Re: Tree identification

Sounds very much like Catalina Cherry, Prunus lyonii.

Andrew Mariani

Doobieous wrote:

> I wish i had pics of it, so i'll have to describe it
> as well as I can.
>
> Anyway, on my school's campus (CSU Monterey Bay), we
> have a lot of trees left over from it being an army
> base. The Army has a tendency to plant whatever is
> cheap or whatever will grow. So there's a tree about
> 30 feet tall near the computer labs. Every spring it
> gets covered in spikes of flowers.
>
> The flowers are 5 petaled, white, but the petals
> aren't showy. The stigmas are much showier, and they
> surround a central pistil. The stigmas seem to be
> attached to the "rim" of a cup like fusion of the
> petals. The sepals are joined into a cup like
> structure as well. Something like how leptospermum
> flowers are, but this isn't one. The petals also
> reflex back to expose the stigmas. The flowers are
> about 1/4 inch wide at the most as well. The effect
> from a distance of the inflorescences is kind of like
> a pipe cleaner. Inflorescences are also in branched
> groups.
>
> The fruits look like black cherries and contain a
> large central seed. The seed is rounded and about a
> half inch in diameter. They have little flesh compared
> to seed.
>
> The leaves are oval, much longer than wide, and come
> to a long point. So they're teardrop shaped with the
> rounded edge attached to the petiole and the top the
> tip of the leaf. Leaves are dark green. The tree is
> also not deciduous.
>
> Naturally, i wasn't about to taste the fruit to see if
> it was edible. I'm not a risk taker like that. The
> plant doesnt seem to form many fruits. I only found
> one on it last year but found a few pulled off on the
> ground. It looks very nice however. Better than most
> of the trees that get neglected on campus.
>
> Barry Garcia
> USDA: 9
> Sunset: 17
> North, Central, Coastal California
> Foggy summers, warm summers and springs
> and occasional light frosts
>
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