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Special Report: San Diego Roars

San Diego Zoo (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

Color correspondent Alena Nicholas was on safari for fall color in San Diego on Thanksgiving Day and Orange Friday and found it at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. And, did San Diego roar!

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Coastal marsh, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego County (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Pacific Coast, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego County (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

North San Diego County (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

African Elephants, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

African Elephants, Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

In 2016, the San Diego Zoo celebrates its 100th birthday. So, during this celebratory period is the time to visit what Trip Advisor rates as the world’s best zoo.

What makes the San Diego Zoo so good is both the breadth of species to be seen (Chinese Giant pandas, Australian koalas, African elephants, Malaysian tigers, California condors, African lions…) and the natural, seemingly unfenced habitats in which they reside.

That means there aren’t many bars or mesh wire fences through which to observe or photograph the animals, but open space instead, and the areas provided for the animals are expansive and have natural settings.

At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (an hour north of the San Diego Zoo in Escondido) visitors ride carts, trams and now motorized trikes, along roads and paved trails into the savannah where they see animals interacting as they would in the wild.

One of the interactive programs at the Safari Park is Cheetah Safari where the “jaw-dropping” speed of a cheetah is demonstrated as it races along a 330-foot long track. Programs at both locations immerse visitors in better appreciating wild animals and the threats to their continued existence in the wild.

On Alena’s safari to San Diego, she captured not just the amazing and colorful inhabitants of the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, but also the foliage to be seen in beautiful Balboa Park and throughout the region: native California fan palms taking on a yellow-orange glow, black oak dressed in lime, yellow and orange, exotic maroon fountain grass, orange-red coastal marsh grasses and trees carrying lime, yellow, orange and red confetti.

San Diego’s climate is so temperate and inviting that the seasonal change is hardly evident, though it can be felt in the autumn air, seen in San Diego’s glorious sunsets and found along stream beds where golden cottonwood and orange black oak paint the landscape.

Early December is an ideal time to visit San Diego.  The weather is good (this week, it will be in the low 70s), and the last of California’s fall color will continue to peak through the next two weeks. In two words… GO NOW!

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – San Diego Zoo and Safari Park

San Diego (11/28/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego (11/28/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Pacific coast, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, San Diego (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Safari Park (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego County (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Malaysian tiger, San Diego Zoo (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Black Oak, San Diego (11/28/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

AN-SanDiego-15

Balboa Park, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

AN-SanDiego-13

Balboa Park, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Black oak, San Diego County (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park, San Diego (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Cheetah, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Australian koala, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Australian koala, San Diego Zoo (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park (11/26/15) Alena Nicholas

Safari Park, Escondido (11/27/15) Alena Nicholas

 

 

 

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Natural Christmas Ornaments

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

American beautyberry, Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Seeing Darrell Sano’s photos of natural Christmas ornaments hanging from branches, I concluded they’re better looking than the artificial ones I’d just taken out of storage.

Yesterday, Darrell took a Black, er… Orange Friday road trip through Sonoma along Highway 12 and shares these images from his visit to Quarryhill Botanical Garden in Glen Ellen.

He reports that while Sonoma County’s vines are now well past peak (many had no leaves at all, most were brown or muddy yellow in color), he found an exuberant explosion of color at Quarryhill.

Loads of colorful berries and fruit provided added vibrance and form, in addition to harlequin-painted leaves.

“In the sunny, chilly morning, I was so happy to experience this beautiful garden (instead of a mall!),” he writes of his Orange Friday outing, and recommends Quarryhill Botanical Garden as “definitely a place to return to in springtime.”

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

Inspired by his Quarryhill visit, Darrell remembered Sandy Steinman’s report about the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley and headed there, today.

He reports, “I was amazed by the color. I felt this was possibly my last “gasp” at seeing the wonderment of fall color for the year. But you never know, California has so much to offer and discover.”

We agree, Darrell.  To use your words, it is, “An amazing place.” 

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Glen Ellen

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Vineyard, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Vineyard, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

Quarryhill Botanic Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15)

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Glen Ellen (11/27/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (11/28/15) Darrell Sano

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Orange Friday

Sutter St., Folsom (11/25/15) John Poimiroo

Sutter St., Folsom (11/25/15) John Poimiroo

While shoppers are lined up at big box stores looking for deals on Black Friday, color spotters are out finding fall color on this Orange Friday.

