"A Connoisseur's Collection on the Slope of Mount Sutro"

August 03, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Here’s a piece on the Victor Reiter family garden on Stanyan Street, excerpted from The Gardens of San Francisco, Joan Hockaday, Timber Press 1988, titled “A Connoisseur’s Collection on the Slope of Mount Sutro”:

Every city has its foremost plantsman, one knighted in inside circles as the expert to consult on matters green and growing. Victor Reiter was San Francisco’s appointed master and he carried his title with a firm but tender grasp, only occasionally looking up from his breeding journal to realize the whole town was talking about his botanical and horticultural prowess.

Mr. Reiter’s sheltered and sloping one-acre garden at the foot of Mt. Sutro is like no other in this city; the size alone, combined with his extraordinary plant collection, made this a “must see” for visiting garden enthusiasts. The octogenarian’s passing during production of this book only sharpens the debate over whether his garden – or any garden – is but one man’s creation, destined for a new life of decline or redesign, and, further, whether garden preservation should occupy a more prominent role in conservation efforts, as it does abroad.

Fortunately for San Francisco, this spacious garden is now in the hands of Mr. Reiter’s widow and children who share his keen interest in the land and its upkeep. For one brief moment, however, on a crisp fall 1986 day soon after Mr. Reiter’s passing, the garden was in the hands (and knees) of a most distinguished clean-up crew – one San Francisco Parks chief, one Pacific Horticulture magazine editor, and dozens of others untitled but no les expert – gathered to help family members keep weeds at bay for one more season. It was an astonishing, affectionate outpouring in tribute to Mr. Reiter.

Hundreds of rare plants once thrived here; many survive his years of collecting. Collecting was, for Mr. Reiter, an all-consuming hobby, a chance to bring back a one-of-a-kind specimen, a chance to shelter outdated, unpopular hybrids until fashions changed once again. He had the space, the knowledge, and, finally, the horticultural connections to make collecting a joy. Each plant has a fascinating history behind its place in this garden – smuggled alpine seeds from the bank president’s wife, rare cemetery tree sips, and everywhere gifts and exchanges from friends. These stories, in later years, became the focus for garden visitors, became almost as important as the plants themselves.

A turning point for this garden – and gardener – came with an unexpected chill in December 1932. In Mr. Reiter’s words: “The big Freeze drove the dirt gardeners out of their burrows most successfully … the unprecedented icy blasts from out of the Arctic swept over Northern California leaving its gardens ravaged and its gardeners broken hearted.” Thus the California Horticultural Society was born out of resolve of Mr. Reiter and other early participants to “pattern some of the features of our fledgling after that great organization – the Royal Horticultural Society – whose objective is the advancement of horticulture in all its branches.”

While some gardeners collect the biggest and brightest new plants, Mr. Reiter wanted the smallest, most subtle, oldest breeds. For new plants, he bred his own, on site, then offered them for sale in his LaRochette nursery, which his father started years before. Roses were the specialty in the early LaRochette days before Mr. Reiter Jr. advanced to strictly temperate climate specialties, including that most colorful and tender of San Francisco plants – fuchsias. The 1952 LaRochette catalogue is a fuchsia connoisseur’s prize in itself, with its enthusiastic listing of introductions that are now scattered in gardens all over San Francisco and elsewhere. He set a goal to breed a fine white fuchsia which appeared in 1949: Fuchsia ‘Flying Cloud’ – a double rosy white. He then moved on to challenges among the eucheras, echeverias, correas and brooms. Remnants of LaRochette Nursery appear everywhere in this garden – from the masses of fuchsias haphazardly strewn about the upper garden to the lathhouses and greenhouse foundations near the once-bustling ‘office’ behind the house.

A magnificent tree – a wedding present from a British well wisher – now dominates the upper garden. When the Magnolia campbellii mollicomata is in bloom in mid-February, friends father to toast its magnificence. In Victor Reiter’s opinion, this Himalayan Magnolia tree, with its enormous, clear, deep pink blossoms, was the handsomest in the city. The tree arrived as a three-year old and had to be rerouted through Canada along the way.

So rarified is the atmosphere in this plant collection beneath Mt. Sutro, one is immediately tempted to inquire about seeing the family ‘jewels’ – Rhododendron ‘Victor Reiter Sr.’, Fuchsia ‘Mrs. Victor Reiter’ Echeveria ‘Carla Reiter’ – until it becomes clear that this unassuming family would prefer showcasing other families’ gems. Besides, having a plant named in one’s honor is a mixed blessing; if the plant does poorly, the honoree is blamed, rather than the supplier, or the real culprit, which might be a snail or a slug. For this reason, and others, Mr. Reiter preferred to name his new plants according to color, shape or size – characteristics rather than characters.

Each plant, each family has its colorful history at every turn in the garden. Sadly, Mr. Reiter never wrote all the stories down, never strolled through his vast garden with tape recorder in hand, so some memories are lost forever – a lesson other collectors might note. Mr. Reiter’s tremendous photo collection, however, equals the best of family albums and chronicles his life work on 35 mm slides, many on permanent view at Strybing’s Horticultural Library.

This private garden could hardly be duplicated today – as with any fine collection, it took years to gather and adapt. To see so many different flowering plants in one unscientific setting is enough to send the uninitiated along the collecting path at once; for the initiated, the paths led to Utopia. Unfortunately, because Mr. Reiter collected the tiniest species, they are the first to succumb to the weeds, the first to be smothered under larger less desirable plants nearby.

Nature, ever so quickly, closes in. Cities, just as quickly lose their living collections.

Richmond/Seacliff #covidtreetour 7-25-20

July 28, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

This week’s tour is just east of Lincoln Park in the Richmond District and neighboring Seacliff, a neighborhood of beautiful homes and richly planted front gardens. The tour begins and ends at the corner of 31st Avenue and California Street. Our trio is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

The walk heads west on California Street to 32nd Avenue, then north on 32nd for half a block, crosses 32nd and returns to California, then heads east on California to 31st, north on 31st to Sea View, east on Sea View to 30th, north on 30th to Lake Street, then returns south on 30th to California, and back to its beginning at 31st.

red alder (Alnus rubra) - the City’s largest! — red alder (*Alnus rubra*) - the City’s largest!

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 28. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

California Street at 31st Avenue, NW corner

1. 295 - 31st Red alder (Alnus rubra), CA to Alaska, a SF native! This is a gorgeous tree, and we think it’s a “City Champion” - the biggest of this species in in San Francisco. Head west on California Street, then turn right on 32nd Avenue.

32nd Avenue, north of California, east side

2. 298 - 32nd Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands (2 trees) This is the same palm that lines the Embarcadero and upper Market Street, and there are many Canary Island palms in the Dolores Street median.

3. 270 - 32nd Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia. This was formerly SF’s most planted tree, but its popularity has faded in the past decade.

4. 262 - 32nd New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand. New Zealand Christmas trees are widely planted in SF, as the tree loves our climate. It is one of the best fits for the western side of the City where winds and sandy soils are a challenge for other trees.

5. 244 - 32nd Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (a well-pruned specimen)

6. 214 - 32nd Loropetalum chinense, China (typically grown as shrubs, these have been beautifully pruned into small trees)

7. 200 - 32nd Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’, CA native (two well-grown specimens)

Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) — Monterey pine (*Pinus radiata*)

***Please cross the street carefully; the tour will backtrack towards California Street from this point.***

32nd Avenue, north of California, west side

8. 201 - 32nd Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, CA native, most widely planted coniferous tree in the world (mostly for lumber; this is a particularly well-pruned specimen)

9. 231 - 32nd Ficus (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), S Asia. Ficus is a very common street tree throughout SF, but it isn’t frequently planted any more, so you don’t see many young ficus trees around the City.)

10. 247 - 32nd Silver maple (Acer saccharinum), E North America

11. 259 - 32nd Italian bay tree (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin

12. 261 - 32nd Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

13. 271 - 32nd Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), E & SE Australia

14. 271 - 32nd Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), E Australia

15. 273 - 32nd Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia

16. 291 - 32nd Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands

17. 291 - 32nd Japanese podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus), China & Japan (used here as a hedge between properties)

***Back at California Street, note the magnificent mosaic steps at the western end of California Street - they are worth a detour! Then turn cross California Street and head east on the north side of California.***

California Street, 32nd to 31st, south side

18. 6945 California London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species (planted along California Street from Nob Hill to Lincoln Park; many of them are pollarded regularly to control their size)

19. 6935 California Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Australia, Norfolk Island (it’s the tall “Christmas tree” within the block across the street). At 31st Avenue, turn right and head south to the Dupont Tennis Courts.

Across the street from 349 - 31st Avenue Lilly pilly (Syzygium smithii, formerly Acmena smithii), E Australia. This is an extremely rare tree on the streets of San Francisco. The colorful fruit are edible, though rather tasteless; exceptional specimens can be seen in the SF Botanical Garden. From here, backtrack on 31st Avenue, cross California Street and head north on 31st on the east side of the street.

31st Avenue, California to Sea View, east side

20. 290 - 31st Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’), Morocco & Algeria

21. 282 - 31st New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand. When you reach Sea View Terrace, turn right.

silver dollar tree (Eucalyptus cinerea) — silver dollar tree (*Eucalyptus* *cinerea*)

Sea View, 31st to 30th

22. 55 Sea View Mexican weeping pine (Pinus patula), Mexico (the tree with drooping needles, across the street, on the SW corner of Sea View and 31st)

23. 40 Sea View Silver dollar tree (Eucalyptus cinerea), Australia (tree with silvery foliage on the north side of the street). This is a very rare tree in San Francisco, and it took the three of us some time to come to a conclusion on the ID of this tree!

24. 25 Sea View Water gum or small-leafed tristania (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia (several trees in a row; one of the most planted trees in SF). At 30th Avenue, turn left and head to 2850 Lake (at the corner of 30th).

Lake Street at 30th, NE corner

25. 2850 Lake Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia (magnificent aged specimens on both Lake and 30th; this tree loves SF’s climate)

26. 2850 Lake Hybrid tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Dark Shadows’), Australia (flowering in the shadows near the corner of the house). Now backtrack on 30th and head south, on the east side of the street.

30th Avenue, Lake to California, east side

27. 232 - 30th Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia (4 trees; the largest is among the most shapely in SF)

28. 286 - 30th Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana), hybrid of E Asian species; also a Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA (across the street)

This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco (if you like this tour, there are 12 more neighborhood tree tours in Mike’s book), Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine and editor of Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books! You can follow Mike (@sftreeguy) and Jason (@loulufan) on Instagram.

Red Flowering Gums in Bloom

July 24, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) in front of Mission High School on 18th Street near Dolores

When my brother Mark from upstate New York visited me in July a couple of years ago, I still remember driving with him on a street in the Mission, when he asked, “What’s THAT tree”??!! July and August in San Francisco is the time when red flowering gums (Corymbia ficifolia) are out in spectacular bloom. Brilliant red or orange, pink or white - the tree’s flowers come in many colors, and the blooms present in large inflorescenses that can often cover most of the tree’s crown. Red gums cannot be easily reproduced from cuttings, and when reproduced from seed, nature rolls the genetic dice, so the flower color won’t necessarily match that of the parent tree. Large, smooth and woody seed capsules (which look like the bowl of a pipe) form after the flowers, and hang onto the tree for many months, often until the next year’s flowers are in bloom. Red gums are well adapted to San Francisco’s cool coastal climate, and they thrive almost everywhere in the City. In fact, the largest red gum in the United States is in San Francisco’s St. Francis Woods neighborhood, at the corner of Monterey Boulevard and Junipero Serra Boulevard. The native range of the red flowering gum is a very small area in western Australia, southeast of Perth.

Sadly, the City has virtually stopped planting these magnificent trees - very very few of them have been planted in the last decade. Why? Because they have very wide trunks, require a big sidewalk cut, and probably also because they eventually require more maintenance than other trees (as most big trees do). But those aren’t good reasons to stop planting red flowering gums entirely - there are plenty of places in the City with enough room for Corymbia ficifolia. Let’s not give up on this these magnificent trees!

Victor Reiter, Jr.

July 12, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Victor Reiter Jr. (1903-1986) was San Francisco‘s most famous grower, collector, and hybridizer of plants and trees for many years, and he was one of the founders of the California Horticulture Society in the 1930s. He was responsible for introducing many hybridized varieties of plants to the gardening world, including echeveria, abutilons, Heuchera, and thymes, but he was particularly well known for the creation of many different varieties of fuchsias. Despite his importance to horticulture in California, it’s surprisingly hard to find information on Reiter online – perhaps because all of his work happened well before the online era. This blog post is an attempt to address that oversight. I’ve tried to gather in one place some details of the life of one of the most important horticulturalists in California from the 1930s through the 1980s.

Reiter’s father, Victor Reiter Sr., was the manager of the Hotel Oakland in Oakland and, later, of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco (he was manager at the Palace in 1923, the year President Harding died while staying at the hotel). Reiter Sr. moved the family to 1195 Stanyan Street in 1926. Lots on the west side of Stanyan Street were being sold off by the family of Adolph Sutro, the silver baron and former San Francisco mayor who owned the entire Sutro Forest and adjoining neighborhoods at the turn of the century. (The 1930 census shows that the Reiters’ next door neighbors at 1199 Stanyan were Henrietta Sutro, Adolph’s daughter-in-law and her son Adolph Sutro.) The family’s interest in plants began to grow with Reiter’s Sr.’s retirement, when he enthusiastically began growing (and hybridizing) roses in the then-small backyard at that address.

Victor Reiter Jr. was in his late 20s in 1932, when a freak cold snap led to the founding of the California Horticultural Society. In early December, temperatures plunged well below freezing for several days, and many plants, including established trees, were killed outright. From A History of Cal Hort, Pacific Horticulture, Fall 2001:

Victor Reiter, Jr. in his garden - photo credit California Horticultural Journal, April 1968

“A number of horticulturally minded people affected by the freeze—nurserymen, estate owners and their gardeners, academics from the University of California at Berkeley, and backyard gardeners—gathered in a North Beach restaurant to assess the damage. After a few meetings, rapport was established and a permanent society emerged as the California Horticultural Society, usually known today as Cal Hort. … Victor Reiter, Jr. guided the society from its founding until his death. He held many official positions including president and was a founder in 1968 of the Pacific Horticultural Foundation.”

