Download CITY OF SANTA CRUZ EVERGREEN TREE WALK

CITY OF SANTA CRUZ
Parks Division
Leslie Keedy
Urban Forester
323 Church Street
Santa Cruz, California 95060
Telephone (831)420-5246 FAX (831)420-5361
EVERGREEN TREE WALK
(Begin at Southeast entrance of the Cemetery at the site of the Grand Army
of the Republic next to the brick stairs)
#1. Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia Fagaceae There are a number of
specimens seen here. Some were intentionally planted and others are most
likely volunteer. C.L.O. is endemic or truly native to coastal Central and
Southern California. They grow 30-70 feet tall with an equal or greater spread.
C.L.O. is a very deep rooted tree with value for native landscape and street tree
applications. Avoid summer water and lawn settings if possible. The tree is
evergreen but will shed all of its previous year’s leaves in the early spring. The
tree is susceptible to California Oak Moth and can be defoliated by the moth but
will return typically to its normal level of vigor as this is a symbiotic relationship.
#2. Big Leaf Maple Acer macrophyllum Aceraceae There are a number of big
Leaf Maples located here in the cemetery. These trees are native to our area;
some were planted while others are offspring from the older trees. They naturally
grow in riparian corridors and in moist areas from southern Alaska to the foothills
of California. This tree grows 30-70 feet tall and almost as wide. It is too large
for most urban yards and too big for use as a street tree. This species of maple
has spectacular yellow fall color.
#3. Myrtle Myrtus communis Myrtaceae This plant is native to the
Mediterranean and tolerant of many soil conditions. Most commonly it is planted
as a hedge or small tree growing over time to a height of 15-20 feet. The flowers
and leaves have a pleasant smell. Myrtles require very little care and are perfect
for use in areas that receive low maintenance.
(Left on the first main path with the RR ties)
#4. Deodar Cedar Cedrus deodara Pinaceae Deodar Cedars are true cedars.
True Cedars bear needles in clusters and the cones are scale like and whorled
around a spiky core that persists on the tree. Deodars are also commonly
referred to as California Christmas trees as they grow very well in many parts of
California. They are native to the Himalayas and grow rapidly to about 80 feet
tall. There are many different varieties with different shades of foliage and
shapes. We will see a number of these species growing here in the Cemetery.
(Turn right; proceed down the walking path in front of this Deodar Cedar to
the tall Incense Cedar tree)
#5. Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens Cupressaceae Incense Cedar is not a
true cedar. They are in different families and totally different despite the fact that
they are both commonly named Cedars. Incense Cedars are native to the
mountains of central and southern Oregon, California and western reaches of
Nevada and portions of northern Baja California. The tree foliage & wood is
highly fragrant and is used to deter insects. It forms a formal pyramidal shape
growing to 90 feet tall. These trees are very adapted to hot dry climates. It has
flat leaves, red bark and funny shaped cones that look like the bill of a duck with
a large tongue.
(Turn right at the Incense Cedar to the next conifer tree the Cryptomeria)
#6. Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica Taxodiaceae. This tree is endemic to
Japan; there it is called “Sugi”. Sugi is the national tree of Japan. In Japan they
are commonly planted around temples and shrines and planted as
commemorative trees associated with funerals. Cryptomeria can grow very large
in height to about 200 feet tall. The trunk can also grow very large to about 12
feet in diameter. It resembles the redwood but the bark is smoother and the
cones are very different. Redwoods are related to Cryptomeria and are in the
same family. This picture was taken at the Civic, there are a few specimens
located here at Evergreen as we will see. These are old trees evolutionarily
speaking that can be traced back to very ancient geological epochs.
( Left on the first path parallel to Evergreen Street)
#7. Arizona Cypress Cupressus arizonica Cupressaceae These Cypress are a
true cypress and is native to central Arizona. Their foliage ranges in shades from
silver gray to green. It has typical shaped cypress cones that resemble our native
Monterey Cypress but the tree grows much smaller and is better adapted to arid
climates and low water conditions
.
#8. Mourning Cypress Funeral / Graveyard Cypress Chamaecyparis funebris
Cupressaceae. This species of false cypress is native to China and Vietnam. It
is a medium size Chamaecyparis to 40 feet or so in our area. A very rare tree,
the only specimens in our Community to my knowledge, we are luck to have
these in our Cemetery and it was quite a find as this was undoubtedly planted
because of its common name and historic association to grave sites. Oldest
specimens date back 800 years or so. Mourning Cypress was planted
historically in association with burials and as commemorative trees. Funebris is
the Latin expression for absolute darkness and death.
(Proceed down the path towards Harvey West Park and turn left onto the
paved path at the Russell grave sites)
#9. Japanese Euonymus Euonymus japonicus Celastraceae These Euonymus
are native to China Japan & Korea. They are evergreen shrubs typically and are
rarely used as small trees. This specimen is quite old. This cultivated variety is
variegated. Variegation is a controlled virus in the leaf that discolors the leaf but
does not impact plant health. This variety appears to be ‘aureo- variegatus’
which implies that it is variegated and gold in color.
