Posts

Pineapple guava - Feijoa sellowiana

Image
The pineapple guava, or   feijoa , i s very uncommon in Sunnyvale. It is a species of  flowering plant  in the  myrtle  family and  is native to the highlands of South America.  It  is not related to either a pineapple or a guava , but the taste of the small fruit has been described as a cross between pineapple and guava .  Since the fruit is very soft and easy to bruise, it is rarely found in stores. It is an  evergreen   shrub  20 feet in height and is widely grown in New Zealand. It has a very interesting crusty bark. The pineapple guava below is located on the corner of 905 Inverness Way (along Meadowlark Lane). The fruit, known as feijoa, matures in autumn and is green, shaped like an ellipsoid. It is about  the size of a chicken egg.  The leaves are light green, thick, and somewhat leathery, with soft gray undersides.  Where to find them:  There are no pineapple guava trees planted by the city.  The pineapple guava above was planted by a previous homeowner on the side of 905 Inve
Post a Comment
Read more

Chinese elm - Ulmus parvifolia

Image
Chinese elm are native to Asia. Growing to 50'-60' tall it is probably the most-planted elm in the world and  are very common in Sunnyvale.   It is the hardest wood of all the elms and is favored for making chisel handles. Most mature trees have a smooth bark with a mottled pattern.  Chinese elm in Raynor Park, Sunnyvale The single-toothed  leaves  are 1"-2" long and 1" broad, and may remain on the branches as late as December  Where to find them:  There is a long ro w of Chinese elms in Raynor Park just behind the Recreation Building and surrounding the round “skateboard bowl” (a former fountain structure?). There is also a row of Chinese elms in Ortega Park near the Emperor Way parking lot. They are also very common along San Aleso Ave and Floyd Ave.
Post a Comment
Read more

Valley oak - Quercus lobata

Image
One of the most impressive trees in Sunnyvale is the huge valley oak below located in Murphy Park.  According to Wikipedia, i n 1792, the English explorer  George Vancouver  noted on his expedition through the  Santa Clara Valley , after seeing an expanse of valley oaks: " For about twenty miles it could only be compared to a park which had originally been closely planted with the true old English oak; the underwood, that had probably attended its early growth, had the appearance of having been cleared away and left the stately lords of the forest in complete possession of the soil which was covered with luxuriant foliage. " Murphy Park, E. California Ave, 260 N. Sunnyvale, CA Valley oaks (Quercus lobata) are endemic to California and are the largest of the North American oak trees. Mature trees may grow to 600 years old.  Valley oak leaves are 2–4" long, roundly-shaped and deeply lobed. The leaf width is approximately one half its length. The top of the leaves are matte
Post a Comment
Read more

Holly oak - Quercus ilex

Image
Central and northern California is home to many oak trees. The most common oak tree in Sunnyvale is the Holly Oak ( Quercus ilex ). Holly oaks  are named because the small, dark green leaves resemble holly. Mature trees can grow to 70' tall. It is a very hard wood that can support a very large, dense canopy. They are originally from low elevations in the Mediterranean, so they are well-adapted to the climate in Santa Clara County (Zone 9b). In Europe it is often grown into a very dense hedge. 919 Kennard Way, Sunnyvale, CA The leaves are very variable in shape. They are usually  narrow oval or ovate-lanceolate* , 2"-3" long, 1" wide, rounded or broadly tapered at the base. The edges of the leaves are sometimes  remotely toothed. Acorns are only 1/2" in diameter.  * Lanceolate means it is shaped like a lance: it tapers from a rounded base to a pointed tip. Where to find them:  Holly oak are very common in Sunnyvale.  Some examples of big populations of Holly oak
Post a Comment
Read more

Fan Tex Ash - Fraxinus v. 'Rio Grande'

Image
The Fan Texas (Fan-Tex) ash is a species of American ash native to Texas. The proper name is Fraxinus v. 'Rio Grande'. They are popular ornamental trees because of their drought tolerance and pollution tolerance. Over the past ten years Sunnyvale has planted many new Fan-Texas ash trees to replace older or damaged trees. Youn g Fan Texas ash trees grow very fast and require pruning within the first five years to prevent them from growing into a huge mess of branches. The Fan-Tex ash grows to 35' tall.  1616 Nightingale Ave, Sunnyvale, CA The leaves are 4-10" long, pinnately compound with three, five or seven leaflets 1.5"-2" long. The leaves are shaped like a traditional maple leaf with a finely serrated margin. Where to find them:  Nightingale and Teal (between Dunford and Lillick) have the most Fan-Tex ash trees in Birdland. There are also many Fan-Tex ash trees along Lakebird and Lakehaven in the Lakewood Village neighborhood, and Lewiston Dr near Serra Pa
Post a Comment
Read more

Cork oak - Quercus suber

Image
The bark of the cork oak, Quercus suber, is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and cork flooring. These trees are very drought tolerant, which makes them desirable for warm climates such as Santa Clara County. They are native to the Mediterranean region and can easily grow to 100 or 200 years old. Carlisle Way across from Lillian Ave, Sunnyvale, CA right next to the edge of Panama Park. The fence behind this tree is for the Sprint cell phone tower (which is designed to look like atlas cedar). Below is a close-up of the bark which gives the cork oak its namesake. This photograph does not give a good idea of the scale of bark. You really need to search out a real cork oak and see the bark for yourself. Where to find them:  Cork oak trees are common in Sunnyvale, especially along W. Remington Dr between S. Mary and Hollenbeck, Finch Way (north of Inverness), and Duncardine Way.
Post a Comment
Read more

Ornamental pear - Pyrus calleryana

Image
The ornamental pear is also known as a Callery pear or Bradford pear. Unlike a regular pear tree, which bears large edible fruit, the callery pear has very small woody fruit that are eaten by birds. The small fruit make it easy for cities to plant as public trees. This hybrid plant was developed in the 1950's as a solution to "fire blight", and given official status by the Department of Agriculture in 1964. Ornamental pear trees grow to 25' tall. They are resistant to disease, but they’re vulnerable storm damage due to their rapid growth rate. About fifteen years ago two ornamental pear trees on Nightingale Ave fell over after a strong winter storm. A few months later a third callery pear on the same street was removed by the city because the trunk was beginning to rot. Because of their structural weakness, Callery pears have been legally banned from sale in Ohio. In Oct 2021 they will also be banned from sale in South Carolina. This article from the Greenville (SC) P
Post a Comment
Read more