Central Valley – Just Starting

Fabulous 40s, Sacramento (10/16/15) John Poimiroo

We’re beginning to see cottonwood topped with crests of gold within Central Valley wetland areas.  Soon, these wetlands and surrounding farmed rice fields will become banquet tables for wild geese, ducks and swans.

Walnut orchards west of Davis along I-80, near corn mazes, farm stands and pumpkin patches, are starting to show color.  Drive north on Hwys 70 and 99 to Oroville and Chico to pass more orchards full of walnut trees in two weeks to see them peak.

Fabulous 40s, Sacramento (10/16/15) John Poimiroo

The urban forests of the Central Valley (Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and Fresno) are just starting to show their color.  Towering London Plane trees arch over Sacramento’s Fabulous Forties (avenues numbered 40 – 49) in mid-town, the sun lighting their leaves to chartreuse brilliance.

In the next two to three weeks, browned leaves will fall and the sound of rakes and leaf blowers will reveal where they are being gathered into piles.  Today is the first day that Sacramento residents may leave the piles in the street to be picked up by the City.

There are so many trees in Sacramento and such a big drop of leaves, that the service continues into January. What a wonder it must be to be a kid in Sacramento with so many piles of leaves through which to ride your bike.

CSU Sacramento (10/16/15) John Poimiroo

Sycamore, American River, Rancho Cordova (10/16/15) John Poimiroo

Other good places to watch leaves drop in Sacramento are: the Cal State Sacramento campus, Land Park and Discovery Park at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers.

Just Starting (0-10%) – Central Valley