Trees that can be Considered
"Native" to California

Our mission is to sustain and enhance the trees of Mountain View, California, through community stewardship, education and advocacy.

 

What is a "Native" California Tree?

by Ray Morneau

 

What is a native California tree?  Well, that depends upon who you ask.

The Native Sons of the Golden West suggest that if it was here before the Gold Rush, it's a native. Some arborists suggest we look back more than 200 years to find the true natives and that might include some old oak trees in your neighborhood or very old willows, sycamores, and big leaf maples.


I think that realistically we could consider a native tree to be one that is sustainable in our climate of dry summers and wet winters.

On October 25, Mountain View Trees planted 15 Platanus racemosa ( California Sycamore) at the entrance to Shoreline Park and that's about as "native' as you can get.


Trees that are often conisdered California "Natives":

Aspen
Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Alder
White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia)

Cedar
Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)

Cottonwood
Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa)
Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)

Cypress
Lawson Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)

Elderberry
Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)

Fir
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
White Fir (Abies concolor)

Hemlock
Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana)

Laurel
California Laurel (Umbellularia californica)

Madrone (Arbutus menziesii)

Oak
Valley Oak (Quercus lobata)
Leather Oak (Quercus durata)
Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia)
California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii
Canyon Live Oak (Quercus chrysolepis)
Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizenii)
Tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus)

Pine
Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata)
Bishop Pine (Pinus muricata)

Sequoia
Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

Sycmore
California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)

Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)

Willow
Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis)

Calendar of Events

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October 2nd, 2011

Sunday, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Farmers' Market, Train Station

Location: Downtown Mountain View, Caltrain Station parking lot at 600 West Evelyn Ave.

Click for the MAP

Come visit our table at the Farmers' Market, meet some of our volunteers and find out more about the trees that keep our city so beautiful.

Tree-Themed Children's
Face-Painting!

This event repeats every other month on the first Sunday until Saturday December 31, 2011.

Spring, 2012
Saturday, 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

Children's & Adult's
Tree Walks

Location: To be announced

There are typically two tree walks on Saturdays. One for adults, and one for parents with their children.

Children welcome with a
parent or guardian.

Summer, 2012
Saturday, 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

Tree Selection Workshop

Location: To be announced

Parking: To be announced

Speakers:  Certified Arborists

No experience necessary

Certified Arborists collaborate to provide important decision information and selection criteria.

You will learn a methodical approach for your tree selection process.

  • Learn tree selection info in a nursery setting.
  • Discuss the difference between boxed, field grown, B&B, or container stock.
  • Find out the questions you need to ask.
  • Discuss installation methods.
  • Benefits:
         - Reduce your carbon footprint
         - Improve your land
         - Enrich your community

Bring your questions for our arborists!

  • Should you pick a tree with a skinny trunk or a thick one?
  • Is it better to have all the branches at the top of the tree or to have the branches distributed down the trunk?
  • How do you know if a tree will have girdling roots?

Summer, 2012
Saturday, 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

Young Tree Care
Workshop & Survey

Location: to be announced

Speakers:  Certified Arborists

No experience necessary

Learn how to increase the survival rate of young trees, and participate in fostering the success of Mountain View's urban forest.

Young tree care is especially important to ensure tree survival and promote a healthy, sustainable urban forest.

Mountain View Trees is offering a new Young Tree Care Workshop to provide you with valuable information about caring for newly-planted trees in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Join the Survey Team immediately following the workshop. Mountain View Trees will provide all the materials needed for you to survey a portion of this year's selection of recently-planted street trees.
You will receive addresses, survey forms, and door hangars containing tree care information to leave at each residence where a young city street tree is surveyed.

Once trained, you will walk your neighborhood on your own schedule, checking young trees for specific conditions to ensure their proper care. Then you will submit your survey results by mail and we will report to the City how those trees are doing.