Reiter, himself, in 1961, wrote a fascinating history of the early days of the California Horticultural Society, in which he played an important role: https://calhortsociety.org/about/cal-hort-first-31-years/ Six years later, the Society gave Reiter its annual award (I think it was a kind of “lifetime achievement award”), and published a “brief outline of the award recipient’s background”.

In the early 1930s, the Reiter family acquired an additional acre of land adjoining their backyard from the Sutro heirs, a triangle-shaped lot wedged between Stanyan Street, Woodland Avenue, and the Sutro Forest. In 1937, the Reiters established a commercial nursery (known as the “La Rochette Nursery”) on the newly acquired parcel. The nursery gained fame among plant enthusiasts over the next 25 years as the source of rare and exotic plants that Victor collected through purchases and exchanges with sources throughout the world. Reiter not only collected plants, but also created new cultivars by breeding and hybridizing plants; the nursery was especially famous for its fuchsia introductions. The commercial nursery was closed in 1963 (one story, not verified, is that the City of San Francisco notified the family that a commercial nursery could not be permitted in a residential area), but Reiter continued to plant and care for the specimen plants and trees on the property until his death.

The Reiter garden is still in the family’s hands; Victor’s wife Carla died in 2013, but two of Reiter’s children still reside on the west side of Stanyan Street and have done a beautiful job maintaining the plantings. The garden’s large Campbell’s magnolia - a 1947 wedding present to Victor and his wife from an English well wisher - is a centerpiece, with beautiful pinkish-white flowers blooming every January. The garden has a number of remarkable specimens from New Zealand, including cabbage palms (Cordyline australis), northern ratas (Metrosideros robusta) and a rare yellow-flowering New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa ‘Aurea’). The property is private, but you can catch a glimpse from the Sutro Forest trail that starts just a few feet above the corner of 17th and Stanyan streets; the garden is visible on the right after a short walk into the forest.

Reiter had an important role in the introduction of the hybrid strawberry tree - Arbutus X ‘Marina’, now one of San Francisco’s most commonly planted trees. The origin of this hybrid is uncertain, but it’s thought to be a hybrid of two European species, and many have speculated that the tree arrived in 1915 for the Panama–Pacific International Exposition as part of a consignment of plants from the Italian government. Subsequently a few plants were propagated by Charles Abrahams at his Western Nursery on Lombard Street in the Marina district. When that nursery closed in 1933, a boxed plant was purchased by Strybing Arboretum, then under director Eric Walther. Victor Reiter took some cuttings from that tree in 1933, and planted one in his garden in 1944, which eventually became the largest Arbutus ‘Marina’ in existence (approximately 40’ tall). The Saratoga Horticultural Foundation obtained some cuttings from the tree in the Reiter garden, and introduced the tree to the California nursery trade in 1984, naming it Arbutus X “Marina’, commemorating the location of the Western nursery and as a tribute to its owner and one of California’s early plantsmen, Charles Abrahams.

Yellow-blooming New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa ‘Aurea’) at 1221 Stanyan Street — Yellow-blooming New Zealand Christmas tree (*Metrosideros excelsa* ‘Aurea’) at 1221 Stanyan Street

The Reiter family is also responsible for an official City of San Francisco “landmark tree” at 1221 Stanyan Street, near the corner of 17th Street. The large New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa) at that address is (in this author’s opinion) the best specimen of the species on San Francisco’s streets. New Zealand Christmas trees aren’t unusual in San Francisco – there are many hundreds of them in the City, popular for their showy red bottlebrush flowers. And indeed, all of the many hundreds of New Zealand Christmas trees on San Francisco’s streets have red flowers — except for this one, which blooms every May and June with spectacular yellow flowers. The story of this tree goes back to 1940, when there was a natural mutation of the species on tiny Motiti Island in the Bay of Plenty off New Zealand’s north coast. Reiter was one of the first Californians to obtain a cutting after the variety was introduced to cultivation later that decade (possibly from Strybing Arboretum, which still has a mature yellow-blooming specimen near the Arboretum’s entrance). The family planted the curiosity on the street in front of their home at this address, and, more than 70 years later, the tree is thriving - a beautiful mutant with an amazing pedigree.

A final post-script: as I said at the start of this post, if you google “Victor Reiter”, you won’t find much about the man and his accomplishments. What you will find is result after result of plant cultivars: Armeria ‘Victor Reiter’; Cistus ‘Victor Reiter’; Abutilon ‘Victor Reiter; Thymus ‘Victor Reiter’ (which grows in our back yard, incidentally) and so on. Although Reiter was famous for his skill in breeding plants, I don’t think these are cultivars that he created - rather, they were created by others and named after Reiter to honor him. An appropriate way to honor a man who did so much to further California horticulture.

California Horticultural Journal - April 1968 - Recognizing Victor Reiter, Jr.

July 12, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

[ The following is an article from California Horticultural Journal, April 1968 (Vol. XXIX, No. 2)]

The 1967 Annual Award of the California Horticultural Society “for outstanding and meritorious contribution to horticulture in California” was presented to Victor Reiter, Jr. at the Society’s annual dinner. Following established custom, a brief outline of the award recipient’s background is published in the Journal. [NOTE: here’s an excerpt from a UC Berkeley 1989 oral history of F. Owen Pierce, indicating that Reiter wrote the history below himself: “When Roy Hudson was made the director of Strybing Arboretum we had just had an article in the Journal about Vic Reiter. Vic had been given the annual award from Cal Hort, and Vic wanted to write up his own account of his life. He had put a lot of thought into it, and he'd rather do it right himself than have anybody else do it wrong, [laughing] Roy, I think, was envious of that, so when he became the director of the Strybing he brought in a long article by himself telling his life story.”]

FROM RUBBLE TO RUBUS - VICTOR REITER, JR.

Victor Reiter, Jr. was born at 1318 O’Farrell Street, in San Francisco, on April 26, 1903. His parents were of Luxembourger ancestry, paternally (Victor Reiter, Sr.) and of California native French, maternally (Augusta Pagès). All of his sixty-five years have been spent in San Francisco, except for a three year defection to the city of Oakland in 1912, and for six months in the remote wilds of Orinda “Park’ in 1908.

His first horticultural interests appeared, in 1909, at 1455 Sacramento Street, where a small backyard plot was assigned to “Bebe.” Here he grew marijuana from a canary bird seed mixture and sunflowers from parrot seed. This was augmented with a white polyanthus rose, four o’clocks (Mirabilis), Cestrum aurantiacum, mignonette, and apricot seedlings, all of which he had gleaned from the surrounding rubble-filled lots which remained after the 1906 fire and earthquake. He also possessed a potato plant grown from peelings and a clump of Swiss chard which the Italian maid “Rose” had brought from her relatives on Telegraph Hill. A “Big Boy”, about nine years old, recently arrived from the country, told him that farmers grafted fruit trees. This so intrigued “Bebe” that he took tips from his apricot seedlings and tied them into stems of the husky milkweeds that abounded in the area. The results of this effort, which had been insufficiently researched, survived for three long days – foggy ones.

During the school years that followed, interest in plants lay almost fallow. In 191 he did grow a vegetable garden of red lettuce and white carrots in an old plasterer’s mortar box, but no real horticultural interest developed until after his graduation from the University of California in his twenty-third year (1926).

Serious interest in plants started when the Reiters built a home at 1195 Stanyan Street in 1926. Here Victor Reiter, Sr. (a retired hotel-man) enthusiastically began growing roses in the relatively small back garden. The land was good and the roses prospered. Victor, Sr. and Jr. were convinced that the rose was the ultimate in flowering plants. They favored the smaller, more single kinds and, through hybridizing, Victor Sr. produced a Rosa abyssinica X R. ‘Cecile Brunner’ F3 hybrid, which he named Dr. Gallwey Improved. This is an extraordinarily vigorous non-remontant white climber, worthy of landscape planting today.

During those early rose years three things happened to influence Victor’s development. The Reiters acquired an adjacent acre of Sutro Forest, and Victor, Jr. met Lewis Allen and Eric Walther, both of Golden Gate Park. There had always been relationships with John McLaren and the Park; “Uncle John” had actually intimated that there might be room in the Park for Victor, Jr. However, the wonders of horticulture, botany and all its allied facets had never coalesced into a meaningful whole until the warm friendship of Lewis Allen and Eric Walther supplied the leaven.

Lewis Allen was assistant to Peter Rock and, later, manager of the nursery in Golden Gate Park. Allen was an avid collector, with a fabulous collection of rock-garden plants at his Sunset District home. As an expert grower, he had been responsible for the germination of the seeds gathered by various plant collecting expeditions to which the park subscribed. The nursery was literally groaning with thousands of new plants, of which surplus seedlings were available. Every Sunday afternoon Eric and Victor visited Lewis Allen’s garden and Victor listened as these two dedicated men shared their vast knowledge with their young disciple.

The avalanche of new plants, new names and new outlooks called for rethinking, reappraisal and study. The Journals of the Royal Horticultural Society, the Gardener’s Chronicle and Bailey’s Cyclopedia were devoured. Then, Eric introduced Victor to Alice Eastwood at the California Academy of Sciences, which had a treasury of botanical books. Another avalanche of knowledge ensued.

Simultaneously, Victor had started a mini-modest, one-man nursery, on the Sutro Forest land, which he named “La Rochette.” The treasures that had been acquired from Lewis Allen, from the Park and by direct purchase were multiplied, and seeds from Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand, Tasmania, South Africa and Mexico were germinated. Later, importations of plants were made from abroad notably from England, Ireland and France. New alpines, dwarf conifers, fuchsias and other shrubs came from the British Isles; gazanias, watsonias, and succulents from the Cape; shrubs and alpines from New Zealand and Tasmania; geraniums from France; echeverias, fuchsias, hawthorns, montanoas from Mexico; Fuchsia triphylla from Santo Domingo; aeoniums, echiums, statice, from the Canaries; armerias, alpines and bulbs from Morocco; helleborus and cyclamen from Majorca; even rose seeds from the USSR. In addition, plants were received from the USDA, Brooklyn Botanic Garden Pierre S. du Pont’s Longwood Garden, et. A. Lester Rowntree supplied native California seeds and even the aging Carl Purdy of Ukiah brought plants to swell the collections on Stanyan Street. Plants from the University of California Botanic Garden were also available, supplying new “loot” from South America. A glorious glut of plants was being accumulated.

In addition, there was Eric Walther’s formidable knowledge and the pre-Strybing Arboretum collection of plants at the Water Works in the Park, from which Victor had the privilege of getting cuttings. Items such as the first of the Magnolia campbelli clones came from there. Many of these items were difficult to multiply vegetatively, so Victor had to improve his propagating and his grafting skills far beyond those he had employed on the apricots in 1909. He built the first GE electric cold frames in San Francisco and early readers of this Journal may remember his article on the use of auxin-like substances to stimulate the rootings of cuttings.[1]

In addition to Eric’s Park responsibilities as entomologist, botanist, plantsman and arboretum developer, he had an avocation – an interest in succulent plants. This brought another world into the picture in the person of Charles Abraham, of the Western Nursery. At Eric’s suggestion, Victor visited the then very old “Charlie.” In the decaying, neglected old nursery on Lombard Street lurked many hidden beauties. The old man, recognizing the eagerness of his young visitor, uncovered his most precious items. For a token price of five dollars Victor left the Western Nursery with a gardener’s ransom.

James West had discovered succulents at Abraham’s nursery, where he probably also discovered Eric. Walther and West became active in the budding Cactus and Succulent Society of America, which headquartered in Los Angeles, and Victor tagged along. Within two years, La Rochette had accumulated hundreds of succulents and was producing new named clones of hybrid echeverias. The nursery trade still propagates some of these.[2]

Other succulents, particularly species of Rochea, were intercrossed in the hope of producing an earlier flowering Rochea coccinea type suitable for florist production on the California seacoast but, in the midst of all this succulent endeavor, the first tragedy struck – the Big Freeze of December, 1932 swept across California, obliterating all the outdoor breeding stocks of all the tender plants in the nursery, including most succulents. La Rochette never fully recovered from the Big Freeze in its tender plant department. The discouragement of losing years of collecting and breeding work in a single week is not conductive to repeat performances.

Members of the California Horticultural Society will remember that it was this same 1932 freeze that started the Society with a meeting of discouraged Bay Area gardeners in 1933. The story of the California Horticultural Society has already been recorded in these pages.[3]

This meeting started a new chapter for Victor Reiter, Jr. Dr. Sydney B. Mitchell, Dean of the Library School at the University of California, in Berkeley, and certainly the dean of California gardeners, became the Society’s first president. He was a learned gardener, author of western garden books and a famous Iris breeder, but, above all, he was an understanding mentor for aspiring horticulturists. At their Woodmont Avenue home in Berkeley, Dr. Mitchell and his wife, Rose created an informal atmosphere in which sophisticated gardening was a matter of course. He could gently place the yoke of logic over a disorganized young gardener’s thinking without generating discouragement. Again Victor was being faced with the need for reappraisal. Just as he had been inspired by the rare plant cult of Eric Walther, Lewis Allen and James West, he became equally fired by the plant quality and plant adaptability cult of Dr. Mitchell. No longer would “the plant be the thing” but, hereafter, “the best suitable plant would be the thing.”

Mediterranean plants were Dr. Mitchell’s major interests after the Big Freeze and Victor, having lost so much in 1932, was equally enthusiastic about the climatically suitable plants of Southern Europe. La Rochette featured species of Cistus, Helianthemum, Halimium, lavenders, and the multicolored Mitchell hybrid brooms. This was Victor’s Mediterranean period, when he introduced, among others, Helleborus corsicus Putoria calabrica, Aphyllanthes monspeliensis and the hybrid broom ‘Geoffrey Skipwith,’ which Eric later featured so successfully at the Strybing Arboretum.

Concurrently, La Rochette became very active in breeding fuchsias. The newly formed American Fuchsia Society, with Dr. E. O. Essig, Alice Eastwood Dr. Mitchell, Mrs. W. H. Ware and later, Gustave Neiderhollzer, had revived grandmothers’ vogue for fuchsias. This genus was so obviously suited to the coastal areas of California and had been so neglected that its potential was obvious. La Rochette acquired a large collection and imported new European fuchsias but, with the concept of “plant quality” inspired by Dr. Mitchell, the nursery became exceedingly select in its offerings. This was followed by years of fuchsia breeding in an attempt to improve the size, quality and color range of garden fuchsias. Readers of the Journal will remember Victor’s article on the history of fuchsia breeding[4], as well as notes on fuchsia culture[5].

Victor Reiter, Sr. was very active in the early fuchsia breeding work, an ideal father and son enterprise. Victor, Sr. would do the hybridizing and Victor Jr. would grow the seedlings to maturity – thousands of them . The story of the quest for the all-double-white fuchsia has already been recorded in the Journal.[6]

The Reiters amassed a huge collection of species of Fuchsia in the hope of improving the garden varieties by introducing new characters into the garden strains. This proved disappointing but they did introduce one fine hybrid, ‘Fanfare.’ In later years, Victor, Jr. also introduced ‘Mantilla,’ a trailing Fuchsia triphylla X F. ‘San Francisco’ hybrid. Victor continued the fuchsia work after his father’s passing, making annual offerings of new introductions which were critically praised or criticized by an enthusiastic fuchsia public.

In the midst of all this activity, the second great tragedy struck – World War II. Victor, Jr., like his friend William E. Schmidt [7], went into war work. Although over age, he felt it difficult not to take part in the effort. He wound up in charge of woodworking in the development laboratory at Hendy Iron Works, in Sunnyvale. Toward the end of the war, he had reached a crossroads – to decide whether to follow his esteemed superior, A. M. Poniatoff, into the budding Ampex Corporation or to return to La Rochette.

Return he did, with enthusiasm. During these post-war years the nursery renewed its breeding work, and continued to increase its rock-garden and succulent collections until the sales catalog of non-succulent ground covers and rock plants swelled to over five hundred kinds of plants. In addition, there were dwarf conifers and several hundred succulents, shrubs, vines and the extensive fuchsia operation.

Practically all saleable nursery stock was grown on the premises, much of it unobtainable from other sources. This gained a reputation for La Rochette as a nurseryman’s nursery, a supplier of novelties. There was a constant flow of visiting professionals who were eager to acquire and to share their rarities and experiences with tiny La Rochette.

It was an established custom never to charge botanists, plant breeders institutions, colleges or parks for new or rare plants. In the case of Eric Walther and the Strybing Arboretum, plants were not only given to the Park but they were supplied for exchanges between Strybing and other institutions.

Out of town visitors to the Arboretum could purchase some of the rare items seen there, from La Rochette. This brought many world contacts to the nursery. Sales of this sort were seldom consummated, usually ending, rather in an outright gift or exchange arrangement.

About one-third of the nursery was devoted to display collections, testing and breeding projects, all of which were time-consuming. To this was added the constant flow of horticultural personalities with whom Victor was delighted to share his time. Plant information was supplied to newspapers, magazines, horticultural writers and home gardeners, all of whom seemed to phone at any hour of the day or night, or on holidays of any denomination.

The combination of a research operation, a collector’s enthusiasm and the hard realities that business imposed was something practically impossible to accomplish then and totally impossible to achieve today. Only with the drive of youth and the fanatical dedication of the entire La Rochette entourage was the tiny enterprise barely able to survive. Profits had never, at best, been more than miniscule and the mounting costs of doing business, coupled with the declining public interest in high-maintenance gardens, made its final demise inevitable. The aging owner found himself following the same road that Charles Abraham had followed in an earlier generation. Charlie had seen his Western Nursery crumble with the changing times and Victor was also seeing his La Rochette becoming a similar anachronism.

Arthur Menzies had left the nursery and returned to the Park and the Strybing Arboretum. Victor’s devoted helper, Frank Sacaze, could no longer carry on. Eric Walther had retired from the Park but he still visited the nursery every Saturday morning to see his precious echeverias which Victor maintained in one of the greenhouses. Realizing that his hours were numbered, Eric was frantically working to complete a monograph of Echeveria which, unfortunately, was still incomplete when the end came, in 1959. The California Academy of Sciences is now editing his monograph.

La Rochette had seen its days of glory – the gate was closed and the blackberries slowly reclaimed the Sutro Forest acre for its own.

_____________________

Victor Reiter, Jr. continues to garden in a more restricted way but the acquisitive zeal of the plant lover and the hybridizer’s enthusiasm survives. The now Honorary President still finds in the California Horticultural Society a bridge to the younger generation and the future He sees great promise for the rising generation of institutional horticulturists, who, he hopes, will be protected from the whimsical fluctuations and demands of the marketplace by the substitution of long range government support.

[1] All footnote references are to articles in the California Horticultural Society Journal. Notes on Plant-Growth Substances (Reiter) Vol. I: 71

[2] Echeveria Hybrids (Walther) Vol. XX: 60

[3] The First Thirty-One Years (Reiter) Vol. XXV: 90

[4] Notes on the History of Fuchsia Breeding (Reiter) Vol. V: 144; Vol. VI: 182

[5] The Outdoor Culture of Fuchsia in Coastal California (Reiter) Vol. II: 1

[6] Notes on the History of Fuchsia Breeding III (Reiter) Vol. XXVIII: 161

[7] Annual Award: William E. Schmidt (Reiter) Vol. XXVIII: 161

Bayview #covidtreetour (6-28-20)

July 01, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

This week’s tour is in the Bayview District, centering on the Quesada Gardens, a neighborhood volunteer project that filled a median with an array of trees, shrubs, flowers, and edible plants. The tour begins at The African Outlet store on the corner of 3rd Street and Quesada Avenue and ends at Revere and 3rd streets, one block to the south. Our trio is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

The walk heads west(ish) on Quesada Avenue to Newhall Street, then south(ish) on Newhall almost to Bayview Street, then returns to Revere Street, and heads east(ish) on Revere to 3rd Street, one block south of the tour’s beginning.

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 32. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

Note: Some of us plant geeks have difficulty with simple arithmetic, so you may notice that occasional numbers have been repeated and others left out. We’re working on it.

3rd Street at Quesada, NW corner

1. 4942 - 3rd London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species (one of the finest specimens of this tree in SF, where it often does not look this good)

Rubber trees (Ficus elastica ‘Decora’), S & SE Asia (the several large leafed plants in the plantings in the well-planted shade garden under the canopy of the plane tree

Quesada Avenue, 3rd to Newhall, north side

Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris) in the Quesada median — Cook pine (*Araucaria columnaris*) in the Quesada median

2. 4942 - 3rd Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia (in the median on Quesada, opposite the rear of The African Outlet)

3. 4942 - 3rd Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris), New Caledonia (in the median on Quesada, opposite the rear of The African Outlet)

4. 1716 Quesada Boxleaf azara (Azara microphylla), Chile

5. 1720 Quesada Crabapple (Malus cultivar), Japan

6. 1730 Quesada Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly SF’s most planted tree)

7. 1730 Quesada Golden locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’), E USA

several Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis) in the Quesada median — several Canary Island date palms (*Phoenix canariensis*) in the Quesada median

8. 1730 Quesada Yucca (Yucca gigantea), variegated cultivar, Mexico to C America (planted 26 years ago)

9. 1732 Quesada Flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata), Japan

10. 1732 Quesada Fig tree (Ficus carica), Mediterranean Basin (in the median; deeply lobed leaves; edible fruits!)

11. 1742 Quesada Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia

12. 1748 Quesada River she-oak (Casuarina cunninghamiana), Australia

13. 1752 Quesada Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA (2 trees)

14. 1760 Quesada Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands (numerous trees in the median along the full length of the Quesada Gardens)

jacaranda (jacaranda mimosifolia) closeup of flowers

15. 1762 Quesada Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia

16. 1778 Quesada English hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata), Europe

17. 1786 Quesada Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Argentina, Bolivia

**Note the hand-painted tiled steps and beautiful murals at the top end of Quesada Avenue. The mural on the right honors the late Karl Paige, who worked with Annette Smith to initiate the neighborhood project that resulted in the median’s Quesada Gardens.

Newhall Street, Quesada to Revere, east side

17. 1600 block of Newhall Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands (across the street, running the full block alongside the Bridgeview Teaching & Learning Garden, a project of the Quesada Gardens Initiative)

18. 1645 Newhall Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia

Karl Paige, the founder of the Quesada Garden

Tree #19 is at the far end of the next block of Newhall. After viewing it return to Revere and head downhill.

Newhall Street, Revere to Bayview, east side

19. 1751 Newhall Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum, syn. Sophora japonica), China (the biggest specimen in SF)

Revere Street, Newhall to 3rd, south side

20. 1799 Revere Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), China (two trees with hairy trunks)

King palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamii), E Australia (a cluster of 5 clean trunks)

21. 1791 Revere Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), SW Oregon & NW California

22. 1783 Revere Islay (Prunus ilicifolius), SF native tree!

23. 1780 Revere Snow-in-summer tree (Melaleuca linariifolia), E Australia (tree is across the street)

24. 1765 Revere Japanese cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), Japan (known as “sugi” in Japan)

26. 1733 Revere Silver linden (Tilia tomentosa), SE Europe to Turkey

27. 1729 Revere Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), West Coast & Rocky Mountains to S Mexico (needle leaves, a CA native tree!)

China doll tree (Radermachera sinica), China & Taiwan (tree with much - divided leaves, growing up through the Douglas-fir)

28. 1721 Revere Italian bay tree (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin

29. 1717 Revere Northern California walnut (Juglans hindsii), Northern California valleys. Most edible walnuts grown in CA were grafted onto the roots of this native species)

Please cross the street carefully.

30. 1716 Revere Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin), Iran

31. 1714 Revere Golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata), China & Korea

32. Revere Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China

Lower Haight #covidtreetour (6-20-20)

June 22, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

This week’s tour is in the Lower Haight, a tree- and bike-filled neighborhood between Duboce Park and Page Street (recently designated a “slow street” for pedestrians), and between Scott and Fillmore streets. The tour begins on Steiner Street near Germania Street and ends at Steiner and Haight streets, two blocks to the north. Our group is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

The walk heads north on Steiner Street to Germania Street, then east on Germania to Fillmore Street, north on Fillmore to Waller Street, west on Waller to Potomac Street, south to Duboce Park and then back to Waller, then continues west on Waller to Scott Street, north on Scott to Page Street, east on Page to Steiner, and then south to its conclusion on Steiner at Waller Street, two short blocks from the beginning of the tour.

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 43. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

Steiner Street, between Hermann and Germania, east side

Wow - a white poplar (Populus alba) on Steiner Street - it’s the City’s biggest by far! — Wow - a white poplar (*Populus alba*) on Steiner Street - it’s the City’s biggest by far!

1. 110-A Steiner London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species (this commonly planted urban tree is prone to fungal diseases in SF’s cool foggy climate, as evidenced by the disfigured leaves and shoot tips on this tree)

2. 110 Steiner White poplar (Populus alba), Morocco to Eurasia (SF’s biggest specimen, by far)

3. 114 Steiner Cabbage tree or tī koūka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand

Turn right on Germania. Germania Street, Steiner to Fillmore, south side

4. 175 Germania Sweet michelia (Magnolia doltsopa), Himalayas (fragrant flowers appear in winter)

5. 173 Germania Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum), E Australia

6. 111 Germania New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

7. 109 Germania Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), E Mediterranean Basin (seed pods can be used to make a chocolate substitute—though not recommended for true chocolate lovers)

Turn left on Fillmore. Fillmore Street, Germania to Waller, west side

8. 145 Fillmore Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia

Cross Waller Street; turn left. Waller Street, Fillmore to Steiner, north side

coast coral tree (Erythrina caffra) - another City Champion; biggest of this species in San Francisco by far! — coast coral tree (*Erythrina caffra*) - another City Champion; biggest of this species in San Francisco by far!

9. 422 Waller Coast coral tree (Erythrina caffra), E South Africa (SF’s biggest; flowers in late winter)

10. 450 Waller Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (they’re everywhere around this ‘hood)

11. 498 Waller Eureka lemon (Citrus x limon), hybrid from E Asia

Cross Waller Street to the south, turn right on Steiner Street to the west, and turn left on Potomac Street

Potomac Street, Waller to Duboce Park, east side

12. 541 Waller Japanese plum (Prunus salicina), China (tree is on Potomac)

12 ½. 541 Waller Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), China (this species seldom does well in SF)

We ran into my friend Ken Wingard in front of his jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia). Your tree is looking great, Ken! — We ran into my friend Ken Wingard in front of his jacaranda (*Jacaranda mimosifolia*). Your tree is looking great, Ken!

13. 70 Potomac Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Argentina, Bolivia. This tree normally does well in SF’s warmer eastern neighborhoods - this homeowner is doing a great job keeping this tree healthy!

14. 70 Potomac Red delicious apple (Malus domestica cultivar), C Asia. Red delicious apples are snubbed by apple connoisseurs, but this homeowner likes the pretty red color against his dark grey home :)

15. 68 Potomac Bronze loquat (Raphiolepis deflexa, syn. Eriobotrya deflexa), E Asia

16. 60 Potomac Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

17. 54 Potomac Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), SE Australia (a youthful specimen showing the juvenile foliage that resembles a silver dollar)

tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Duboce Park — tulip tree (*Liriodendron tulipifera*) in Duboce Park

**Step into Duboce Park and note the beautiful grove of gray-leaved olives (Olea europaea) to the left (east) and the sturdy tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) to the right (west). Then backtrack on Potomac on the west side of the street.