I found it along historic Folsom’s Sutter Street where ginkgo biloba are painted yellow, orange and green.

Santhakumar VA found it at Far Niente Winery in Oakville where ginkgos are heavy with gold and orange leaves and vines are ruby, orange and gold.

Santha had visited the Napa Valley last week. He reports that while leaves are falling, there are so many on the vines and trees, that the show still goes on.

Similarly, Jennifer Mellone sends photos taken of the Bennett Valley and Dry Creek wine regions of Sonoma County where vines are boldly colored and birds are feasting in the vineyards.

Color spotter Anirudh Natikar shares these images of the landscaped color to be seen along Paseo Santa Cruz, near Valley Avenue in Pleasanton, where hot orange, deep red, and fluorescent yellow mix with green.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – All elevations below 1,000′

Dry Creek Region, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Jennifer Malone

Dry Creek region, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Jennifer Mellone

Bennett Valley region, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Jennifer Malone

Bennett Valley region, Sonoma County (11/28/15) Jennifer Mellone

Bennett Valley region, Sonoma County (11/27/15) Jennifer Malone

Bennett Valley region, Sonoma County (11/28/15) Jennifer Mellone

Far Niente Winery, Oakville (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Far Niente Winery, Oakville (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Far Niente Winery, Oakville (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Far Niente Winery, Oakville (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Napa Valley (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Napa Valley (11/26/15) Santhakumar V A

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natikar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natekar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natikar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natekar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natikar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natekar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natikar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natekar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natikar

Pleasanton (11/25/15) Anirudh Natekar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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California Fall Color Looks Back at 2015

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On this Thanksgiving Day, CaliforniaFallColor.com is indebted to every color spotter and photographer who contributed photographs and reports in 2015.

They include (from first turned leaf reported): LA Leaf Peeper, Alicia Vennos, Jon Klusmire, Alena Nicholas, Trapper Felt, Carol Waller, Christine Osborne, Julie Yost, Crys Black, Nikhil Shahi, Misti Sullivan, Kevin Lennox, Ashley Hollgarth, Jen Heger, Kimberly Kolafa, Julie Kirby, Aditi Das, Jeff Hemming, Erick  Castellon, Shanda Ochs, Jackson Frishman, Cuong Diep, Maddie Noiseaux, Leor Pantilat, Lara Kaylor, Jeff Simpson, Clayton Peoples, Lisa Wilkerson-Willis, Phillip Reedy Ruth Hartman, Charles Porter, Greg Newbry, Elliot McGucken, Jared Smith, Dotty Molt, Sherry Gardner, Jill Dinsmore, Josh Wray, Mike Nellor, Ivan Alo, Pushkar Gejji, Mariusz Jeglinski, Gary Young, Patricia Costa, Lisa May, Laurie Baker, Shuo Li, Dylan Ren, Brian Patterson, David Olden, Gabriel Leete, Jeri Rangel, Jim Beaux, Cory Poole, Walter Gabler, Max Forster, Jim Adams, Jeff Luke Titcomb, Nancy Wright, Bonnie Nordby, Kathy Jonokuchi, Linnea Wahamaki, Sarah Showalter, Vera Haranto Fuad, Jas E Miner, Susan Taylor, Santhakumar V A, Darrell Sano, Frank McDonough, Anson Davalos, Sandy Steinman, Anirudh Natikar, Jennifer “JMel” Mellone and Ron Tyler, who produced the above video.

We’re also grateful to the many hundreds of readers who posted comments and photos to our Facebook page and retweeted our Twitter posts. If we missed thanking you here, please know it wasn’t intentional.  We we are indebted to every color spotter, photographer and commenter. Thank you all.

Additional thanks are expressed to Inyo County Tourism, Mono County Tourism, Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Redding Convention & Visitors Bureau, Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, and The California Parks Company for underwriting California Fall Color. And, to the many reporters and media who carried our reports and gave attention to what we have shown about California’s fall color.

This thank you list is incomplete without mentioning Joan, my wife, who has: humored my recording of color percentages, species and elevations; pointed out particularly beautiful color; and driven the car and pulled it over to the shoulder, at my whim, so that I could jump out to photograph a particularly beautiful location.

Of course, our deepest thanks go to the many tens of thousands of people who have followed CaliforniaFallColor.com and our Facebook and Twitter pages.  You are, after all, the reason we do this.

