Re: Fig trees - a venerable specimen in San Jose
- To: K*@aol.com
- Subject: Re: Fig trees - a venerable specimen in San Jose
- From: W* B* <b*@math.berkeley.edu>
- Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 09:49:59 -0800 (PST)
Kurt, there used to be a book called CAPITOL TREES about the wonderful
specimens on the capitol grounds in Sacramento. An untapped expert on
every tree in the Central Valley of Calif. is Warren Roberts, the mgr. of
the Arboretum at UC Davis.He has taken tours to the capitol grounds, and
is filled with lore about Calif. plants (ie. the oaks lining the old Putah
Creek waterway in Davis were planted to shade the road from Benecia to
Sacramento; the first Calif. plants seen by Europeans come to farm here,
were named by schoolmarms or ranchers-one can still tell who named what,
with Diogenes Lantern (Calochortus amabilis) by a schoolmarm, and Mountain
Misery or Skunk Cabbage by a rancher).
Am enjoying your tree travelog.
Elly Bade
On Wed, 11 Nov 1998 K1MIZE@aol.com wrote:
> Sean:
>
> If this isn't what you had in mind, let me know. But...
>
> The late Victorian MacDonald mansion on MacDonald Ave. in Santa Rosa has a
> nice row of 100+ year old blue gums fronting the street. Movie buffs will
> recognize this house as the one lived in by wealthy Aunt Polly (played by Jane
> Wyman) in the 1960 Hayley Mills' film Pollyanna. The view of the beautiful
> old home through the huge trunks of the blue gums makes it worth a detour if
> you're in Santa Rosa. Also in Santa Rosa is the Victorian home and garden of
> eminent horticulturist Luther Burbank. I don't have a memory of specific
> plants, but I believe there are original specimens in the garden. Burbank
> developed and introduced hundreds of varieties, including the Shasta daisy and
> the Santa Rosa plum.
>
> The State Capitol grounds in Sacramento have many wonderful 100+ year old
> specimen trees. Particularly memorable is a huge and symmetrical Cinnamomum
> camphora at the intersection of 15th and L. There is also an avenue of
> enormous American elms, now sadly ailing. Old sour orange trees, magnolias,
> and umbrella pines also come to mind.
>
> Kurt
>
>
