California Sycamores Dress for Thanksgiving – Go Now!

California sycamore, platanus racemosa, a native tree common in California’s foothills and along the Central Coast, has been the subject of artist paintbrushes, through the years, for their multiple and scabrous cream to grey trunks and gracefully twisted branches laden with deeply lobed leaves which vary in color from chartreuse to orange-red.  In early autumn the sycamore are the first to decorate woodland floors with their spent, dusty-brown leaves.  In winter, stemless seedballs, carried on stalks, provide interest.

This week, the Santa Ynez Valley News reports the sycamore, along with golden cottonwoods (Californios called them Los Alamos), exotic orange-red liquidambars, burgundy and bronze vineyards and crimson poison oak are dressing the Central Coast in time for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

50 – 75% – Central Coast – Riparian areas along the Central Coast have been nearing peak for the past two weeks and will provide lovely color through the Thanksgiving Day weekend and beyond.

Travel U.S. 101 between Salinas and Ventura along the El Camino Real.   An anonymous color spotter reports, “I did the whole 101 drive from Monterey County to Ventura County yesterday. Vineyards all the way down, have a blend of different shades of fall colors. Brilliant colors like I’ve never seen! … and Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero are saturated with bright yellows, reds, oranges. The fall this year in these areas are better than I’ve seen in years. A must see!”  Go Now!