Autumn doesn’t end on Thanksgiving Day. It has 26 more days to go.  We’ll continue to post photos and reports as received and plan a Special Report on San Diego County. Though today, we begin to dial back our reports, posting them less frequently. We also stop sending weekly reports to California TV meteorologists, travel and outdoor writers.

So, enjoy Thanksgiving Day, and we’ll see you next autumn, dude.

California (Peak 75-100%) – In our hearts, California is always peaking. GO NOW!

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Big Bear: Beautiful Along The Arctic Circle

Arctic Circle, SB Mountains (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Arctic Circle, SB Mountains (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

You’d think that a place called “The Arctic Circle” would be austere and foreboding.  Not so along the drive called “The Arctic Circle” near Big Bear where black oak speckle the forest with bright splotches of orange.

Seen in San Bernardino Mountains color correspondent Alena Nicholas’ photograph, Big Bear Lake peeks between the layered, sensuous curves of the San Bernardino Mountains, its blue waters beckoning travelers to the pleasures beyond.

Big Bear Lake (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear Lake (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Big Bear (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

This week’s storm shook about a third of the leaves remaining on black oaks at Big Bear Lake and clinging to the ridges, though those nestled in the canyons seen from The Arctic Circle are still dressed in fall finery. With sunny to partly cloudy days predicted, the fall color should hang for a while, though it will drizzle away, slowly but surely.

Nevertheless, with skis and snowboards now cutting groomed corduroy on the slopes of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, what titian tones remain in the forest, is almost a distraction to why motorists are now traveling The Arctic Circle to Big Bear.  And, with fall color ebbing in the mountains, we’ve assigned Alena to search the southland for where else it might be found.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – The Arctic Circle and Big Bear Lake.

Arctic Circle, SB Mountains (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Arctic Circle, SB Mountains (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Black oak, Big Bear Lake (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Black oak, Big Bear Lake (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Black oak, Big Bear Lake (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

Black oak, Big Bear Lake (11/24/15) Alena Nicholas

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Berkeley: Where Bears Meet Beauty

Beauty Berries, UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

American beautyberry, UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

Berkeley is perhaps California’s most misrepresented city.

It’s more than the Cal Bears and the great university for which they play.

It’s more than the student demonstrations for which the university became famous.

And it’s more than the “People’s Republic of Berkeley,” the oft-said slight to the liberal city and how it is managed.

Berkeley is a wonderful place to visit:

  • for its beautiful residences, many of which are handsome examples of California Craftsman architecture;
  • for its many fascinating shops, which often feature quality handcrafts and fine arts; and
  • for its wealth of great restaurants, including Chez Panisse where kitchen artist Alice Waters conceived farm to fork cooking.

Though, it is in Berkeley’s gardens where bears meet beauty.

One of the state’s loveliest gardens is the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

Though it will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, a truly “Berkeley” way to experience Black Friday, would be to protest the day’s in-your-face consumerism and make it an Orange Friday at the Botanical Garden.

Sandy Steinman, editor of Natural History Wanderings and a longtime friend and gifted observer of all things natural, sent these images taken in the Asian Section of the garden, showing it at peak.

The layered colors of crimson and gold are impressive, though it was the royal purple American beautyberry, genus callicarpa, that made us stop to look it up.

Clearly, we’re bearish on Berkeley’s beauty.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (11/23/15) Sandy Steinman

 

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Saratoga Sugars Up

Ginkgo biloba, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Ginkgo biloba, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Chinese pistache, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Chinese pistache, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Chinese pistache and hawthorne, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Chinese pistache and hawthorne, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Three weeks ago, Silicon Valley color spotter Anson Davalos sent images of downtown Saratoga as it developed color.

This week it was at peak sugar with bright yellow ginkgo biloba, fluorescent red and orange Chinese pistache, ruby and gold hawthorne and maroon flowering pears heavy with leaves.

No doubt, today’s rain and wind sprinkled Saratoga streets with leafy confetti, as it did across Northern California.

Still, a lot of the color will likely remain through the coming weekend.  If you’re heading to the South Bay at Thanksgiving, best bets include: Saratoga, Los Gatos, Pine St. San Jose, Campbell and Los Altos.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Saratoga

Ginkgo biloba, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Ginkgo biloba, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Ginkgo biloba, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Ginkgo biloba, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Chinese pistache, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

Chinese pistache, Saratoga (11/23/15) Anson Davalos

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Going To Town in Los Angeles

Undisclosed Colorful Locale in Los Angeles (11/23/15) LA Leaf Peeper

Undisclosed Colorful Locale in Los Angeles (11/23/15) LA Leaf Peeper

Los Angeles color spotter “LA Leaf Peeper” (actual name withheld to prevent paparazzi from hounding this celebrity), reports that fall color is now “going to town” throughout the City of Angels.