Potomac Street, Duboce Park to Waller, west side

18. 49 Potomac Sweet michelia hybrid (Magnolia doltsopa x Magnolia figo), hybrid of Asian species

19. 63 Potomac Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species, first discovered in San Francisco

20. 67 Potomac Japanese crabapple (Malus floribunda), Japan (flowers heavily in early April)

21. 75 Potomac Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia. Formerly San Francisco’s most commonly planted treee, it’s become less popular of late - the trees are glorious for two weeks in February when it blooms, but by June they’re often losing leaves and they often look ratty by early August.

Turn left on Waller. Waller Street, Potomac to Pierce, south side

Dragon tree (Dracaena draco) — Dragon tree (*Dracaena draco*)

22. 591 Waller Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) Eastern USA

**Note the beautifully planted and maintained succulent garden along both Waller and Pierce streets.

At Pierce, Street, cross Waller to get to the north side of the street. Waller Street, Pierce to Scott, north side

23. 648 Waller Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Eastern Australia (one of the largest in San Francisco)

24. 660 Waller Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands

25. 660 Waller Dragon tree (Dracaena draco), Canary Islands (it’s one of the largest in San Francisco)

26. 667 Waller Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands (across the street)

Scott Street, Waller to Haight, west side

27. 101 Scott Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan

28. 127 Scott Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia

29. 127 Scott Waggie palm (Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Wagnerianus’), China

Scott Street, Haight to Page, east side

30. 220 Scott Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

31. 240 Scott Ficus (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), S Asia (a common street tree in this ‘hood)

two Chinese hackberries (Celtis sinensis) on Page Street — two Chinese hackberries (*Celtis sinensis*) on Page Street

Page Street, Scott to Pierce, north side

32. 850-856 Page Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis), Asia (2 beautifully maintained trees; in the same plant family with cannabis!)

33. 838 Page Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

34. 834 Page Red-leaf Japanese maple (Acer japonicum cultivar), Korea and Japan

35. 802 Page Saratoga laurel (Laurus azorica), Azores and Canary Islands (selected form introduced by Saratoga Horticultural Foundation)

Page Street, Pierce to Steiner, south side

36. 785 Page Senegal date palm (Phoenix reclinata), W Africa to E and S Africa

37. 700 block of Page Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia (row of several trees across the street)

NE corner of Page and Steiner streets

38. 698 Page Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle), Peru, Chile (across the street)

Steiner Street, Page to Haight, east side

39. 332 Steiner Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia

40. 305 Steiner Kapuka (Griselinia littoralis), New Zealand (tree is across the street)

Haight Street, east of Steiner

41. 797 Haight Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum), E Australia (in full bloom now; several in this block, on both sides of the street)

Steiner Street, Haight to Waller, east side

42. 214 Steiner Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA

Laussat Street, east of Steiner, both sides

43. Full block Ficus (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), S Asia

Inner Sunset #covidtreetour (6-13-20)

June 16, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

This week’s tour is of the Inner Sunset, a neighborhood with many successful trees that have adapted to sandy soils, wind, and summer fog. The tour begins with a couple of New Zealand trees in front of um.ma, the Korean restaurant on 9th near Lincoln Way. (Tartine is next door.) Our group is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

The walk heads south on 9th Avenue to Irving Street, then west to 10th Avenue, north on 10th to Lincoln Way, west on Lincoln to 11th Avenue, south on 11th to Kirkham Street, east on Kirkham almost to 7th Avenue, then north on 8th Avenue to Lincoln Way, and west on Lincoln to 9th Avenue, ending in front of Pacific Catch at the corner of Lincoln and 9th, just a few doors north of the beginning of the tour.

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 59. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

A karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus) from New Zealand on 9th Avenue - the only one we know of in San Francisco! — A karaka (*Corynocarpus laevigatus*) from New Zealand on 9th Avenue - the only one we know of in San Francisco!

9th Avenue, Lincoln to Irving, east side

1. 1220 - 9th Karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus), New Zealand

2. 1220 - 9th Kermadec pōhutukawa (Metrosideros kermadecensis), Raoul Island, New Zealand

3. 1248 - 9th Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), S China

4. 1262 - 9th Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia (2 trees)

5. 1266 - 9th Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), Mediterranean Basin (3 trees)

Irving Street, 9th to 10th avenues, north side

6. 834 Irving Coppertone Indian hawthorne (Raphiolepis ‘Coppertone’), hybrid of E Asian species (new spring growth is coppery in color)

7. 836 Irving Ficus (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), S Asia (common street tree in SF)

10th Avenue, Irving to Lincoln Way, west side

8. 1275 - 10th Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (note the green-leafed sprouts from the root stock)

9. 1245 - 10th Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), CA’s Channel Islands, except Catalina; CA native (a particularly fine specimen)

10. 1219 - 10th Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia (grows in streamside locations in the wild; hence, the common name)

11. 1215 - 10th Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia (one of SF’s iconic trees, yet occurs in a tiny area in the wild)

12. 1205 - 10th Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), SE Australia; the juvenile foliage looks like a silver dollar.

Turn left, and head west on the south side of Lincoln Way.

Ginko (Ginkgo biloba) leaves — Ginko (*Ginkgo biloba*) leaves

Within Golden Gate Park on the north side of Lincoln Way, 10th to 11th avenues

13. 909 Lincoln Saramati palm (Trachycarpus ukhrulensis), Himalayas; very rare in cultivation (across the street, inside SF Botanical Garden)

14. Lincoln at 11th Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Carmel, CA native (seen on the north side of Lincoln, all the way to the beach; one of the trees that helped turn the shifting sand dunes into the Golden Gate Park of today)

11th Avenue, Lincoln to Irving, west side

15. 1227 - 11th Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China

16. 1245 - 11th Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile

Cross 11th to the east side.

17. 1288 - 11th Monkey-hand tree (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon), S Mexico and Guatemala (tree is near the corner of Irving Street; note the curious flowers, which look like a monkey’s outstretched hand)

11th Avenue, Irving to Judah, east side

18. 1300 - 11th Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands

19. 1319 - 11th Prickly paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides), E Australia (across the street)

20. 1324 - 11th Bronze loquat (Raphiolepis deflexa, syn. Eriobotrya deflexa), E Asia

11th Avenue, Judah to Kirkham, west side

21. 1403 - 11th Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), E Asia

**This is a long block with numerous repeats of trees already seen on this walk.

22. 1495 - 11th Hercules tree aloe (Aloidendron, syn. Aloe, x ‘Hercules’), hybrid of S African species (tree is in the planter, around the corner on Kirkham)

Kirkham Street, 11th to 10th, north side

Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi) — Australian tree fern (*Cyathea cooperi*)

23. 628 Kirkham Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia (also across the street)

24. 614 Kirkham Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia

**Note the beautifully planted succulent garden at 608 Kirkham.

25. 600 Kirkham Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (2 trees are on 10th)

Cross Kirkham to the south side and continue east.

Kirkham Street, 9th to 8th, south side

26. 433 Kirkham Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi), NE Australia

27. 415 Kirkham Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

Kirkham Street, 8th to 7th, north side

You find random things on tree tours - someone was a pretty good Peanuts artist on this tree!

28. 350 Kirkham Cabbage tree (Cordyline ‘Atropurpurea’), hybrid of New Zealand species (the spiky plants with sword-shaped leaves)

IItalian cypress (Cupressus sempervivens ‘Glauca’), E Mediterranean (the candle-shaped conifer)

29. 326 Kirkham Sweet michelia (Magnolia doltsopa), Himalayas

Return to 8th and head north.

8th Avenue, Kirkham to Judah, east side

30. 350 Kirkham Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia (3 trees are on 8th)

Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, CA native; most widely planted coniferous tree in the world, mostly for lumber (trees are across the street in the rear garden)

31. 1478 - 8th Little-leaf linden (Tilia cordata), Eurasia

32. 1452 - 8th Jade tree (Crassula ovata), S Africa (“tree” might be a bit of a stretch)

33. 1446 - 8th Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

34. 1426 - 8th Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan and China

8th Avenue, Judah to Irving, east side

35. 1390 - 8th New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

36. 1362 - 8th Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata), E Australia (an undeservedly rare tree, well adapted to the western half of SF)

37. 1331 - 8th Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum), E Australia (across the street)

38. 1330 - 8th Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) SW Europe to Ireland

8th Avenue, Irving to Lincoln Way, east side

38. 700 Irving Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), E & SE Australia (tree is on 8th, across the street)

39. 1282 - 8th Mirror plant (Coprosma repens), New Zealand

40. 1274 - 8th London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species

red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) flower and leaves — red-flowering gum (*Corymbia ficifolia*) flower and leaves

41. 1260 - 8th Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia (a favorite in the neighborhood)

42. 1238 - 8th Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia), E Australia

43. 1232 - 8th Ceanothus (Ceanothus sp.), a CA native, not commonly grown as a street tree in SF

44. 1222 - 8th Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA

Lincoln Way at 9th Avenue, south side

45. 1200 - 9th Ribbon gum (Eucalyptus viminalis), S & E Australia (tree is across the street in Golden Gate Park; its bark peels off in ribbons)

Dogpatch #covidtreetour (6-6-20)

June 09, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

This week’s tour is in Dogpatch, a neighborhood undergoing substantial changes, with historic homes and tech offices side-by-side. A benign climate encourages an array of interesting trees. The tour begins on the NW corner of Pennsylvania and 22nd Street, near the 22nd Street CalTrain Station. Our group is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

The walk heads north on Pennsylvania Street to 20th Street, then east over the 20th Street bridge (for a short canopy walk) to Tennessee Street, north on Tennessee to 19th Street, west on 19th to Minnesota Street, north on Minnesota to 18th Street, west on 18th to Indiana Street, south on Indiana to 19th, east one block on 19th, then returns to Indiana, continues south on Indiana to 20th, and turns west on 20th. The final trees are on 20th between Indiana and the I-280 freeway overpass, about a block from the start of the tour.

Believe it or not, San Francisco’s only sugar maple (Acer saccharum) at the corner of 22nd and Pennsylvania — Believe it or not, San Francisco’s only sugar maple (*Acer saccharum*) at the corner of 22nd and Pennsylvania

NW corner of Pennsylvania and 22nd streets,

1. 698 Pennsylvania Sugar maple (Acer saccharum), Great Lakes to Canada to Tennessee; appears on the Canadian flag; not well adapted to San Francisco’s climate, as evidenced by this tree’s general lack of vigor. This is the only sugar maple known to exist in San Francisco!

2. 1200 - 22nd Freeman maple (Acer x freemanii), hybrid of Acer rubrum & Acer accharinum, both from E North America (all of the maples surrounding this building are freeman maples (other than the sugar maple at the corner)

Pennsylvania Street, 22nd to 20th, east side

3. 699 Pennsylvania Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), E USA to Mexico & C America (several trees are on 22nd)

California buckeye (Aesculus californica) at the Caltrain station off of 22nd Street.

We didn’t “chalk” this, but you can see one of San Francisco’s “landmark trees” if you cross 22nd Street at this point, and walk down the stairs to the Caltrain stop. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, continue walking forward (away from 22nd Street) until you see a very large tree on the hillside on your right. The tree is a California buckeye (Aesculus californica), a tree that is native to San Francisco. This massive tree has been given landmark status by the City of San Francisco.

4. 681 Pennsylvania Red maple (Acer rubrum), Florida to Canada to Mississippi River

5. 603 Pennsylvania New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

602 Pennsylvania Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands (across the street)

6. 587 Pennsylvania Australian willow (Geijera parviflora), E & SE Australia

7. 581 Pennsylvania Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

8. 535 Pennsylvania Oleander (Nerium oleander), Mediterranean Basin to S China

Pennsylvania Street, north of 20th, east side

9. 491 Pennsylvania Jujube (Ziziphus jujube), S Asia to China; only one in San Francisco; fruits are edible and tasty

red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) - one of San Francisco’s best of this species at 461-73 Pennsylvania

10. 461-473 Pennsylvania Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), E & SE Australia

11. 460 Pennsylvania Giant bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), S Africa (across the street; banana-like foliage above the street address)

Return to and cross 20th Street, then turn left toward the Bay to cross the 20th Street bridge over I-280, Indiana, and Minnesota

Here we begin a “canopy walk” with chalked labels written on the bridge’s cylindrical handrail.

20th Street Bridge, Pennsylvania to Tennessee, south side

12. Over I-280, east side Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), SE Australia; the juvenile foliage on young trees looks like a silver dollar

13. Over Indiana, east side Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), China; note the differences in character of these trees just south of the bridge with their relatives, the California coast redwoods further down the block

We had to get creative on this stretch of 20th Street…

14. Over Minnesota, west side Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia

15. Over Minnesota, east side London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species; this commonly planted urban tree is prone to fungal diseases in SF’s cool foggy climate, as evidenced by the disfigured leaves and shoot tips on this tree

Back on terra firma…

Tennessee Street, 20th to 19th, west side

16. 888 Tennessee Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly SF’s most planted street tree)

17. 800 Tennessee Locust (Robinia x ambigua ‘Idahoensis’), hybrid of N American species

19th Street, Tennessee to Minnesota, south side

18. Entire block Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia

Here, we begin a tour of UCSF’s “Medicinal/Botanical Garden,” created by the landscape firm of Delaney + Chin. The garden wraps around east, west, and south sides of 654 Minnesota, beginning here with Minnesota Street. After rounding the block in a counterclockwise direction, we return to the garden on Indiana and 22nd streets.