#10. Port Orford Cedar Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Cupressaceae These trees
are a false cypress and have beautiful almost fern-like leaves and a pyramidal
shape that is drooping in form. These trees are very beautiful. Despite their
beauty they are difficult to find in the nursery trade and not well adapted to all
settings. We are fortunate that they grow well here in Santa Cruz and in our local
mountains. They are timber trees in the North West and native to western North
America. Chamaecyparis are sometimes mistaken for thuga or platycladus but
most Chamaecyparis have white lines on the underside of their leaves. Trees
can reach heights of 100 to 150 feet in the wild.
(Proceed up the main paved path to the Heath grave site)
#11. Mock Orange Philadelphus coronarius Hydrangeaceae These fragrant old
favorites are grown for their sweet smelling flowers. The flowers have four petals
and masses of flowers are displayed in late spring. This species is native to
Europe. They are commonly planted as background plants as they are not very
showy but the smell is wonderful. They mound themselves to a height and width
of about 10 feet. The aroma of the Mock Orange will fill the air near these grave
sites with a sweet citrusy smell.
#12. California Bay Laurel Umbellularia californica Lauraceae These trees are
native to southwestern Oregon and the California coastal foothills. They grow
rapidly to 75 ‘and have an even wider spread. The leaves can be used for
cooking but they have a stronger taste. They are a better forest tree than a
landscape tree as they are prone to aphids and scale insects leading to sooty
mold. They also are a known host for Sudden Oak Death however this pathogen
does not kill them. They also
are a home to the Artist Conk,
or the shelf fungus
Ganoderma.
(Return back to the main path that runs parallel to Evergreen Street, turn
left at the Russell grave site and walk toward the entrance of Harvey West
park)
#13. Eastern Arborvitae, Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis
Cupressaceae Native to eastern United States, many cultivated varieties are
grown in the trade but uncommonly planted and rare to see. Not a true cedar
and more closely related to the Oriental Arborvitae that we will see here as well
(Platycladus) but the cones are very different.
#14. Belle of Portugal Rose Rosa spp. Rosaceae This rose is an old fashioned
favorite and has been planted for hundreds of years in gardens throughout
Europe. This climbing large flowering rose has almost naturalized in California
and grows well with very little care. It has very large fragrant blossoms that
bloom almost year round. It is planted popularly in cemeteries for their fragrance
and because they are tolerant of a wide range of soil types and conditions.
#15. Coast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens Taxodiaceae Our prized Native,
its endemic distribution is a 450-mile strip along the Pacific Coast of North
America, beginning in southern Oregon and ending just south of Monterey to an
elevation of 2000 feet. Sequoia -- from the Cherokee Indian chief Sequoyah,
sempervirens -- from the Latin meaning "always green" The coast redwood has
only two close relatives; the shorter but more massive giant sequoia
(Sequoiadendron giganteum) native to California's Sierra Nevada Mountains.
And the deciduous dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), a veritable
midget at 115 feet in height, is found native only in a remote area of central
China and planted here as we will see. Redwoods prosper in our mild climate
zone, where winter rains and summer fog provide an even temperature and a
high level of year-round moisture from fog. The oldest verified redwood tree is
at least 2,200 years of age, but foresters believe that some may be much older.
The coast redwoods are the tallest living species on Earth. Often they can
reach heights of 300-350 feet and diameters of 16-18 feet. More than a dozen
trees exceeding 360 feet in height are now growing along the California coast.
Redwoods are also renowned for their extremely high volume of standing
biomass, in some stands exceeding 3,500 metric tons per hectare.
#16. Chinese Photinia Photinia serratifolia Rosaceae An evergreen shrub that is
native to China. This is a very rare species of Photinia closely related to the
species that is commonly used as hedges and along road ways with red tips.
This species is larger; it has bigger leaves and flowers. As it is in the rose family
it is prone to fire blight and powdery mildew. This is the only Chinese Photinia
known in Santa Cruz. It is rare to see Photinia in tree form.
#17 Oriental Arborvitea Platyclyadus occidentalis or Thuga orientalis
Cupressaceae Another Cypress appearing tree or shrub but not a real Cypress
or a false Cypress. It is related by family. The common name 'arborvitae' is from
Latin, 'tree of life', and is based on its association with long life and vitality in
Buddhist thought in China. It is native to northwestern China and widely
naturalized elsewhere in Asia, Korea & Japan as well as parts of India & Iran.
The cone resembles the cone on the Mourning Cypress but is different upon a
close inspection. The cones are very unique, they have little hooked tips. Platy
means flat and the cladus refers to the plant’s branching structure in botany.
They hold their unusual round form as they grow.
#18. Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides Taxodeaceae A close
relative to our native Coast Redwood but smaller and very different. The foliage
and cones appear similar however this tree will loose all its leaves in the winter
(deciduous). These trees were thought to be extinct but specimens were found
growing in remote areas of China during the 1940s. They are being reintroduced
into the trade and for use in landscapes as they are beautiful and well adapted to
our area. Santa Cruz has many specimens in parks and in private gardens.
They grow rapidly when young and the rate of growth slows as they mature.
They grow much smaller than their cousin our redwood, to just over a hundred
feet or so. The species is named after Glyptostrobus the genus for Chinese
Swamp Cypress, since they look like (oides) this tree, and Meta from the Greek,
"beyond" or "with" is combined with Sequoia and is used in English to indicate a
different concept. A plant’s Latin name will sometimes help guide us through the
description of a particular tree. This young tree needs a bit more water but will
most likely be fine over time.
THE END, THANKS FOR JOINING US!!!!