LA Leaf Peeper has been the first anywhere in California to report fall color for the past two years and though this LA “star’s” reports are few, they include insights to the status of fall color in tinseltown.

We’re sure Extra, Inside Edition, the National Enquirer or TMZ will want to know that turned leaves are still hanging from the early-showing liquidambar that LA Leaf Peeper alerted us to in August.  Though now, all LA’s deciduous trees are lit up brighter than the red carpet at the Dolby Theater on Oscar night.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Los Angeles 

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Orange Friday at Lake Gregory

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Ansel Adams got so many great photographs of Yosemite, not just because he was a great artist,  but because he lived there.

Color spotter Alena Nicholas has shared many beautiful images of Lake Gregory this autumn, because she lives there.

Nicholas writes,”They say home is where the heart is, and after this weekend, I thought to share, once more, the beauty of my little “home” lake. It may not be Yosemite, the Eastern Sierras, or Northern California, but Lake Gregory always puts its best foot forward and shares whatever beauty it has to the very end!”

Big Bear (11/23/15) Nancy Barron Booher

Big Bear (11/23/15) Nancy Barron Booher

That’s certainly true of what Alena showed us of Lake Gregory, this autumn. The sunsets there and from the nearby Rim of the World have been beautiful.

In the collection of photographs submitted by Alena, today, we see another aspect of fall in the San Bernardino Mountains… a forest full of deeply orange black oak at peak. Along shore, hints of yellow brighten the scene.

Alena traveled to Big Bear today where she likely saw scenes like this black oak, shot by Nancy Barron Booher and posted on our Facebook page.

With more snow predicted to arrive in the San Bernardinos on Wednesday and Thursday, Alena’s trip could be her last fall color outing this autumn.

Let’s hope this won’t be a Black Friday, but will still be orange.

Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Lake Gregory, Rim of the World and the San Bernardino Mountains

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

Lake Gregory (11/22/15) Alena Nicholas

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LA County Arboretum Nears Peak

Crepe Myrtle, LACArboretum (11/21/15) Frank McDonough

Crepe Myrtle, LACArboretum (11/21/15) Frank McDonough

Sweet gum, red maple, Chinese tallow and San Gabriel Mountains, LAC Arboretum  (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

Sweet gum, red maple, Chinese tallow and San Gabriel Mountains, LAC Arboretum (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

Chinese tallow, LAC Arboretum  (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

Birch, LAC Arboretum (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve mislabeled or just didn’t know what kind of tree appears in one of the photos posted on this site.

That’s why I enjoy visiting arboretums.  At arboretums, trees are well-marked.  The ones in nature don’t have a plaque at the base of their trunks with their common and latin names engraved on it.  At an arboretum, they do.

I own several plant identification books, but visiting an arboretum shows me what the tree will really look like when it’s fully grown.  “So, that’s what it means to be 70′ tall,” I’ve muttered to myself while looking at a tree I’d mistakenly thought would be right for my yard.

For anyone who loves trees, their great size, the beauty of their heavy, twisted branches, or how mature trees attract us to them, visiting an arboretum is endlessly fascinating.

California fan palm and ash, LAC Arboretum  (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

California fan palm and ash, LAC Arboretum (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

Birch, LAC Arboretum  (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

Chinese tallow, LAC Arboretum (11/22/15) Frank McDonough

This week is the week to visit California’s arboretums.  Their associated botanic gardens are mostly dormant, but the arboretums are full of color.

Frank McDonough reports the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia is nearing peak and should be prime for the next two weeks.

Seen among his photographs are delicately stemmed crepe myrtle, a variety of colorful trees taken from Myberg Falls toward the San Gabriel Mountains, birch draping a garden path, a California fan palm beside full peak ash, and Chinese tallow (also known as the Florida aspen).

California has nearly 20 arboretums, in nearly every corner of the state.  All are beautiful places to find solace and to learn more about the native and exotic trees growing throughout our state. CLICK HERE for a list of them.

Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW! – Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden