LA County Arboretum Near Peak
Chinaberry, LA County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens (11/13/14) Frank McDonough
Southern California is not often thought of as having much fall color, though its mountains have a reasonably long show, its urban forests can have beautiful color (when the Santa Anas don’t blow) and each year we can count on the LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden to be the final celebrity to walk autumn’s red carpet.
In the mountains, color is now past peak in the Angeles National Forest, north of Los Angeles, though the San Bernardino National Forest, north of San Bernardino, still has nice pockets of peak color at lower elevations such as surrounding Lake Gregory. The San Jacinto Mountains near Mountain Center are peaking and the Mt. Laguna, Mt. Palomar and Julian areas vary from peak to past peak.
Color spotter Frank McDonough of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Garden is California Fall Color’s end-of-season reporter, the counter to Jared Smith’s early announcements from the Eastern Sierra. Frank notes that “All around the Arboretum fall color is starting to subtly appear. The first yellowing signs of color are showing up on California grapes, Crepe myrtles and many others.
Eastern Redbud, Cercis Canadensis (11/13/14) Frank McDonough
Sour Gum, Nyssa sylvatica (11/13/14) Frank McDonough
Pin oak, Quercus palustrus (11/13/14) Frank McDonough
Jerusalem Thorn, Parkinsonia aculeata (11/13/14) Frank McDonough
Autumn Blaze Maple, Acer xfreemanii (11/13/14) Frank McDonough
“Some trees, like Nyssa (the Tupelo) and certain maples are at their peak while most like Ginkgo biloba and the Pin oak are about halfway to brilliance.”
He wonders if this year “will be a ‘great one’? Hard to tell. Some conditions like low nighttime temperatures and high daytime temperatures have been present but others, especially moisture, have not.”
This autumn occurs in the third year of a major drought. So, such observations have been stated by others who noted drier leaves and short-lived color in specific areas. Though overall (look back at this autumn’s photos for confirmation), the color has been bright and long-lasting.
Drought seems not to have significantly diminished the show. 2014 compares well to other years for the brilliance and duration of California’s fall color.
LA County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens (Near Peak 50-75%) – Frank’s report indicates it’s time to explore our state’s urban forests and arboretums. At the LA County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, sour gum, chinaberry, Jerusalem thorn, eastern redbud and maples are filling with yellow, golden, orange and crimson color. GO NOW!