Street Trees Through the Seasons - Aristocrat Pear

Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’ (Aristocrat Pear) is in the Rosaceae family, and is a selection of the species.

Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’ - leaf shape and form.

The tree is deciduous, and key diagnostics include leaves that are alternate, simple, 1 ½ - 3”, dark glossy green, ovate to broadly obovate, glabrous, with lightly crenate edges, short acuminate ends, rounded cuneate at the base, with lighter undersides, and fall color (yellow to pinkish orange to scarlet red). Flowers are showy, 3-4” wide corymb clusters in spring before leaves emerge (in Dublin, the brown leaves persist all winter, then flowers emerge in spring to cover the tree, followed by leaves; sometimes on the tree all at once). Fruits are inedible, tan, ½” pomes (pears). Bark is smooth, whitish gray-brown, becoming shallowly fissured with scaly ridges.

Winter - silhouette shows the long, ascending branches, with some persistent leaves.	Spring - white blossoms emerge in April, then leaves (fall leaves, blossoms, and new leaves coexist briefly).
Summer - shiny leaves along the branches.	Fall - patches of red, then brown leaves emerge.

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Summer Movies: The Tree of Life

This movie tells the life story of Jack O'Brien (played by Sean Penn) as he reviews his life, fractured Texan family, and complex relationship with his authoritarian father (played by Brad Pitt). The movie was written and directed by Terrence Malick and released in 2011.

The movie opens with a passage from the book of Job, where God answers Job's questions and laments with "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations ..." (Job 38:4) - at once acknowledging Job's complaints, his dearness, and his position in the scheme of creation). Epic scenes of creation follow. Later Jack's mother narrates "You can follow the way of science or the way of grace." In juxtaposition to these sweeping ideas and acts of creation is the intimate and difficult story of Jack's life told in flashback, images, and fragmented utterances.

I'm selecting this as one of the summer movies for the integration of beautiful mature trees in the movie's narrative. The trees evoke strength and endurance, permanence and life, and family tree and connection. The ancient limbs, reaching toward heaven, are excruciatingly beautiful. The movie is difficult to describe because it uses visual language as much as spoken language. If nothing else, watch the trees and let the rest wash over you. And, by the way, I chose the way of grace.

Street Trees Through the Seasons - Pin Oak

Quercus palustris (Pin oak) is in the Fagaceae family, and is native to the northeastern United States west to Missouri.

The tree is deciduous, and key diagnostics include leaves that are alternate, simple, 4-10” by 2-6”, dark glossy green, obovate, 5-7 lobed with wide, rounded sinuses, pointed tips, pale, glabrous undersides with brownish tufted hairs at vein axils, and fall color (in Dublin, the leaves turn dry and brown, and persist all winter unless blown off in a strong wind). Flowers are insignificant yellow green tassel-like flowers in the spring, before leaves emerge. Acorns are reddish brown, ½” long, oval, with a thin shallow cup with tightly appressed, free-tipped scales covering ¼ - ⅓ of the nut. Bark is smooth, grayish brown, then gaining with shallowly furrowed, narrow flat vertical ridges.

Quercus palustris - leaf shape and habit.

The tree is relatively pest free, and does well with moderate moisture and good drainage.

Winter - dry, brown leaves persist in winter, unless blown off by wind.	Spring - catkins emerge first in March/April, with leaves following in April/May.
Summer - green, fluttering leaves.	Fall - brilliant fall color, first red then brown.

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Street Trees Through the Seasons – Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica hybrids (Crape Myrtle) are in the Lythraceae family, and are native to China.

The trees are deciduous, and key diagnostics include leaves that are simple, mostly opposite, 1-2” long, deep glossy green, oblong elliptical, short stalked or nearly sessile, glabrous/shiny on upper surface, with pale undersides. New leaves have reddish, bronze tinge, and fall color is red, orange, and yellow. Flowers are crinkled, crepe-like, showy in upright 6-12” clusters at branch ends from July to September, in red, pink, lilac, white to red. Bark is smooth, shiny, tan, and peels off in thin flakes resulting in light and dark patches. The seed capsule is hard-shelled, shiny light brown in fall, and persisting into winter.

Lagerstroemia indica hybrids  - leaf shape and habit.
The distinctive seed capsules are easy to identify.

Does best in warm, dry climates and full sun, but can be subject to mildew. Prefers well-drained, fertile soil, with deep watering.

Winter - bare branches with persistent seed capsules.	Spring - leaves emerge in May.
Summer - fully leafed out, and a hint of flowers to come.	Fall - vibrant pinkish-purple flowers in September.

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Summer Movies: Memoirs of a Geisha

The next movie in our series of summer movies, where plants play a starring role, is “Memoirs of a Geisha,” based on the novel of the same name. It tells the tale of two sisters, the daughters of a fisherman, who are sold and groomed to be geishas. One sister is mentored to become a master of her trade and ultimately purchase her freedom.

What I especially enjoyed about this movie is the recreation of life in Japan during this transitional era between World Wars I and II - the buildings, the beautiful (antique) kimonos, the details of daily life (like the wicker storage baskets), the misery of rains, the interpersonal intrigue, and the beauty of the gardens. Several Northern and Southern Californian gardens were used in the filming of the movie:

• Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, California
• Japanese Garden at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California
• Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California (right here in the Bay Area)
• American River near Sacramento, California

So whatever your opinion about the movie, the theme, or the plot – be sure to check out the garden shots, and try to identify their location! To see the trailer (notice the bridge from the Huntington in the garden scene): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397535/

Street Trees Through the Seasons - Raywood Ash

Fraxinus angustifolia ‘Raywood’ (Raywood Ash, Claret Ash) is in the Oleaceae family. It is a cultivar of the southwestern European and North African species, which was developed in Australia and introduced into North America in the mid-1950s.

The tree is deciduous, and key diagnostics include leaves that are opposite, pinnately compound, 5” long, dark shiny green, with 5 or 7-9 narrow lanceolate leaflets, sparsely spaced and sessile along the midrib stem, with sparsely serrate edges and dark purplish red fall color. Insignificant flowers are rarely seen. Fruit is tightly bunched clusters of winged achene seed capsules. Bark is thin, smooth, greenish gray, and developing vertical fissures and scaly plates with age.

Fraxinus angustifolia ‘Raywood’ - leaves and form.

Requires moderate watering in well-drained soils, and is widely used as a parking lot, street, or patio shade tree. Fall color in cold winter.

Winter - bare, twiggy, ascending branches.	Spring - soft leaves shimmer in the breeze.
Summer - leaves provide deep shade.	Fall - leaves turn dark purplish red.

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Street Trees Through the Seasons - Silk Tree

Albizia julibrissin (Silk Tree or Mimosa Tree) is in the Fabaceae family, and is native to an area spanning Iran, China, and Japan. It has naturalized in the eastern United States.

The tree is deciduous, and key diagnostics include alternate, bi-pinnately compound leaves, 6-12” by 4-5”, with 8-26 pinnae, each with 30-40 leaflets, which fold close at night. Flowers are showy, fluffy, and pink to reddish, with many-stamens, occurring at branch ends in clustered heads, and attract birds. Bark is smooth, grayish brown, and covered with tiny glandular ridges, which become shallowly fissured with age. The branches have a distinct “zig-zag” pattern. Fruit is a flat, 6” by 1” seed pod with pointed ends, maturing to golden tan. The papery legumes persist all winter. 

Albizia julibrissin - leaves and form.

This tree does well in summer heat, and is drought tolerant once established (but does best with occasional deep watering).

Winter - dry seed pods persist all winter.	Spring - leaves emerge in May.
Summer - pink flowers with an intoxicating fragrance.	Fall - new seed pods develop.

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Summer Movies: Desk Set

It is summer – time for working in the garden, vacations, and outdoor living. It is also a great time to head to the movies. This kicks off the summer edition of movies that star plants.

