Sunday, June 3, 2007

my (brief) tree report card:

american gum tree- appropriately named, much like the hotdog weiner, it is classic tree icon. at some point or another everyone has come into contact with it's "gumball". it grows tall and widespread, with filtered light... leaves in the form of stars. I'd give this this tree a B+ for it's form and color, but I'm not incredibly impressed with it's rough looking trunk.

bottle brush tree or shrub-well, this is a toss up...i can see why people would like the bottle brush because it attracts bees and squirrels and can look moderately nice, with a low spreading trunk when it has been made into a tree. my major drawback about it is that it makes an unattractive shrub. it's the kind of shrub i feel like i would see off an LA freeway. no thanks. i give the tree a C+ and the shrub a D.

sycamore tree- these can be found all over the place, and they have a distinct leaf pattern:sharp spikes followed by quick slopes...they remind me of some electrophysiology experiments i did as an undergraduate. They have a very pretty white and brown peeling looking trunk and the most lush red fall color. I'd give this tree an A+.

saucer magnolia-i like this tree. it reminds me of something that indiana jones would have eaten off of back when he was eating monkey brains. I think the most elegant quality about this tree is that it branches into these broad finger-like leaves and it produces these small pink flowers. I'd give it an A+.

chilean wine palm- yeah, i don't like palm trees. their roots can be invasive (the arborist told me about these people who planted palm trees all around their new pool and thought it was great until a few years later the pool cracked) and they just don't look that impressive as a whole. despite the initial displeasure all palm trees create for me, i was slightly impressed by a number of fallen yellow flowers and what appeared to be tiny brown pods around its base. I'd give it a B.

japenese maple- oh the japanese maple! i give that a B+ because they are pretty and always welcome, but everywhere i look i see them. i've seen them get super tall and i'd be willing to give the tall ones an A-.

guadalupe italian cypress- I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cypress! it has the most beauuuuuutiful brown and white smooth trunk and the most lovely leafy green strands. there just isn't enough cypress trees in the world. A+!

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....i still have to get to the strawberry tree, the china fir, the various eucalyptus, and so many more!... but i'll have to get back to it later. i'm taking my books and headed north to find more trees.


Posted by Catharina

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