Most people like flowers, for they are colorful, fragrant,
unique and brighten up a garden. Then gardeners like grasses
because they are good for making scenery and settings look
attractive and interesting. Vines, of course, are good for
privacy; and ground covers do as the name implies, that is cover
the ground so it is less likely to produce weeds and the ground
looks better in general.
Then come the trees. Here in California we love trees for the
shade they provide. There are many trees that I dislike for a
variety of reasons, and they might be listed at the end of this
article. There are other trees that I love, even though some of
them are not perfect. Since maple trees are so varied, they
deserve a column reserved just for them.
This article is about one thing in particular about trees: their
leaves.
In fall, I will try to cover leaves with fall colors, but the
intention here is to cover trees with leaves of interesting
shapes, sizes, colors. We have tried to add many trees to our
yard with outstanding leaves. All of the trees included in this
picture essay are growing in our garden. |
Paulownia "Empress Tree" |
< By far the show stopper is the PAULOWNIA or “Empress Tree”. The
leaves give a tropical effect and are sometimes 12 in. long and
7 in. wide according to Sunset’s Western Garden book. Our leaves
are up to 16 x 16 inches. In the picture we have placed a one
dollar bill on the leaf to give some perspective. Their blooms
are lilac blue in upright clusters. Not a tree to garden under
due to dense shade. This tree is similar to the Catalpa tree.
Our Catalpa tree is new, so the photo is from a yard a few
blocks away. Catalpas are among the few hardy deciduous trees
that can compete in flower and leaf with subtropical species.
Large clusters of 2 in. wide flowers are pure white, with
stripes and markings in yellow and soft brown. The leaves are
bold and heart shaped. > |
Catalpa |
Peppermint Eucalyptus |
< A beautiful specimen tree is the “Peppermint Eucalyptus”. Ours
is very fast growing. This tree has thin, narrow leaves in a
silvery gray color on dark burgundy colored stems. Opposed to
this is our Corkscrew Willow with leaves that appear very curly.
The stems twist and turn, so that when the leaves are gone, the
branches are used for dry arrangements that florists love.
A truly beautiful tree is the Purple Smoke tree. They do well in
Folsom. We have two smoke trees, but I have seen them in a few
other yards, and the city has used them in the divider medium on
Parkshore. Their leaves when new are a deep purple and lighten
some as they age. The blooms are like spectacular puffs of
smoke; hence, the name. > |
Purple Smoke Tree |
Long-Leafed Yellowwod Podacarpus |
< Our lucky number must be three, as we have three African Sumac
trees and three Long-Leafed Yellowwood Podocarpus trees. The
Long-Leafed Podocarpus bears masses of drooping, shiny green
leaves pointed at both ends. The African Sumac has an open,
spreading habit with graceful, weeping outer branchlets. Their
dark green leaves are divided into three willow-like, 4 to 5 in.
long leaflets. This species can be trained to a single trunk or
allowed to grow to a multi-trunked tree somewhat resembling an
olive.
In the acacia family there are numerous evergreen and deciduous
shrubs and trees. Our acacia shrub is a Sydney Golden Wattle,
but our acacia tree is a Blackwood Acacia. The Blackwood's leaves
are dark green, but grow in a combination of fern-like leaves as
well as solid narrow leaves. The combination is quite striking.
> |
Blackwood Acacia |
Chinese Tallow |
<
Rounding off this partial collection of our trees is the Chinese
Tallow. This tree requires correct placement to be enjoyable,
but the heart shaped leaves that turn brilliant colors in fall
dance in the breeze like Aspens.
Though not technically a tree, our bamboo is as tall as some
trees and as wide as some drip lines. The bamboo is in the
center of the yard and is a clumping variety as opposed to the
running variety which can spread out of control.
> |
Bamboo |
| Next time you are out walking, driving, or shopping for trees,
look at the leaves. There are so many varieties, shapes, sizes
of leaves. Many more than what most builders line their
neighborhoods with: identical trees house after house after
house. |
|
