Color, Color Everywhere

Chinese Pistache (11/11/09

Chinese Pistache (11/11/09

Fall color has now dropped in elevation to sea level.  Exotic trees are showing first, as can be seen in these photos of Chinese Pistache (pistacia chinensis) and Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) photographed at 800′ in El Dorado Hills.

Redbud (11/11/09)

Eastern Redbud (11/11/09)

Native trees from sea level to 1,000′ still have two weeks to go before peak, but the exotics are providing a dazzling show of yellow, orange, red, lime, burgundy and brown.

Planned communities, where landscaped boulevards cluster tree species are literally glowing.  Chinese pistache, liquidambar, redbud, red oak, ornamental pear, persimmon, crape myrtle, maidenhair and birch are turning quickly and shedding leaves with each storm.

Parks and arboreta will deliver good fall color viewing through November.  A map to where fall color can be found within the San Francisco Botanical Garden is included in the preceding blog.

Japanese Maple, Taylorsville (11/12/09)

Japanese Maple, Taylorsville (11/12/09)

50-100% — Urban Landscape (0 – 1000′).  It is difficult to express a precise percent of change for so vast a territory as is California, though exotic foliage (that not native to California) is at or nearing peak across the state, as seen in this photograph of a Japanese maple sent to us by Richard McCutcheon from Taylorsville (southeast of Lake Almanor).  Native trees below 1,000′ are anywhere from 15% to 75%, again according to species and micro-climate.  Fall color viewing continues across California, though the brightest displays are now within the exotic landscapes of the state’s cities and towns.

Photo Credit: © 2009, John Poimiroo

Japanese Maple: © 2009, Richard McCutcheon

2 replies
  1. Lois says:

    Thanks for the pic and ID of the Chinese Pistache tree. I got some shots of some colorful ones near my workplace in Fremont yesterday, and was having trouble identifying it. Then your post showed up with exactly what I needed. I’ve been enjoying this blog and reading about the color that can be found in Califonria.

    • John Poimiroo says:

      Thanks for the comment, Lois. Chinese pistache has beautiful range of color from lime to yellow, to orange to flame red. We have three clustered in our yard. They have become a popular landscape tree and stay moderately sized until late in life when they can get big. Another colorful ornamental tree is the liquidambar.

Comments are closed.