Minnesota Street, 19th to 18th, west side

19. 654 Minnesota Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Korea & Japan

19 ½. 654 Minnesota Italian bay tree (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin; leaves used for seasoning

20. 654 Minnesota Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China; fruits of the female trees are foul-smelling but the seeds are considered a delicacy in China and Japan [delicious!: editor]

21. 660 Minnesota Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia

Turn left onto 18th Street and walk to Indiana Street

Indiana Street, 18th to 19th, east side

22. North half of block Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyanothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), CA’s Channel Islands, except Catalina; CA native

23. (not used)

24. 654 Minnesota Cabbage tree (Cussonia paniculata), S Africa

25. 654 Minnesota Edible fig tree (Ficus carica), E Mediterranean Basin to C Asia; trained against the wall as an espalier

26. 680 Indiana African sumac (Rhus lancea), S Africa (across the street)

27. 654 Minnesota Guava (Psidium guajava), Mexico to C America and Caribbean

28. 654 Minnesota Macadamia nut tree (Macadamia sp.), Australia

29. Indiana at end of 19th Cottonwood or poplar (Populus sp.), N America (across the street)

19th Street, Indiana to Minnesota, north side

30. 654 Minnesota Peach tree (Prunus persica), China

31. 654 Minnesota Lime tree (Citrus x aurantifolia x Citrus limon), hybrid origin

32. 654 Minnesota Loquat (Rhaphiolepis loquata, syn. Eriobotrya japonica), SE China; fruit is edible

Pomegranate (Punica granatum), SW Asia

33. 654 Minnesota Makrut lime (Citrus hystrix), SE Asia

34. 654 Minnesota Calamondin/calamansi (xCitrofortunella microcarpa), hybrid of mandarin and kumquat

Return to Indiana Street and head south along the west side of Esprit Park.

Indiana Street, 19th to 20th, east side

35. Esprit Park Purple smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’), Eurasia; low tree with purple foliage, inside the park

36. Esprit Park Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), C & N CA coastal native, tallest tree species in the world (most of the coniferous trees along the west edge of the park)

37. Esprit Park Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica), CA to British Columbia (two large shrubs along the sidewalk)

38. Esprit Park Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, CA native, most widely planted coniferous tree in the world (mostly for lumber)

Indiana Street, 20th to 22nd, east side

9. 801 Indiana Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), China, thought extinct but discovered in the 1940s (previously seen from the canopy walk on the 20th Street bridge overhead)

40. 867 Indiana Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia (a few trees among a grove of large coast redwoods)

41. 953 Indiana London plane tree (Platanus x acerifoliia), hybrid of E USA species and European species

22nd Street, Indiana to I-280 overpass, north side

42. 998 Indiana Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China; note the slightly different character of the foliage on this selection of ginkgo (trees are on 22nd)

43. 998 Indiana Red maple (Acer rubrum), Florida to Canada to Mississippi River (trees are on 22nd)

This walking tour of was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco (if you like this tour, there are 12 more neighborhood tree tours in Mike’s book), Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine and editor of Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books! You can follow Mike (@sftreeguy) and Jason (@loulufan) on Instagram.

California buckeye (Aesculus californica) at 2694 McAllister

SF's Most Famous Native Tree in Bloom

June 06, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

The California buckeye (Aesculus californica) at 2694 McAllister is one of San Francisco’s most notable trees, and it’s certainly the most famous of the trees that are native to San Francisco. It’s a huge specimen, and very old - so old that many think it existed before the turn of the century neighborhood around it. It’s in full bloom right now, with hundreds of the showy clusters of white flowers that the tree puts out in May and June every year. When I’m asked about my favorite trees in the City, this one is always at or near the top.

This tree has an interesting recent history. In 1999 the then-owner of the property posted plans to build a second home on the corner lot. The designs for the house placed it in a spot that would have required the removal of the tree. The City’s tree-lovers, led by environmentalist activist Beatrice Laws, responded with such a fierce outcry - hundreds of citizens signed petitions and letters to City Hall - that the property owner ultimately conceded. The plans were redrawn to move the home to a part of the lot where it would not damage the tree, and as part of the settlement, an easement was drawn up between the property owner and Friends of the Urban Forest (my law firm at the time wrote the easement as pro bono project for FUF) to permanently protect the tree. Under the easement, any removal or significant pruning to the tree requires FUF’s consent. At the time, it was the only street tree in the City protected by an easement (I’m told there is now a second).

Much later, in 2019, the tree was granted “landmark tree” status by the San Francisco Urban Forestry Council in a unanimous vote, granting it a second layer of protection.

California buckeyes can be found on wind-protected sites in the dry slopes and canyons of California’s coastal range and Sierra foothills. The leaves of the tree typically drop in July (an adaptation to our long, dry summers) unless summer water is provided. After the tree’s flowers fade, one or two pear-shaped fruits form on each flower cluster, and inside each fruit’s leathery jacket is a seed with a shiny brown coat. California’s native Americans knew the tree - they crushed the tree’s poisonous seeds and added them to dammed-up streams to stupefy fish, making them easy to catch. (Even today, you can find California buckeyes near old Indian campgrounds.)

San Francisco Magazine Story

June 03, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

A reader recently let me know that the link to the May 2017 article in San Francisco Magazine was broken. That article, written by Lynn Rapoport, is my favorite of all of the articles that have been written about San Francisco’s urban forest. It’s beautifully written, and the article comes the closest to explaining why I (and I think many of you) love the trees of this City so much. So I’m restoring it to the site in hopes that 2020 readers will enjoy it as much as those from three years ago:

Higher Education

Why I’m trying to learn the name of every tree species in San Francisco. By Lynn Rapoport

Sometime in the second half of 2016, I set out on a series of neighborhood walks with my friend Masha – like me, a fan of four-hour urban investigations, but, unlike me, possessed of a deep store of botanical knowledge. On these walks I learned the name of the jacaranda, the tree, it turned out, whose lavender blossoms had floated down over the proceedings at my best friend’s wedding a decade earlier. I saw my first Norfolk Island pine, outlandishly sculpted by evolution to resemble some crowing achievement of mid-century modern design. I found out that running one’s hand along the trunk of a flaxleaf paperbark tree is indeed like petting a stack of handmade loose-leaf. And I became acquainted with the ginkgo, contemporary of dinosaurs, the female seldom seen here owing to the puke-like tang of its fruit.

It felt strange to suddenly know these things, given that trees had previously presented as an agreeable peripheral blur while I wandered through the city that’s been my home for 23 years. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about nature, but I’d always been a pretty vague, generalist appreciator, whether walking out to the end of Tomales Point in Marin or traversing the hillside gardens flanking the staircases above the Castro. So it’s unclear why 2016 – an exciting time in all our lives – was the year I precipitously turned into someone who spends her weekends peering up at shaggy bark, catkins, and pinnately compound leaf arrangements, murmuring names like “shoestring acacia” and “mountain she-oak”.

Some share of the credit – or blame – resides with a man named Mike Sullivan, to whom Masha and I had developed a somewhat cult follower-like attachment. Onetime board president of Friends of the Urban Forest and keeper of the blog San Francisco Trees, Sullivan wrote the essential urban-forest guidebook The Trees of San Francisco, a compendium of walking tours and tree profiles that has taken us in search of European hornbeams in Potrero Hill, Port Orford cedars in the Panhandle, and Sydney golden wattles in Pacific Heights – where I also caught my first glimpse of the controversial Monterey cypress hedge enshrouding the Spreckels mansion, home to romance novelist Danielle Steel.

By the time we’d finished our debut tour and I’d seen my first gorgeous, willowy mayten and crushed between my fingers the deliciously fragrant leaves of my first California bay, I found it baffling that I could have been so unconcerned with the names, morphology and customs of an entire charismatic category of this planet’s living things. I resolved to get on a first-name basis with as many San Francisco representatives – 124,795 street trees encompassing some 500 species, per a city census completed in January – as I could find.

It sounds a bit compulsive, like some kind of taxonomic hoarding. But I think there’s more to it than just a drive to collect facts. When I met up with Sullivan in March, he pointed out that learning to identify San Francisco’s urban forest can also be an extension of the glorious perennial occupation of learning to know San Francisco itself. We were walking through Parnassus Heights, where Sullivan, a startup and venture capital lawyer by trade, lives with his husband, their son, and a dog named Mather (after the city-owned family camp in Yosemite). As we paused on Parnassus Avenue opposite a row of red flowering gums, one of the many antipodean species that love our foggy coastal climate, he talked about the “serendipitous” discoveries he’s made, arboreal and otherwise, walking around the city during his 33-year tenure here.

And these tree walks do feel like an outgrowth of two-plus decades of urban explorations that have rewarded me with a more densely annotated map of this city I adore. In the new year, waiting for the Bailey’s acacias to bloom, and then the Victorian boxes, and then the California buckeyes, it dawned on me that, contrary to conventional wisdom, San Francisco has seasons, erratic and overlapping though they may be. Even the fallen leaves of a towering silk oak that pile up outside the doorway of the hipster barbershop down the block from my house have somehow come to texture my understanding of this place.

That richness has activated something, too, a renewed ability to be curious and dazzled in a city where I’ve lately been more focused on a distressing housing market, on anxieties about how much longer, as a renter, I’ll be able to hang on here. Spending time staring up at the aerial root systems of New Zealand Christmas trees, or crumpling and smelling a bay laurel leaf like the ones I put in my stockpot, or learning to pick out the metallic sound of the Anna’s hummingbirds that frequent the bottlebrushes, I suppose I’m doubling down on my emotional stake in San Francisco, amid uncertainty, despite possible heartbreak ahead. Maybe there’s something consoling about keeping company with the city’s most permanent residents.

As Sullivan pointed out, many of them, far from their native soil, reflect the contradictory emergence, over the years, of a treescape unique to San Francisco, one that self-selects for thriving amid sandy soils, harsh winds, fog, seven or eight months without rain, and of course, cement. Noting that he could be dropped into a San Francisco stripped bare of any other identifying markers and know it by its trees, Sullivan said “We’ve almost created our own native urban forest here.” It was a remark unlikely to thrill the local purists who dream of ridding the city of invasive plants – a ship that has long since sailed out of San Francisco Bay. But I found the idea evocative, and after we’d said our goodbyes and I was walking home over the 17th Street hill, I realized that my map of the city, with its singular population of trees, had gained another new overlay. Wandering through Parnassus Heights a few weeks later on our own, Masha and I passed the 20-foot tall soapbark tree that Sullivan and his husband had planted outside their house the week in 2004 that their son was born. I was happy they’d been able to put down roots, and envious, too, because I hadn’t managed to do the same in this wondrous place with its inhospitable soil. That ship, too, had probably sailed. Or maybe it hadn’t. We continued walking through the urban forest, searching for unknown points on a map, eyes turned upward toward the branches.

Castro #covidtreetour (5-31-20)

June 02, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

One of the city’s best coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) at 19th and Noe — One of the city’s best coast live oaks (*Quercus agrifolia*) at 19th and Noe

This week’s San Francisco #covidtreetour, where we chalk tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks, to allow social-distancing walkers to safely explore the urban forest, was in the Castro/Eureka Valley neighborhood. Our group is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

This tour is concentrated in the eastern end of Eureka Valley, between 18th and 19th streets, in the blocks east of Castro Street. It begins at the Noe Hill Market, 19th and Noe, with a magnificent coast live oak, one of San Francisco’s few native tree species.

The walk heads east on 19th Street to Sanchez Street, then north on Sanchez to Hancock Street, east on Hancock to Church Street, returns west on Hancock to Noe Street, jogs south on Noe and then returns north on Noe to 18th Street, east on 18th to Sanchez, then west on 18th to Hartford Street, south on Hartford to 19th Street, and east on 19th to the tour’s beginning at Noe Street.

Follow these tours on instagram: #covidtreetour

19th Street, SW corner of Noe

1. 4001 - 18th Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California native! And one of the few trees native to San Francisco (tree is on Noe)

19th Street, Noe to Sanchez, south side

2. 3995 - 19th Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), Himalayas

3. 3995 - 19th Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile

Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), with my masked cohorts Richard Turner (left) and Jason Dewees (right). — Mexican fan palm (*Washingtonia robusta*), with my masked cohorts Richard Turner (left) and Jason Dewees (right).

4. 3975 - 19th Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Baja California, Mexico

5. 3959 - 19th New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

6. 3956 - 19th Western sycamore (Platanus racemosa), a California native, but rare on San Francisco streets (across the street)

7. 3957 - 19th Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands

8. 3943 - 19th Yarwood plane tree or sycamore (Platanus ‘Yarwood’), originated at Sather Tower, UC Berkeley (these two trees are being pollarded; google the word to understand what that’s about)

9. 3931 - 19th Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Carmel, CA native (above wall on private propert.y). Turn left and head downhill on Sanchez

Sanchez Street, 19th to Hancock, west side

10. 590 Sanchez Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China

11. 580 Sanchez Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), E Australia

12. 567 Sanchez Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands (across the street)

13. 526 Sanchez Wheel tree (Trochodendron aralioides), S Korea, Japan, Taiwan (the green plant at eye level between sidewalk and house). This is a very rare plant in San Francisco. Turn right on Hancock Street.

Hancock Street, Sanchez to Church, south side

14. 93 Hancock Eastern dogwood (Cornus florida ) E North America (note the one branch with variegated foliage — a sport or mutation)

15. 93 Hancock Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia (5 trees)

16. 93 Hancock Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Japan

Pin oak (Quercus palustris) - this tree is identifiable by its deeply lobed leaves — Pin oak (*Quercus palustris*) - this tree is identifiable by its deeply lobed leaves

17. 77 Hancock Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly SF’s most planted street tree)

18. 57 Hancock Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia

19. 55 Hancock Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana), hybrid selection

20. 45 Hancock Pin oak (Quercus palustris), Midwest USA

21. 31-33 Hancock Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Brazil (2 trees)

Please cross the street carefully here.

Hancock Street, Church to Sanchez, north side

22. 646 Church Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan (tree is on Hancock)

little leaf linden (Tilia cordata) in bloom, with one of the plant’s yellowish-green “bracts” showing to the right of the flowers — little leaf linden (*Tilia cordata*) in bloom, with one of the plant’s yellowish-green “bracts” showing to the right of the flowers

23. 646 Church Little-leaf linden (Tilia cordata), Eurasia (tree is on Hancock)

24. 646 Church Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

25. 20 Hancock Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

26. 44 Hancock California buckeye (Aesculus californica ), San Francisco native tree!

