Interesting resource for spotting palms and trees in San Francisco

[CodyORB]

The San Francisco Department of Public Works maintains a map containing virtually every single street tree under their jurisdiction: https://bsm.sfdpw.org/urbanforestry/

May be a good resource for PRA's. It doesn't include specimens in public parks (eg SF Botanical Garden, Dolores Park, etc) or in private yards (obviously). There is occasionally blatant misidentification on more uncommon species (e.g. a Howea belmoreana as a "queen palm"???), but I made a few surprising finds I haven't seen discussed here much.

Elegant cluster of Rhopalostylis bauri (maybe sapida and mis-id) across from the Arguello Ave. Presidio Terrace entrance on Washington St.:

Large Howea forsteriana on Mars St near Clarendon Heights, quite a contrast to see next to a temperate flowering cherry tree in spring:

Jubaea chilensis in a neat planting w/ other less common species (what looks like 2 Rhopie's and maybe 2 Parajubaeas) on Florida St. in the Mission (light caution: homeless encampment across the street)::

They were spot on with the only two "known" coral trees in SF (Lower Haight and Potrero Hill). The yard on Potrero Hill has a Ceroxylon in early stages along with a passel of ferns, cycads, and other palms (I believe this yard has been mentioned before). Props to the 1870-1890 Stick/Victorian bay window (SF architecture is a whole different rabbit hole I could climb in):

So have a look around! I'd like to see input from SF PT'ers. Tons of tons of palmy and non-palmy stuff...

 

 

[Jadd Correia]

Awesome find. I will link a great video for information on the large Jubea (one of my absolute favorite palms).

Another great Jubea I ride past on the way to work is in Golden Gate Park (east end). It is hard to emphasis just how large this palm is until you are right up next to it (check it out). I will be sure to post other notably palms in SF that I come across. 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Jadd Correia

[thallo]

On 8/1/2022 at 9:19 PM, Jadd Correia said:

Another great Jubea I ride past on the way to work is in Golden Gate Park (east end). It is hard to emphasis just how large this palm is until you are right up next to it (check it out).

This is me next to that Jubaea. I’m 6’1 for scale

[Foggy Paul]

On 8/1/2022 at 7:59 PM, CodyORB said:

They were spot on with the only two "known" coral trees in SF (Lower Haight and Potrero Hill). The yard on Potrero Hill has a Ceroxylon in early stages along with a passel of ferns, cycads, and other palms (I believe this yard has been mentioned before). Props to the 1870-1890 Stick/Victorian bay window (SF architecture is a whole different rabbit hole I could climb in):

Just saw this thread. I'd seen this database and immediately focused on the mis-IDs 🙂 I am 95% sure that there is still an Erythrina crista-galli on the Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill. It's been a long time since I've been there, but it looked large, robust and healthy.

 

 

[flplantguy]

Im trying to convince my county to do the same thing here. Hurricane Ian made it very clear that the inventory naples had is a must for every community here.  This is another cool way to find plants and their potential too. We use streetviews alot to review plants and their history for other purposes too and i geek out when i find a cool plant or microclimate. 

[Jadd Correia]

Here is a nice coral tree right next to my kids elementary school in Oakland. Really beautiful red blooms when its going off.