tendency to develop lots of branches in a short vertical space. They also have a tendency to sucker at the base below the graft union.

Misidentification:
Other Lindens maybe.  Smaller leaves than others but not always. Look at the lower surface.

Location:
Capitola:
720 Gilroy
304 Escalona (small 2010)

Live Oak
along Capitola Dr from about 17th to 7th, usually two of three trees in the center divider

Santa Cruz
200 block of Mission Blvd close to the Plaza

Parking lot of the Chase Bank on the corner of Water and Ocean.

1416 Broadway, Largest by far.

Pittosporum undulatum - Victorian Box

The Victorian Box is a popular evergreen flowering tree from Australia with a nice tight formal pyramidal shape canopy growing 30 to 40' and 20 at its widest point. Fast growing and sometimes pruned into a hedge (less commonly than P. eugenoides). Often single stemmed but also commonly seen as a multi-stemmed tree.

Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptical, 4 -5 inches long and about 1" wide. Light green when emerging turning dark green later spring. Lower surface lighter green. Margins are undulated, some more than others. Not sure why they named this plant P. undulatum as P. eugenoides is way more undulated.

New foliage showing a lighter green color.

Stems are stout, green with obvious lenticles and large pointed buds. 

Flowers are small, white and very fragrant, borne in the early spring in 3" wide clusters. Each flower is about 1/2" diameter with 5 petals that reflex backwards.  One of the common names is Mock Orange but thats what many of us call Philodelphus. Oh well, still a nice smell.

Fruit is a capsule, green ripening orange, about 1/2" diameter. Seeds are reddish orange and sticky.

Trunks are smooth gray colored, these are showing a multi-stemmed habit which is not that uncommon. 

Misidentification: Other Pittosporums, especially P. eugenoides but its much lighter green and way more undulated. They are more narrow as well if allowed to grow as a tree.

Location: Pretty common, the ones in the top picture are located on Sumner Dr south of Clubhouse Dr.