Self-Guided Tree Walk: Main Library

Tree Selection by Kevin Raftery, ISA Certified Arborist
Updated by Jana Dilley and Marty Deggeller, summer 2003
Additional information gathered from Sunset Western Garden Book and Plants That Merit Attention-Trees.

Download this Tree Walk (PDF Version)

The Main Library and Art Center tree walk begins along Newell Road at the entrance to the Main Library parking lot.

1. London Plane (Platanus acerifolia)
~ Street trees along Newell Road
The most widely planted urban forest tree in the world, it tolerates a broad range of soil and urban conditions. Powdery mildew and anthracnose may cause premature leaf drop. This stand, planted as street trees along Newell Road, has become large and healthy because it receives ample water from the adjacent lawn.

2. Chinese Tallow (Sapium sebiferum)
~ Trees at corner of red brick fence
This group of seven trees shade a plaque honoring Kathryn Stedman, Palo Alto resident and landscape architect for the Eichler home featured in Life Magazine circa 1955. She lived next door to the library. In the South, this tree is considered a weed but is good for this area because of its stunning fall color and resistance to oak root fungus.

3. Hollywood Twisted Juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Kaizuka’ formerly known as J. chinensis ‘Torulosa’)
~ Front of library along red brick fence
With this tree, you get the windswept form without the wind, becoming more impressive
as it ages. A common foundation plant, these were planted on completion of the Main Library in 1958.

4. Jelecote Pine (Pinus patula)
~ In parking lot divider, farthest west
One of the fastest growing pines in the world, it is well suited for this area because of its drought tolerance and resistance to oak root fungus. The slender needles look beautiful swaying in the wind.

5. Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
~ Trees in middle of parking lot divider
Highly resistant to Dutch elm disease, it requires minimal pruning and makes an excellent street tree. This tree generally has a weeping form and some of the most beautiful bark of any tree. It commonly grows to 60 feet.

6. Red Horsechestnut (Aesculus carnea)
~ Left of entrance to library
This tree is commonly planted as a street tree. Its striking, long, spiky flowers come in red, pink or white. This tree provides a canopy about 30 feet wide by 40 feet high. It benefits from some summer water.

7. Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
~ Next to drive-through book return
With spectacular fall colors of scarlet, crimson, orange and yellow, this moderately-sized tree is used as a street tree in Palo Alto. Fruit on the female tree are not edible (the edible version is a relative), become bright red, turn to a deep blue-red, and remain on the tree for several months.

8. Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea)
~ End of parking lot by community gardens
This is the tree of early Roman and Renaissance paintings. It is also the source of pine nuts. The tree becomes very large, making it inappropriate for a small garden. Beautiful red-brown bark is common on mature trees.

9. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
~ Along sidewalk between library and art center
This is a very nice stand of about a dozen trees. They are a favorite small to medium-sized garden tree. Verticillium, a common soil fungus, can cause branches to die back.

10. Camellia (Camellia japonica)
~ Along sidewalk between the Japanese maples and redwoods
Although it is normally not considered a tree, this large specimen was moved to this location in the early 1960s. It is now well over 100 years old. In the spring it has beautiful deep pink flowers.

11. Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
~ Grove next to art center parking lot
This stand was probably planted when the library was built in 1958. Fossils found in different parts of the world indicate that there have been up to 15 species of redwoods throughout the world. They have a massive root structure in the top several feet of soil.

12. Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
~ Next to art center parking lot, behind redwoods
Native to the California foothills, this tree has year-round interest – in spring for its brilliant magenta flowers and in summer for its blue-green foliage. In fall it turns yellow and red and in winter the bare branches are picturesque against gray skies.

13. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
~ Back of library along red brick fence
Considered the oldest cultivated tree on earth, ginkgos are extinct in the wild.
As an herbal remedy, they are thought to improve memory. Female trees are generally not planted due to foul-smelling fruit.

14. Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
~ Along Newell Rd. underneath redwoods
Planted in 2000 in memory of Arnold Soforenko, Canopy’s first treasurer. This tree was planted as an understory tree beneath the nearby redwoods.

15. Yew Pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus)
~ Right side of entrance to art center
Not a pine at all, it is usually kept as a hedge or formal column. This specimen is unusual because it has been permitted to grow to its natural shape. It is sometimes confused with Afrocarpus elongates (formerly Podocarpus gracilior), which looks and grows quite differently.

16. Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana)
~ Left of art center entrance
Resistant to oak root fungus, it has beautiful late winter flowers up to 6 inches across. Many named varieties are available in the nursery trade. A worthy specimen tree in a lawn or other prominent location in the landscape.

17. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
~ Along art center wall next to entrance road
This is an extraordinary specimen because of its size and the bend in the trunk. At some point it probably tipped over and was left to continue growing.

18. Plume Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans’)
~ Along art center wall next to entrance road
This cultivar has a totally different growth habit from the species, with it soft and textured foliage that turns bronze in the winter and unusual swooping growth habit. Provide enough space for this tree to be elegantly displayed.

19. Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’)
~ Far side of art center front wall along entrance road
Purplish-black leaves in spring turn to a copper color in fall. Notice that two-thirds of the way up the trunk a small lateral limb has grafted itself to the main trunk—this is extremely rare. The grayish trunk becomes more wrinkled as it ages.

20. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
~ In parking lot divider - a row flanked at either end with Red Horsechestnut (Aesculus carnea)
In addition to their stunning wood and bright summer flowers, Crape Myrtles provide beautiful fall color. To guarantee a tree resistant to powdery mildew, choose one of the ‘Indian Tribe’ cultivars. Good for small gardens and drought tolerant.

21. Grecian Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
~ Rear of art center building, right of entrance to courtyard
Commonly used to spice spaghetti sauce, this Mediterranean plant is similar to the California Bay but of a different genus. Often seen in old European gardens clipped into formal hedges or topiaries. Tolerant of most soils.

22. Coral Tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
~ Inside courtyard along studio wall
Heartiest of Coral trees and often seen in Hawaii and Southern California, this is native to the rainy sections of Brazil. Depending on the environment, there can be as many as three distinct flowering periods, spring through fall. Cut back old flower stems and dead branch ends after each wave of blossoms.

23. Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
~ Street trees along Embarcadero Road
Native to China and Japan and commonly used as a street tree in Palo Alto. This row along Embarcadero has thrived because of the abundant lawn watering.

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