Re: favorite street trees?

I have to agree with Jan that Arbutus 'Marina' is a
lovely tree, and I have a 20 year old specimen planted
in front of my entry, but they are messy.  Not just
the fruits, but also nearly constant drop of flowers
and it is prone to thrips.  Given all this, I still
love the contrast of the smooth red bark against the
jade green stucco of my house.  Tristania conferta is
a close second, similar character yet cleaner habit,
but a little to susceptible to freeze damage to be
truly reliable here beyond the immediate shores of the
 bay.  T. laurina is much more reliable, and more
managable as to ultimate size.

I am always drawn to the spectacularly flowering
trees, and Eucalyptus ficifolia are one of the glories
of the San Francisco, as are Metrosideros excelsus.  I
also love the Sweetshade Trees/Hymenosporum flavum,
which have favored us this year with near constant
bloom since last summer, both here in Berkeley and San
Francisco, I wish I knew why they have been blooming
outside their normal season of May/June.

Not nearly as common here in the SF Bay Area, but
spectacular in southern California, are the two
Tabebuia species, T. chrysotricha and T. impetiginosa.
 I have some in full bloom in various client's gardens
right now, and love the taste of the tropics they
impart.  T. impetiginosa has the good grace to repeat
bloom again in summer/fall, although it is not as
spectacular as the spring show when it is primarily
leafless.  Chorisia speciosa is another favorite,
although with the non-grafted seed grown forms they
seem to take forever to bloom for the first time. 
Maybe these are common in southern California, but
always attract notice here in the SF Bay Area, but
once again, are prone to damage in a bad freeze.

For smaller sized managable street trees, one can not
beat the two toned foliage of Eriobotrya deflexa, the
Bronze Loquat.  Maytenus boaria is also quite lovely
as a weeping street tree in foggy and windy
neighborhoods where it grows so well.  In my own front
yard, I enjoy the tropical look of a combination of
Cussonia spicata and Strelitzia nicolai in my street
strip, and both are surprisingly drought tolerant in
our cool Berkeley summers.

If height clearance is not an issue, Eucalyptus
citriodora is a wonderful choice as well, as the
smooth white trunks and narrow habit allow it to be
used in narrow situations too small for widely
spreading street trees. There are several streets here
in Berkeley lined with Gleditzia triacanthos inermis,
and the lacy foliage texture and golden foliage impart
a special feel to the streets where they are used. 
They aren't much use where one wants shade in mid to
late fall, however, as they are among the first to
drop their leaves.  One last tree, if it were more
widely available, would be Delostoma roseum, a high
elevation species from Ecuador and Columbia.  I love
the deep purple clusters of trumpet flowers which keep
blooming nearly all year long for me, and when not in
bloom, it could be mistaken for an avocado tree, as
the foliage is so similar.  This one is most inclined
to be a multitrunked specimen, with the sinuously
convoluted growth habit of a Coast Live Oak/Quercus
agrifolia, and so often seen in trees growing in the
tropical cerrado savanah vegetation around Brasilia or
the Guyana Highlands.

If I were designing gardens in southern California, I
would certainly be tempted to use several of the
various Bauhinias, Jacaranda, and a couple of
favorites from South Africa, such as Dais cotinifolia,
Ochna pulchra, Bolusanthus speciosus, or perhaps the
most beautiful, Calodendrum capense, which is
occasionally seen in southern California.  I have
never seen this one bloom here in the Bay Area,
although it seems to grow well enough at Strybing
Arboretum.
--- Jan Smithen <jsmithen@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hi Nan:
> 
> My favorite tree (this year) is Arbutus 'Marina'.
> Although one sees it more
> as a street tree in San Francisco area than in
> Southern California, its
> beautiful habit, peeling bark and clusters of pink
> flowers at the same time
> as its red fruits makes it an appealing picture. I
> suppose it could be messy
> as the strawberry-like fruits drop.
> 
> The city of Sierra Madre is using the native oak,
> Quercus engelmannii as a
> street tree to good effect in quite narrow parkways.
> I believe they are
> planted with vertical root barriers forcing the
> roots along the parkway.
> 
> The city of Claremont has planted Pistacia chinensis
> in a wide dry strip
> along Base Line Road and although they annually
> prune them down from the
> power lines (Ugh), when the trees turn those vivid
> reds, oranges & yellows
> in late fall, it's a treat to drive by.
> 
> These are my favorites.
> 
> 
> 
> On 5/21/06 9:40 AM, TalkingPoints@PlantSoup.Com
> wrote
> 
> > What are your favorite street trees?
> > 
> > Nan
> > 
> 
>
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