The first movie this summer is the 1957 classic movie Desk Set starring Spencer Tracey, Katharine Hepburn, and a computer named Miss Emmy. He is an efficiency expert brought in to install a new computer at a network news company, and she is head of the research team, which can find any piece of information at lightning speed. Together they exchange snappy one-liners, fall in love, and come to an understanding about the computer. And yes, there is a plant. The house plant featured in the movie is a species of Philodendron. Watch closely in the office scenes for a glimpse of the plant. The trailer: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050307/.

Philodendron species are in the Araceae family (the same species as Pothos, the house plant featured in House Plants for Brown Thumbs). Philodendron species are typically found in humid tropical forests in the Americas and West Indies, but have been introduced in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.

The Trees of Overfelt Gardens

The land for Overfelt Gardens was bare farmland when it was donated, so all trees and plants had to be planted. Our docent described that many Chinese immigrants left China with seeds and seedlings from their homeland. Once they arrived, they propagated the seeds and began planting them in the San Francisco Bay Area to remind them of home. She described one family who traveled from Northern China to Hong Kong, with jewels, currency, and valuables sewed into their clothing, and pocketfuls of seeds and plants.

Distinctive leaves of the Ginkgo tree at Overfelt Gardens.

Many of the trees in Overfelt Gardens were planted from seeds and seedlings brought over from China. Many of them were once considered quite rare. Through propagation and naturalization, these plants have become familiar in San Jose and the Bay Area, including:

• Cherry
• Chinese Pistachio
• Chinese Red Pine
• Crape Myrtle
• Flame Tree
• Ginkgo

Overfelt Gardens also has many native plants, including oak, palm, and willow. The trees and plants of Overfelt Park are an integral part of its peaceful beauty.

Overfelt Gardens/Chinese Cultural Gardens

My aunt and I recently visited the Overfelt Gardens in San Jose to learn more about Chinese gardens. The 33 acre garden is part of a land gift from the pioneering Overfelt family to the city of San Jose. Miss Mildred Overfelt, a retired school teacher, wanted to provide a place of serenity in the once rural area of San Jose. Our docent provided information about the garden, Chinese Cultural Center, and the Chinese history and worldview that is incorporated into the garden.

Overfelt Gardens – the statue of Confucis the philosoper. 

One of the most noticeable features of the garden is its atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Paths wander through the garden, circumventing the three percolation ponds (fed by the underground aquifer) and reflection pool by the statue of Confucius (drained of water during our visit). The water features host a variety of wild birds; turtles, frogs and fish; and small mammals. Benches, shelters, and pavilions are strategically placed along the paths, overlooking or framing beautiful views. We wandered at a slow pace, drinking in the fragrances and beauty, sometimes conversing and sometimes just enjoying the scene before us. We saw many of the elements of Chinese gardens that we explored in Elements of the Chinese Garden.

• Rock – a beautiful rock that was sent as a gift from the people of Taiwan. Recall that rocks invoke mountain ranges in the landscape.
• Water – the water treatments provide a sense of tranquility., and provide a home and resting place for wild creatures. 
• Plants – the garden is planted with palms, native California oaks, and trees native to China.
• Structure – the buildings provide focal points in the garden, places to gather or meditate. Many of the structures include poetry or inscriptions (like Confucius's Discourse on the Great Harmony, in both Chinese and English), and examples of Chinese architecture (such as tile roofs, ceramic fairies to keep away evil spirits, and a set of marble lions that represent male and female).

We both left the garden feel relaxed and refreshed, wanting to hold on to that feeling of serenity for as long as possible.

Honored Dead

To observe Independence Day this year, I made another visit to the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. I missed the Memorial Day weekend tour of the Civil War section, given by the Mountain View Cemetery docents. I thought it was fitting to visit the cemetery for Independence Day, despite quite a time lapse between the nation’s Revolution and Civil War.

Civil War memorial in the Mountain View Cemetery.

The Civil War section is easy to find - drive up the central axis and turn left at the second fountain. The section is surrounded by a chain of cannon balls set in cement. Several canons stand in position as if to guard the site. A monument to “Our Nation’s Honored Dead” stands in the center of the memorial, added a generation after the war. Veterans of the Civil War are buried in this place. A mature Magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora) spreads its branches over the grave stones.

Our Nation's Honored Dead 1861 - 1865.