Self-Guided Tree Walk: Community Center Area

Tree Selection by Dave Dockter, ISA certified arborist and Planning Arborist with the City of Palo Alto.
Updated by Jana Dilley and Marty Deggeller, summer 2003
Additional information gathered from Sunset Western Garden Book; An Anthology of the Eucalyptus; Japanese Maples and Ornamental Conifers.

Download this Tree Walk (PDF Version)

The Community Center Tree Walk begins at the Children’s Library, 1276 Harriet Street

1a. Lawson Cypress or Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
~ 1127 Hopkins Avenue, right of front door
Known for its straight grain and ruler-straight trunk, this tree is prized for making arrow shafts and shingles. This is an example of a blue-green form. Native to the West Coast.

1b. Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)
~ 1127 Hopkins Avenue, right of driveway
Almost a twin to the Port Orford Cedar, you can use your sense of smell to differentiate the two species. Native to the West Coast.

2. Red-flowering Gum (Eucalyptus ficifolia)
~ 1280 Wilson Street, right side
Eucalyptus were first seen by Europeans on December 2, 1642 in Tasmania. The Eucalypt genus, meaning “well-covered” (referring to the lid on the seed capsule), has over 600 identified species, and others have yet to be named by botanists. This tree is maintained as a large bush and will have spectacular red flower clusters. They produce large seed capsules.

3. English Yew (Taxus baccata)
~ 1247 Wilson Street, left side along fence
A staple tree or shrub from the estates of yesteryear. Often used in historic residences which are recreating a garden from the past. Susceptible to aphids and scales. Native to the British Isles.

4. Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
~ 1290 Cedar Street, left side along fence
Slow-growing, a great ornamental landscape tree. Native to Japan.

5. Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata)
~ 1150 Newell Road, on Parkinson side
This tree was once in fine condition. Notice how recent pruning has created a recipe for branch failure, putting the tree at risk of falling. Native to Carmel and Monterey, California.

6. Coral Tower Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’)
~ 1314 Parkinson Avenue, right side of house
In the fall this tree rewards you with brilliant, almost fluorescent coral color. The younger the tree, the stronger the color. Native to Japan.

7. Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis)
~ 1231 Parkinson Avenue, right side of house
A grand tree! Tolerates poor soils and is generally insect and disease resistant. Almost always grows on an angle, usually towards the sunny south-west. Native to the Mediterranean area.

8a. Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
~ 1150 Parkinson Avenue, street tree on corner of Wilson Street
Decades ago, Black Locust was a common street tree. Due to its sharp thorns, hard wood, poor structure and invasive roots, it is no longer used. Notice the included bark and trunk cracks. Native to the Eastern U.S., it has not naturalized in the California Gold Country.

8b. Japanese Pagoda Tree or Chinese Scholar Tree (Sophora japonica)
~ 1150 Parkinson Avenue, left of garage
Tolerates heat and poor soil conditions. Rugged bark with almost no trunk flare, its lavender flowers made this a popular Palo Alto street tree until the raisin-like fruit became a sticky mess. It is no longer recommended for use. Native of China.

9. African Sumac (Rhus lancea)
~ 1140 Parkinson Avenue, in alley
Not a specimen plant by any means, the rough and straggly branching is typical. The tree demands constant pruning. Native to dry California desert areas.

10a. Western Juniper or Sierra Juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)
~ 1043 Parkinson Avenue, front conifer
A tall tree with spreading branches, known for its reddish brown, shreddy bark. Native to the West Coast.

10b. Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
~ 1043 Parkinson Avenue, rear conifer
Notice how the branching habits are different from the coast redwood (one can be seen in distance on the other side of Parkinson). Native to our local Santa Cruz Mountains.

11. Lawson Cypress or Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
~ 1133 Harker Avenue, left of front door
This is the golden-leafed form. Its lacy, dropping foliage make it an attractive tree.

12. Laceleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’)
~ 1134 Harker Avenue, along front sidewalk
This is a small grafted weeping form of the Japanese maple. (Two larger forms are seen flanking them.) They are small shrubs which grow to 6 feet high and 12 feet in spread.

13. Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
~ 7 street trees along Hutchinson Avenue
An evergreen tree with glossy, leathery leaves. These trees produce large white flowers, 8 to 10 inches long, that bloom throughout the summer and fall. They can grow either as a single-trunked or multi-trunked tree.

14. California Pepper Tree (Schinus molle)
~ 1055 Hutchinson Avenue, right side of house
This “California” tree is actually native to Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. This particular specimen is very old. These trees usually decay and die of root rot before reaching advanced age.

15. Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba)
~ Greenwood Avenue, entire street
An ancient tree found around the world, its fossilized leaves have been dated from prehistoric times. Named after the Maidenhair Fern, the light green leaves turn gold after fall rains. While quite barren for a winter tree walk, this is a “must see” street in October and November.

16. Flowering Ash (Fraxinus ornus)
~ 1102 Channing Avenue, street tree on Harriet side
Unique tree (not common in our area) but not too showy. May brings some greenish-yellow blossoms with profuse seed clusters following in the summer. Native to Europe and Asia.

17. Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
~ 985 Harriet Street, left of driveway
This tree is an example of a well pruned tree. Note the interior growth has not been pruned away. Native to coastal California.

18. Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
~ 869 Melville Avenue, right side of house
Means ‘false-fir.’ Named after David Douglas, a Scottish botanist sent to America, where he discovered the tree near Hudson Bay. Archibald Menzies was the first botanist to collect California specimens in 1792 and 1794. To finance his way west, Menzies was employed as a ship’s surgeon. Many species are named menziesii because of him. Native to the West Coast.

19. Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica)
~ 863 Melville Avenue, front yard behind fence
A magnificent specimen! Named after the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco, this tree is characterized by sloping branches and open, irregular form. Native to Algeria/Morocco.

20. Silver Dollar Gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos)
~ 814 Melville Avenue, street tree on right
Actually a member of the ‘box bark’ series, this tree has recently been grouped in the ‘gum’ series (so named because of the gummy resin beneath the bark.) The tree’s real name is ‘Red Gum.’ However, Sunset popularized its current name due to the blue-silver color of the round adolescent foliage. Native to Australia.

21a. Western Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)
~ 1295 Middlefield Road, Trinity Lutheran Church, in back lot, off Guinda Street
Huge leaves, long pods and white flower clusters distinguish this Indian Bean which gives its owner quite an annual cleanup mess. Native from Illinois to Arkansas.

21b. Plume Cryptomeria or Plume Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans’)
~ 1295 Middlefield Road, Trinity Lutheran Church, on Melville Avenue
Although it is an evergreen conifer, winter sees this tree’s color at its best, when it changes from rich purple-brown to copper-bronze. Native to Japan.

This publication was funded by the California ReLeaf 2003 Capacity-Building Grant Program and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.