27. 545 Sanchez Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (3 trees are on Hancock)

28. 545 Sanchez Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) SW Europe to Ireland (tree is on Hancock)

Hancock Street, Sanchez to Noe, north side

29. 112 Hancock Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia (3 trees)

30. 118 Hancock Ficus (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), India to China

31. 122 Hancock Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia (a fantastic specimen)

32. 132 Hancock Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), a California native - and one of the few trees native to San Francisco

Please cross the street carefully here

Hancock Street, Sanchez to Noe, south side

coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia) showing its "flower spike", an inflorescence made up of several hundred flowers densely packed around a woody axis — coast banksia (*Banksia integrifolia*) showing its "flower spike", an inflorescence made up of several hundred flowers densely packed around a woody axis

33. 135 Hancock Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia), E Australia (above the wall, next to the garage

34. 135 Hancock Marjory Channon pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Marjory Channon’), New Zealand

35. 137 Hancock Pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii), S China, Laos, Vietnam

36. 183 Hancock Shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla), W Australia (above the fence)

37. 183 Hancock Zunca palm (Parajubaea sunkha), Bolivia (very rare in San Francisco - we need more of these!)

Turn uphill on Noe

Noe Street, south of Hancock, east side

38. 559 Noe Pomegranate (Punica granatum), W & Central Asia (a particularly fine specimen)

Backtrack - turn downhill on Noe

Noe Street, Hancock to 18th, east side

39. 549 Noe Cabbage tree or tī kōuka in Maori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Argentina, Bolivia

40. 526 Noe Orange trees (Citrus sinensis), S Asia (across the street)

18th Street, Noe to Sanchez, south side

41. 3955 - 18th Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia

42. 3933 - 18th Brisbane box (Lophomyrtus confertus), E Australia

At Sanchez Street, cross 18th and backtrack on 18th - head back towards Noe on the north side of the street.

18th Street, Sanchez to Noe, north side

43. 3914 - 18th Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), China (2 trees)

44. 3938 - 18th White champaca (Magnolia x alba), hybrid of SE Asian species (watch for the fragrant flowers)

45. 3946 - 18th Sweet michelia (Magnolia doltsopa), Himalayas

18th Street, Noe to Hartford, north side

a Melaleuca species - but not sure which one. This tree stumped all three of us!

46. 4000 - 18th Paperbark tree (Melaleuca sp.), Australia (tree is on Noe)

47. 4002 - 18th Loquat (Rhaphiolepis loquata, syn. Eriobotrya japonica), SE China (fruit is edible)

48. 4016 - 18th Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia. Turn left and head uphill on Hartford.

Hartford Street, 18th to 19th, east side

49. 115 Hartford Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia (tree was grafted at chest height)

50. 147 Hartford Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), E Australia (purple-leafed form)

148 Hartford Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), E Australia (green-leafed form, across the street)

51. 142 Hartford Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia (across the street)

52. 157 Hartford Gold medallion tree (Cassia leptophylla), Brazil

53. 167 Hartford Plum tree (Prunus x domestica), cultivated hybrid

54. 171 Hartford Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia (front tree)

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia ‘Charles Grimaldi’) — Angel’s trumpet (*Brugmansia* ‘Charles Grimaldi’)

Avocado tree (Persea americana), Mexico & Central America (tall tree behind the cherr at this address)

Dragon tree (Dracaena draco), Canary Islands (spiky plant behind the cherry)

55. 173 Hartford Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia ‘Charles Grimaldi’), hybrid of South American species, named for the late San Francisco garden designer)

56. 187 Hartford Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia (3 trees). Turn left at 19th Street.

19th Street, Hartford to Noe, north side

57. 193 Noe Freeman maple (Acer x freemanii), hybrid of Acer rubrum & Acer saccharinum, both from E North America (tree is on 19th)

58. 4025 - 19th Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia (across the street; white flowers are strongly fragrant)

59. 4002 - 19th Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia

There are a couple more interesting trees that we didn’t include on the tour - if you walk uphill on Noe from 19th to the corner of Cumberland (on the left side as you ascend, you’ll see two very large trees in the sidewalk just past Cumberland. These are swamp mahoganies (Eucalyptus robusta) - a rare tree in San Francisco, and we think these are the largest specimens in the City.

Russian Hill #covidtreetour (5-24-20)

May 25, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

[NOTE: our newest tour is of the Castro - chalked on 5/31 - that tour will be up on this site in a day or two!]

This week’s San Francisco #covidtreetour, where we chalk tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks, to allow social-distancing walkers to safely explore the urban forest, was on Russian Hill. Our group is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco. We saw some great trees today - one of the City’s biggest giant sequoias (see #23 below), and we found a “City Champion” - the largest of its kind in San Francisco (see #42 below).

This tour starts at the venerable Swensen’s Ice Cream Store, at the SW corner of Hyde and Union streets. The walk heads south on Hyde Street to Vallejo Street, then east on Vallejo to Jones Street, north on Jones to Green Street, west on Green to Leavenworth Street, north on Leavenworth to Union Street, a short jog east on Union and back to Leavenworth, continues north on Leavenworth to Filbert Street, west up the steps on Filbert to Hyde, then return south on Hyde to the tour’s beginning at Union Street.

Ficus tree (Ficus microcarpa) on Hyde Street next to Swensen’s — Ficus tree (*Ficus microcarpa*) on Hyde Street next to Swensen’s

The street addresses provided below will help when the chalk has faded. Most of the trees are planted in sidewalk cut; a few are planted on private property between the sidewalk and the house; and some are planted in a mini-park on Hyde and in the quiet residential Havens Street.

Note: Swensen’s is, sadly, closed due to the pandemic. In an emergency, ice cream in containers is available at nearby markets.

Hyde Street, Union to Green, west side

1. 1999 Hyde Ficus tree (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), India to China

2. 1987 Hyde Cork oak (Quercus suber), Spain & Portugal (4 young trees)

3. 1901 Hyde London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species (tree is on Green Street)

Hyde Street, Green to Vallejo, west side

Mediterranean fan palms (Chamaerops humilis), emerging from the fence at 1834 Hyde (there are five more of the palms above the garage to the left) — Mediterranean fan palms (*Chamaerops humilis*), emerging from the fence at 1834 Hyde (there are five more of the palms above the garage to the left)

4. 1834 Hyde Mediterranean fan palms (Chamaerops humilis), western Mediterranean Basin (on left, above stone garage across the street; one is also emerging from the fence to the left of the door)

5. 1834 Hyde Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Brazil (tallest palm, above stone garage across the street)

6. 1827 Hyde Fern pine (Afrocarpus gracilior), E Africa (several trees within Hyde & Vallejo Mini-park, on the left of the address). Turn left on Vallejo Street.

Vallejo Street, Hyde to Leavenworth, south side

7. 1255 Vallejo Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), E Asia

8. 1255 Vallejo Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

Vallejo Street, Leavenworth to Jones, south side

9. 1760 Leavenworth Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China (2 trees are on Vallejo side of building)

10. 1187 Vallejo Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia

11. 1173 Vallejo Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

12. 1140 Vallejo Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species, first discovered in San Francisco (tree is across the street)

13. 1120 Vallejo Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil (tree is across the street)

Jones Street, Vallejo to Green, west side

14. Vallejo & Jones Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California native - and one of the few trees native to San Francisco (tree is above the Jones St wall, opposite 1085 Vallejo at the NE corner of Vallejo & Jones). Turn left on Jones Street.

A row of tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) on Jones Street — A row of tulip trees (*Liriodendron tulipifera*) on Jones Street

15. 1827 Jones Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), E North America (look up to see the green and orange flowers; tallest hardwood tree in North America)

16. 999 Green Kapuka (Griselinia littoralis), New Zealand (tall hedge on Jones Street side of the high-rise tower)

17. 999 Green Hollywood juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’), E Asia (SE corner of Green & Jones, next to kapuka hedge). Turn left at Green Street.

Green Street, Jones to Leavenworth, south side

18. 1025 Green Irish yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’), Eurasia & N Africa (2 columnar trees against the house)

19. 1020 Green Evergreen dogwood (Cornus capitata), Himalayas (tree with big white flowers, across the street)

20. 1033 Green New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

21. 1033 Green King palms (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana), E Australia (2 young palms)

22. 1045 Green Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA

23. 1055 Green Giant sequoia (Sequoidendron giganteum), Sierra Nevada, CA native (largest tree species in the world; this tree is one of SF’s best examples)

24 1055 Green English holly (Ilex aquifolium), W Europe & N Africa

25. 1067 Green Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’), a variety of Eurasian species (row of narrow trees along east side of 1097 Green)

26. 1097 Green Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), Mediterranean Basin. Turn right and head downhill on Leavenworth.

Leavenworth Street, Green to Union, east side

27. 1900 Leavenworth Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), New Zealand

28. 1932 Leavenworth Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly SF’s most planted street tree). Cross the street at Union, and turn right (downhill - the tour goes halfway down this block, and then backtracks.

Union Street, Leavenworth to Black Pl, north side

29. 1048 Union Two palms within the front courtyard:

Clara palm (Brahea armata ‘Clara’), Sonora, Mexico (taller palm on the right)

Mexican blue palm (Brahea armata), Baja California (on the left - it’s only visible if you take a couple steps down the stairs)

30. 1048 Union Apricot (Prunus armeniaca), C Asia

31. 1048 Union Fuyu persimmon (Diospyros kaki ‘Fuyu’), Japan

Return to Leavenworth Street, and turn right (downhill)

Leavenworth Street, Union to Filbert, west side

a Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) at the bottom of Havens Street — a Canary Island date palm (*Phoenix canariensis*) at the bottom of Havens Street

32. Havens Street Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands the palm is visible from the bottom of the steps). Havens Street is the street where Armistead Maupin, author of Tales of the City, lived while writing the book. It’s a dead end street, but it makes a lovely detour if you have extra time (we did not identify any trees on Havens other than the Canary Island palm).

33. 2049 Leavenworth Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia (also the entire block of trees on the opposite side of the street). Cross Filbert Street, turn left and head uphill on Filbert (one of San Francisco’s steepest streets - it’s a workout).

Filbert Street, Leavenworth to Hyde, north side

34. 1100 Filbert Firethorn (Pyracantha), Eurasia

35. 1110 Filbert Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Korea & Japan

36. 1110 Filbert Flowering plum (Prunus sp.), Eurasia (fruit are ripening now)

37. 1110 Filbert Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia (corner of the garden)

38. 1126 Filbert Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), China

39. 1141 Filbert Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), from central California near Carmel (tallest conifer across the street)

40. 1150 Filbert Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia

41. 1198 Filbert Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa), India to China (also across the street). At the top of Filbert, cross the street and turn left on Hyde.

Hyde Street, Filbert to Union, west side

42. 2051 Hyde Carisco (Persea indica), Madeira, Azores, Canary Islands. A close relative of the avocado tree, this is a rare tree in San Francisco. There are two trees here - I think the taller one is San Francisco’s “City Champion” for this species.

43. 2027 Hyde Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia

This walking tour of Russian Hill’s street trees was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco (if you like this Russian Hill tour, there are 12 more neighborhood tree tours in Mike’s book), Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine and editor of Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books! You can follow Mike (@sftreeguy) and Jason (@loulufan) on Instagram.

Inner Mission Social Distancing Tree Tour (5-16-20)

May 18, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Another Saturday, another San Francisco #covidtreetour, where we chalk tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks, to allow social-distancing walkers to safely explore the urban forest. Our group is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), and me. This week (Saturday, 5-16-20), we chalked the Inner Mission neighborhood - the tour is bounded by 16th, Valencia, 19th, and Dolores. It begins at the California State Historical Marker, which notes the first location of Mission Dolores Chapel on Albion Street at its intersection with Camp Street. (And a big thank you to Richard Turner, who types up these notes.)

Most trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in red, run from 1 to 53.

This walk heads south on Albion Street to 17th Street, then west on 17th to Valencia, south on Valencia to 18th, east on 18th, south on Lexington, west on 19th, north on Dolores, east on 17th, north on Guerrero, east on Camp, north on the west side of Albion to 16th, and back south on the east side of Albion to the tour’s beginning at Camp.

White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed. The street numbers provided below will help when the chalk has faded. Most of the trees are planted in pockets in the sidewalk pavement; a few are planted on private property between the sidewalk and the house; and some are planted in the medians of Dolores and Guerrero and in Dolores Park.

Note: We knew we were taking a chance chalking this tour, given the forecast of rain. The rain did come, and most of the white chalk was washed away; the red chalked numbers, for the most part, remain. The trees, however, are still there, and this detailed itinerary will allow you to find them with ease.

Albion Street, Camp to 17th, east side

1. 145 Albion Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

2. 145 Albion Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Brazil

3. 157 Albion Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia f(in full bloom now)

152 Albion Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia (across the street; also in full bloom - interesting to see the two related species so close together)

4. 165 Albion Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species, first discovered in San Francisco

5. 168 Albion Snow-in-summer tree (Melaleuca linariifolia), E Australia (across the street)

6. 175 Albion Prickly paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides), E Australia (across the street)

17th Street, Albion to Valencia, north side

7. 3412 - 17th New Zealand Christmas tree, called “pōhutukawa” in the Maori language (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

Valencia Street, 17th to 18th, west side

8. 630 Valencia Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia

9. 630 Valencia Valley oak (Quercus lobata), California native (west end of building, inside the fence)

10. 600 block London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species (most of the trees on the east side of street)

11. 696 Valencia Silk oak (Grevillea robusta), E Australia (best specimen in SF; flowering at the top)

Cross 18th and turn left, crossing Valencia and continue one short block to Lexington, where you will turn right.

