nice old, single-trunked Radermachera sinica

[fastfeat]

I'd guess that this one, growing at a school off Clark and Flower, is at least thirty years old. I've seen quite a few of these (usually only one or two at a time) at various schools, mainly in LA County (Bellflower, Norwalk, Covina, others) all about the same age. I'm guessing that someone associated with the schools and had a nursery connection was responsible for introducing it on campuses; one almost never sees this tree of similar vintage in CA residential landscapes until later.

With very minimal pruning (and not being grown as a multi, as sold by almost every nursery ), they can be very graceful.

(sorry, pics a little dark)

[JasonD]

I'm increasingly a fan of this tree for the Bay Area, too. It does quite well in San Francisco and in the inland areas appears to put up with some frost.

[fastfeat]

I'm increasingly a fan of this tree for the Bay Area, too. It does quite well in San Francisco and in the inland areas appears to put up with some frost.

The largest-caliper one of these I've ever seen was in Bakersfield (!), growing against a house, with a DBH of about 24". sadly, it was butchered down to about 20', but clearly had been much larger. I've seen them grow well in Santa Maria (no island of heat retention) and in San Antonio as well. I suspect they'll take mid 20sF w/o trouble and possibly to 20F with regrowth from the base.