Lexington Street, 18th to 19th, east side

12. 103 Lexington Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum), E Australia

sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum) — sweetshade tree (*Hymenosporum flavum*)

12 ½. 120 Lexington Japanese blueberry tree (Elaeocarpus decipiens), Japan (across the street)

13. 133 Lexington Primrose tree (Lagunaria pattersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands

14. 153 Lexington Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Argentina, Bolivia

150 Lexington Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan (across the street)

15. 171 Lexington Bracelet honey myrtle (Melaleuca armillaris), SE Australia

16. 185 Lexington Elegant water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Elegant’), E Australia. Turn right on 19th Street.

19th Street, Lexington to Valencia, south side

17. 3471 - 19th Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

19th Street, Valencia to Guerrero, south side

18. 3505 - 19th Chinaberry (Melia azederach), China & N India (rare in SF; a weed elsewhere)

19. 3505 - 19th Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), W & C China (west end of building)

20. 3523 - 19th Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), S China

21. 3528 - 19th Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa), S Asia

22. Mission Pool Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China (small tree in the sidewalk)

23. Mission Pool Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata), E Australia (the very large tree against the building - this is a spectacular specimen of this species, one of the best in SF)

24. 3573 - 19th Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin), Iran

19th Street, Guerrero to Dolores, south side

25. 3615 - 19th Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), Santa Cruz Island, CA native

26. 3623 - 19th Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (formerly SF’s most planted street tree)

27. 3627 - 19th Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), E USA to Mexico & C America

28. 3635 - 19th Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia

29. 3665 - 19th Bronze loquat (Raphiolepis deflexa), E Asia

30. 3673 - 19th River wattle (Acacia cognata), SE Australia

31. 595 Dolores Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), E Australia (3 trees on 19th, north side)

Dolores Park

Turn right on Dolores, but first look across the street to the four palms that flank the 19th Street entrance to Dolores Park.

32. 19th St entrance Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis), Chile (4 trees flanking the park entrance)

Dolores Street, 19th to 18th, east side

33. 591 Dolores Chilean pepper (Schinus polygamus), Chile (very rare in SF)

Canary Island palm (Phoenix canariensis) — Canary Island palm (*Phoenix canariensis*)

34. 583 Dolores Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands (also the dominant palm in the Dolores median)

35. 573 Dolores Red horse chestnut (Aesculus x carnea), hybrid of European and American species

36. 569 Dolores Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

37. 561 Dolores Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

38. 553 Dolores Turkish sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis), E Mediterranean Basin

38 ½. 547 Dolores Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Mexico (tall palm in the median)

39. 547 Dolores Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia

40. 527 Dolores Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis), Guadalupe Island, Baja (short palm in the median)

Dolores Street, 18th to 17th, east side

41. 497 Dolores Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), Mediterranean Basin

42. 443 Dolores Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

43. 431 Dolores Ficus (Ficus microcarpa), India to China. Turn right on 17th Street

17th Street, Dolores to Guerrero, south side

44. 3573 - 17th Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

45. 3559 - 17th Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), E Australia

46. 3537 - 17th Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia

47. 3525 - 17th Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), E Australia. Cross Guerrero, and turn left on to head north on Guerrero.

Guerrero Street at 17th, west side

48. 490 Guerrero Australian willow (Geijera parviflora), E & SE Australia

Guerrero Street, 17th to Camp, east side

49. 451 Guerrero Shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla), W Australia (trees are in the median)

50. (Skipped)

Turn right and head east on Camp Street to Albion, where you will turn left.

Albion Street, Camp to 16th, west side

51. 144 Albion Snow-in-summer tree (Melaleuca linariifolia), E Australia. At 16th Street, cross Albion and head back on the south side of the street.

snow in summer (Melaleuca linariifolia) — snow in summer (*Melaleuca linariifolia*)

Albion Street, 16th to Camp, east side

52. 3139 16th Lemonwood (Pittosporum eugenioides), New Zealand

53. 131 Albion Cedro blanco (Cedrela fissilis), Argentina to Costa Rica (only one in SF)

Potrero Hill Social Distancing Tree Tour #covidtreetour (5-9-20)

May 12, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

We’re now into our 5th week of creating temporary “tree tours” in San Francisco neighborhoods by chalking tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks. As regular readers know, these tours are made by Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), and me. Today (Saturday, 5-16-20), we chalked the Mission neighborhood (that tour will be here in a day or two). Last Saturday (5-9-20), we were in the Potrero Hill neighborhood, and discovered an amazing diversity of really interesting and many rare trees - our best haul so far, I think. Sadly, a couple of days later, we faced the enemy of sidewalk chalk - rain! So if the chalk has faded, the info below will let you follow the tour, and check out a slice of Potrero Hill’s urban forest.

This tour begins with some uncommon trees just north of the northeast corner of Missouri and 19th streets, on the north slope of Potrero Hill. Most trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in red, run from 1 to 56.

The walk heads east on 19th Street to Texas, crosses the street, then continues west on 19th to Carolina, south on Carolina, up the Jack Balastreri Way steps, and continues up Carolina, crosses the street, then heads back down Carolina to 20th, east on 20th to Missouri, and north on Missouri to 19th, diagonally across the intersection from the start of the tour.

Note: Some of us plant geeks have difficulty with simple arithmetic, so you may notice that occasional numbers have been repeated and others left out. We’re working on it.

Missouri Street, north of 19th, east side

1. 391 Missouri Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), E Australia (large tree at this address)

2. 391 Missouri Cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata), S Africa (in yard). From here, head east on 19th.

19th Street, Missouri to Texas, north side

3. 1342 - 19th Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Mediterranean basin & southwest Ireland

4. 398 Texas Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), E Australia (tree is on 19th)

5. 398 Texas Ovens wattle (Acacia pravissima), E Australia (tree is on 19th). At Texas, cross the 19th and head back east on the south side of the street.

19th Street, Texas to Missouri, south side

Jason Dewees (left), Mike Sullivan (center, with chalk) and Richard Turner (right) with a purple smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’)

6. 1301 - 19th Purple smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’), Eurasia. Cross Missouri, and look left for the next two trees - but the tour continues downhill/east on 19th.

Goat Hall, 19th & Missouri, SW corner

7. 400 Missouri Prickly paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides), E Australia

8. 400 Missouri Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), New Zealand

a row of weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis)

9. 400 Missouri Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia (tree is on 19th)

19th Street, Missouri to Connecticut, south side

10. St Teresa Church Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia (the trees line the entire block - trees are across the street on south side)

11. 401 Connecticut California buckeye (Aesculus californica), Bay Area native (tree is on 19th). Turn right at Connecticut before the intersection.

California buckeye (Aesculus californica) in bloom on 19th Street

Connecticut Street, north of 19th

12. St Teresa Church Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), Santa Cruz Island, CA native (a row of these trees on the east side of street of Connecticut, next to St Teresa). Cross Connecticut Street.

13. 394 Connecticut Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), E Asia (west side of street). Cross 19th to get back on the south side, and continue east/downhill on 19th.

19th Street, Connecticut to Arkansas, south side

14. 1515 - 19th Giant yucca (Yucca elephantipes), Central America (one of the biggest in SF!)

15. 401 Arkansas Brush cherry (Syzygium australe), E Australia (tree is on 19th). At Arkansas, take a short jog to the right/north to see the next tree.

Arkansas Street, north of 19th, west side

16. 380 Arkansas Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum), E Australia. Backtrack to 19th and turn right/downhill

19th Street, Arkansas to Carolina, north side, below the sidewalk

16. 380 Arkansas Catalina cherry (Prunus lyonii), Catalina Island, CA (tree is on 19th). The tree is just downhill from the house - it’s one of the biggest of this species, and maybe the biggest, on SF’s streets.

17. 19th just before Wisconsin Almond (Prunus dulcis), Iran (common in the Central Valley; rare in SF)

18. 19th between Wisconsin & Carolina Shiny xylosma (Xylosma congestum), China (two trees - photo of one of the trees is below). This is an extremely rare tree in SF - a great find!)

Richard and Jason in front of a shiny xylosma (Xylosma congesta)

19. 19th at Carolina Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, CA native, most widely planted coniferous tree in the world (mostly for lumber). Turn left and head up Carolina, on the right (west) side.

Carolina Street, south of 19th, west side

20. 1801 - 19th European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Eurasia (tree is on Carolina)

21. 618 Carolina Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Argentina, Bolivia

22. 664 Carolina Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia. Continue up the stairway at the end of the street.

Jack Balestreri Way (Carolina Street Steps)

23. Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), E USA (east side of steps)

24. Giant sequoia (Sequoidendron giganteum), Sierra Nevada, CA native, largest tree species in the world (left/east side of steps)

[NOTE; we saw a flock of parrots in the trees adjacent to the steps, munching on plums - you can see some of the green, immature plums on the upper left of the photo.]

25. Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), central and northern CA, coastal native, tallest tree species in the world (near top of the stairs; right/west side of steps)

20th Street at Carolina, north side (just to the left after you reach the top of the stairs)

26. New Zealand Christmas tree,called “pohutukawa” in Maori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand. Continue uphill on Carolina on the right/west side.

Carolina Street, 20th to 21st, west side

27. 752 Carolina Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

28. 800 Carolina Chitalpa (xChitalpa tashkentensis), hybrid of two native USA species

**Please cross the street carefully.** Head back downhill on Carolina on the east side of the street.

Carolina Street, 21st to 20th, east side

29. 797 Carolina Akebono flowering cherry (Prunus x yedoensis ‘Akebono’), Japan

30. 785 Carolina Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica), CA to British Columbia (very rare on SF streets)

31. 767 Carolina Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia

32. 749 Carolina Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), SE Australia

33. 719 Carolina Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia. Turn right on 20th and head east.

20th Street, Carolina to Wisconsin, north side

34. west of 1819 - 20th Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), Himalayas

1745 - 20th Street, SE corner of Wisconsin (trees are on Wisconsin) This address has an amazing collection of mostly tropical plants. Mike Sullivan dedicated an entire page of his Trees of San Francisco book to this garden - he called it a “ten car pileup” of amazing trees and plants. Jason Dewees refers to it as a “pilgrimage site”. So take some time to appreciate what’s here!

35. Coral tree (Erythrina caffra), S Africa (at the corner of the property)

36. Nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida), New Zealand (this is the only palm native to New Zealnd - it is against the house as you walk uphill on Wisconsin)

37. Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), SE Australia (large tree in sidewalk on right as you ascend Wisconsin)

38. Giant fishtail palm (Caryota obtusa), Thailand (one of the next palms you’ll see against the house - this is the one with the double pinnate fronds)

39. Coast banksia (Banksia integrifolia), E Australia (against the house further up Wisconsin)

40. Puka (Meryta sinclairii), New Zealand (smaller shrub with shiny leaves against the house)

41. Pindo palm (Butia odorata), Brazil (the last palm at this address as you ascend Wisconsin, on left). Backtrack to 20th, and head right/east.

1745 - 20th Street, SE corner of Wisconsin (trees are on 20th St)

42. Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), Mediterranean Basin (smaller palm at the corner)

43. Floss silk tree (Ceiba speciosa), S America (the very large tree in front of the house, planted in the sidewalk - you can’t miss this one because there are thorns on the trunk)

44. Black tree fern, mamaku (Cyathea medularis), New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia (large fern against the house)

45. Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Brazil (against the house, but not the palm closest to the house - that one is a king palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana)

**Please cross 20th street carefully.**

20th Street, east of Wisconsin, north side

46. 1740 - 20th Shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla), W Australia

47. 1740 - 20th King palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamii), E Australia. Head east on 20th Street.

20th Street, Arkansas to Connecticut, north side

48. 1632 - 20th Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), E USA to Mexico & C America

50. 1616 - 20th Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia hybrid), Asia

Connecticut Street at 20th, east side

50. 495 Connecticut Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), E Australia

20th Street, Connecticut to Missouri, south side

51. 501 Connecticut Flowering pear (Pyrus calleryana), E Asia (tree is on 20th)

52. 501 Connecticut Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’), Morocco/Algeria (tree is on 20th)

53. 1521 - 20th Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin. Turn left on Missouri.

Missouri Street, 20th to 19th, west side

54. 466 Missouri Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species, first discovered in San Francisco

55. 456 Missouri Avocado (Persea americana), Mexico & Central America

56. 400 Missouri Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Japan (tree is in front of Goat Hall)

Our regular commercial: This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. Richard edited another great book on San Francisco trees: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!

Bernal Heights #covidtreetour (5-9-20)

May 04, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

This is now our fourth week of creating temporary “tree tours” in San Francisco neighborhoods by chalking tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks. Word is getting out - we made the second page of the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday when Carl Nolte wrote about our Noe Valley tour!

Yesterday (5-3-20) morning, for some reason I woke up full of energy at 6AM, and so in a burst of enthusiasm between over the next four hours, I chalked tours in the Castro (starting point = NW corner of Noe and 18th); Glen Park (start = SE corner of Chenery and Lippard) and Forest Hill (start = Forest Hill Clubhouse at 381 Magellan). If you live in those neighborhoods, please help get the word out - the chalk will fade in a week or so!

On Saturday, Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and I did a tour of the Bernal Heights neighborhood. Chalk fades (!) but fortunately Richard typed up detailed notes as to tree locations and direction - I’m copying Richard’s notes below:

“The tour begins with the tall eucalyptus near the corner of Eugenia Avenue and Bonview Street, just a block uphill from Cortland Avenue. Most trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers run from 1 to 37.

The walk heads west on Eugenia to Winfield, then north on Winfield to Virginia, west on Virginia to Prospect, south on Prospect to Cortland, east on Cortland to Bonview, and north on Bonview to Eugenia, the start of the tour.

Eugenia Ave, Bonview to Elsie, south side

1. 418 Eugenia Willow-leaf peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), SE Australia. This is the very large tree at this address. Head west (towards Elsie) from here.

2. 418 Eugenia Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), E & SE Australia

3. 412 Eugenia Showy honey myrtle (Melaleuca nesophila), W Australia

4. 412 Eugenia Lemonwood (Pittosporum eugenioides), New Zealand

Eugenia Ave, Elsie/Virginia to Winfield, north side

5. 332 Virginia Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (tree is on Eugenia)

6. 332 Virginia Bailey’s acacia (Acacia baileyana), E Australia (tree is on Eugenia)

7. 301 Eugenia Australian willow (Geijera parviflora), E & SE Australia (tree is on Winfield)

Winfield St, Eugenia to Virginia, west side

8. 266 Winfield Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil (tree is near top of Eugenia Steps)

9. Top of Eugenia Steps , to the right as you face the stairs Buttercup bush (Senna multiglandulosa), Mexico & S America. From the top of the stairs, turn north and head downill on Winfield.

10. 228 Winfield Himalayan white birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii), Himalayas

11. 229 Winfield Italian bay (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin (tree is across the street)

12. 222 Winfield Hackberry (Celtis sp.), Asia; turn left on Virginia

Virginia Ave, Winfield to Prospect, north side

13. 217 Virginia Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta), Baja

Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia); bark closeup

14. 217 Virginia Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia

15. 217 Virginia Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis), Baja

16. 217 Virginia Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

17. 215 Virginia Elm (Ulmus sp.), Europe

18. 201-A Virginia Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus), E Australia (tree is on Prospect). Turn left and head south on Prospect.

Virginia Ave at Prospect, NW corner

19. 195 Virginia Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana), Brazil (tree is on Prospect, inside fence)

Prospect Ave, Virginia to Heyman, west side

20. 120 Virginia Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), E Australia (tree is on Prospect)

21. 214 Prospect Little Gem magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’), SE USA

Prospect Ave, Heyman to Eugenia, west side

22. 268 Prospect Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands

23. 270 Prospect Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia

Prospect Ave, Eugenia to Kingston, west side

24. 312 Prospect Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile

25. 316-A Prospect Hercules aloe (Aloe ‘Hercules’), hybrid of S African species

Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Brazil

Prospect Ave, Kingston to Cortland, west side

26. 336 Prospect Meyer lemon (Citrus ‘Improved Meyer’) At Cortland, cross the street, turn left and head uphill on Cortland.

Cortland Ave, Prospect to Elsie, south side

27. 126 Cortland Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

28. 140 Cortland Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

29. 144 Cortland Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), E Asia

30. 146 Cortland River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), Australia (very rare - may be the only one on San Francisco’s streets)

Cortland Ave, Elsie to Bonview, south side

31. 210 Cortland Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

***At the corner of Bonview, please cross Cortland safely; there is no stop sign or pedestrian crossing at the intersection with Bonview.*** Then head up Bonview.

Bonview St, Cortland to Eugenia, west side

32. 248 Bonview Weeping birch (Betula pendula), Europe

33. 248 Bonview Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa), S Asia

34. 214 Bonview Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia x candida ‘Double White’), Andes Mountains

Bonview St, Cortland to Eugenia, east side

35. 229 Bonview Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis ‘Atropurpureum’), New Zealand

36. 219 Bonview Mirror plant (Coprosma repens), New Zealand

37. 209 Bonview Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA (beautiful tree; one of the best of this species in San Francisco)

This walking tour of Noe Valley’s street trees was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. One other great book on San Francisco trees, while you’re at it: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park, edited by Richard Turner. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!”

Noe Valley "Social Distancing" Tree Tour (5-2-20)

April 30, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Richard Turner (left) and Jason Dewees (right), my co-collaborators in front of two beautiful king palms

This is now my third week of creating temporary “tree tours” in San Francisco neighborhoods by chalking tree descriptions and -> directional arrows -> on sidewalks. This morning, for some reason I woke up full of energy at 6AM, and so in a burst of enthusiasm between over the next four hours, I chalked tours in the Castro (starting point = NW corner of Noe and 18th); Glen Park (start = SE corner of Chenery and Lippard) and Forest Hill (start = Forest Hill Clubhouse at 381 Magellan).

Last Sunday Richard Turner (Editor Emeritus of Pacific Horticulture), Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms) and I did a tour around Richard’s neighborhood of Noe Valley. Richard mentioned that several of his Noe Valley neighbors were looking for a more permanent (!) record of the tour so I’m copying Richard’s notes below:

'“The tour begins with the magnificent tall eucalyptus on the east side of Noe near the top of the Duncan steps. Most trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying purple numbers run from 1 to 44. The tree walk leads north on Noe to Clipper, west to Castro, north to 25th, east to Noe, north one block on Noe to Jersey, cross the street and back south on Noe to Clipper, east to Sanchez, south to 27th, and west to Noe. Tree #44 is on 27th, just before Noe, and a block from the beginning of the tour. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed. The street numbers provided below will help when the chalk has faded. Most of the trees are planted in pockets in the sidewalk pavement; a few are planted on private property between the sidewalk and the house.

Noe Street, Duncan to 27th St, east side

1. 1413 Noe Willow-leaf peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), SE Australia . Head downhill (south) on Noe Street.

Noe Street, 27th St to Cesar Chavez, east side

2. 1393 Noe Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin

3. 1393 Noe Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crist-galli), South America

Silver mountain gum (Eucalyptus pulverulenta), E Australia

4. 1375 Noe Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

Noe Street, Cesar Chavez to 26th St, east side

5. 1331 Noe Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), E Asia

6. 1323 Noe Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), SW Australia

7. (skipped)

Noe Street, 26th St to Clipper, east side

8. 1295 Noe Diamond-leaf pittosporum (Auranticarpa rhombifolia), E Australia (only one in SF)

9. 1287 Noe Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum) E Australia

10. 1257 Noe Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

Noe & Clipper streets, SE corner of James Lick Middle School

11. Italian bay tree (Laurus nobilis), Mediterranean Basin. Turn left on Clipper, head to the corner with James Lick Middle School.

Clipper Street, Noe to Castro, north side

12. Clipper & Noe Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), E Australia (next to the school)

13. 335 Clipper Bracelet honey myrtle (Melaleuca armillaris), SE Australia (across the street)

14. Clipper at Castro Inside the fence - the Dinosaur Garden, James Like Middle School (planted with “living fossils”; look for the dinosaur mural along the Castro wall). Of particular note:

Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis), E Australia (in the middle of the garden, one of the taller trees - discovered near Sydney, Australia in 1997 after thought to have been extinct for millions of years)

Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), China (discovered in central China in 1944 during World War II, after thought to have been extinct for millions of years)

Castro at Clipper streets, east side, SW corner of school playfield

15. Castro at Clipper (northeast corner) Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) Mediterranean basin, also southwest Ireland. Cross the street at Castro and turn right (head north) on Castro

Castro Street, Clipper to 25th St, west side

16. 1518 Castro Sweet michelia (Magnolia doltsopa), Himalayas

17. 1518 Castro King palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamii), E Australia (two tall palms)

Waggie palm (Trachycarpus wagneriana), China (short palm)

18. 1514 Castro Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia. Cross 25th Street and turn right on 25th.

25th Street, Castro to Noe, north side

19. 4174 25th Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), SE USA

20. 4172 25th Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil

21. 4144 25th New Zealand Christmas tree, pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand

22. 4136 25th Bronze loquat (Raphiolepis deflexa), E Asia

23. (skipped)

24. 4102 25th White mulberry (Morus albus), Asia (favorite food of silkworms). Turn left on Noe.

Noe Street, 25th to Jersey, west side

25. 1190 Noe London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of E USA species and European species

26. 1188 Noe Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), E Asia

27. 1170 Noe Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis), Asia. At Jersey Street, turn right, cross the street and backtrack south on Noe on the east side of the street.

Noe Street, Jersey to 25th, east side

28. 293 Jersey Willow peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), SE Australia (4 trees on Noe)

29. 4098 25th Washington thorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) E USA (3 trees on Noe)

Noe Street, 25th to Clipper, east side

30. 1213 Noe Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), SW Australia

31. 1229 Noe Paul’s Scarlet hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’), Europe. At Clipper Street, turn left and head east on Clipper.

Clipper Street, Noe to Sanchez, north side

32. 264 Clipper Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa), S Asia

33. 228 Clipper Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyanothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), CA’s Channel Islands

33. 206 Clipper Snow-in-summer tree (Melaleuca linariifolia), E Australia. At Sanchez Street, turn right and head south on Sanchez

Sanchez Street, Clipper to 26th St, west side

34. 1280 Sanchez Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China

Sanchez Street, 26th St to Cesar Chavez, east side

35. 1301 Sanchez Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan

36. 1307 Sanchez Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), E Australia

37. 3998 Cesar Chavez Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), E Asia (3 trees on Sanchez)

Sanchez Street, Cesar Chavez to 27th St, west side

38. 1366 Sanchez Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle), Peru, Chile

39. 1370 Sanchez Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), E Australia. At 27th Street, turn right and head west on 27th.

27th Street, Sanchez to Noe, north side

40. 402 27th Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Brazil

41. 412 27th Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), E Australia

42. 446 27th Fern pine (Afrocarpus gracilior), E & S Africa

43. 476 27th Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), W & C China

44. 478 27th Primrose tree (Lagunaria pattersonii), Australia & S Pacific Islands (you’re now one block from the start of the tour at 1413 Noe Street)

This walking tour of Noe Valley’s street trees was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine and a 39-year resident of Noe Valley. You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. One other great book on San Francisco trees, while you’re at it: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park [NOTE from Mike Sullivan - edited by Richard Turner!]. Buy all three books!”

Presidio Social Distancing Tree Tour (4-25-20)

April 25, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

I can’t do group tree tours in the pandemic era, so recently I’ve been trying something else - grabbing a box of chalk, heading to a neighborhood and chalking a tour on the sidewalk, complete with -> arrows that lead viewers from tree to tree. Last week Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms, with an encyclopedic knowledge of trees) and I did a fun tour of Forest Hill (it starts at the Forest Hill Clubhouse if you’re interested). This week I heard from Blake Troxel, the Presidio’s head forester, asking if I could do a Presidio tour, so this morning (4/25/20) I headed the Presidio’s Main Post to whip up a tour there.

The Presidio has some fantastic trees - it’s one of the few places in the City where there’s room for tree roots to spread out in big lawns without concrete. And I already had a tour of the Presidio from the 2nd edition of Trees of San Francisco, so this one was easy. The tour starts at the corner of Lincoln and Funston, and heads up Funston (Officer’s row), past a gorgeous Norfolk Island pine in front of the old historic Presidio hospital. The second tree, just a bit further up Funston, is a Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis). i was excited to see that little tree - it’s so young that it wasn’t around when the 2nd edition of my book came out, but it’s a tree I’ve been promoting. Wollemi pine has an amazing history - it was thought to have been extinct for millions of years, and known only from fossil records, until a hiker with some plant knowledge was bushwhacking in a narrow ravine in a park 50 miles from Sydney, Australia, and found a tree he didn’t recognize. He took some cuttings back to the scientists in Sydney, who discovered it was a “living fossil” - the 100 trees in that ravine are the only ones left in the world - somehow they made it through millions of years to survive to the present day. So kudos to the Presidio for planting this one - I hope to see many more soon!

Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) next to the historic hospital at the Presidio

From there, the tour heads up “officers row” on Funston past some beautiful former officer’s homes. The Presidio has planted some small Chilean wine palms (Jubaea chilensis) in the front yards of the homes - a great choice, and I can’t wait to see them grow - interspersed with Canary Island Palms (Phoenix canariensis).

The tour continues on Moraga Street, past an old Peruvian pepper tree, then a right down Graham Street, past some of the best cabbage palms (Cordyline australis) in the City. A bit further down I point out the “Centennial Tree”, a big blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) that was planted on the nation’s 100th birthday on July 4, 1876.

Then right on Lincoln, past a fantastic Monterey cypress, and back to the starting point. Who knows how long the chalk will last - but if you’re reading this in April 2020, head out to the Main Post to check out the tour!

Plums are in full bloom in San Francisco!

February 16, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Plum trees (*not* cherries - they come next month!) have been blooming all over the city this past week. Edgewood Avenue in my neighborhood of Parnassus Heights is famous for its plum trees, and some Edgewood neighbors invited the entire neighborhood this morning to an impromptu street party to celebrate the plum blossoms (the photo above is one I took today of the Edgewood plums).

The most common plum in San Francisco is the purple leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), and of the many varieties of this species '‘Krauter Vesuvius’ is the one you see most in the City.. Back in the 1990s this was actually the most commonly planted tree in San Francisco. It's a lot less common now, but still popular, and after years of popularity, there are thousands of them around the city. The tree is gorgeous for 10 days in February, but by late June the trees start to drop their leaves, and by Labor Day they’re often leafless.

The second, and less common, type of plum is Prunus x blireana, or Blireana plum. The tree has double flowers that look a bit like carnations, with deeper pink than its more common relative, and the blooms last longer. This tree is a hybrid of Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea' and a double form of Prunus mume. It was developed in France and introduced in 1906.

Winter afternoon at salesforce Park

January 04, 2020 by Michael Sullivan

Yesterday I had one of those hours that makes you just happy to be alive. I decided to do a spin around Salesforce Park at lunchtime - I hadn’t been there for a couple months, and thought it would be interesting to see the park in winter mode. As I came out of the elevator, there was an enchanting clarinet, oboe and bassoon woodwind trio, playing beautifully. After listening for a while, I started my loop. It being winter, there wasn’t much color in the park, other than a few beautiful proteas in the South African garden, but it was interesting to see the hornbeams doing their segue from green to yellow, and the California buckeyes, Chinese elms and river birches in their spare winter forms. On my way out, I passed a curious two-year-old running down the middle of the bus fountain - Inspecting the holes that had been jets of water a few seconds before. It cracked me up - she was there with her (very brave) mother, not realizing that the jets could come back at any minute. Photos and vidéos below.

Chinese elm (Chilean wine palm in the distance to the right)

This two-year-old had just seen the bus fountain in action, spurting up from below, and was checking out the holes where the jets of water had just come from.