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By Canopy Team on March 26, 2018
Photo by Elise Willis
Spring is officially here and with spring comes gorgeous flowers! Even as the the cold weather and rain persists, a variety of trees are sprouting blooms in eager preparation for the warm months to come. While some trees have already flowered and transitioned to leafs over late winter and early spring, there are still many trees that flower in late spring and even in summer. To get you ready for this spring season we have a prepared a selection of flowering trees and where you can find them around Palo Alto.
Photo by Kari Bluff via Flickr
Photo by Álvaro Reguly via Flickr
Characteristics: A deciduous flowering magnolia that reaches a height of 20 to 30 feet. This tree prefers full sun and has moderate water needs. The showy pink and white flowers bloom from late February through April.
Where to Find: A nice selection of saucer magnolias can be found at Robles Park and Seale Park in Palo Alto. Also found on several Canopy tree walks including Crescent Park, Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, Rinconada Library & Art Center, and Southgate.
Characteristics: Native to the Eastern U.S., this deciduous tree has delicate flowers that bloom in April. Small to medium in stature, this tree is slow growing and shade tolerant.
Where to Find: Young eastern redbuds can be found flowering at the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto; these redbuds were planted in 2017 by Canopy and volunteers. There are also eastern redbuds near the Magical Playground at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto.
Photo by Tom Hilton via Flickr
Photo by Kanegen via Flickr
Characteristics: The buckeye is a deciduous California native tree well-suited for drought tolerance, with leafs that typically drop mid-summer. This tree thrives in part shade and grows well near creeks and naturally moist spots.
Where to Find: Not a common urban tree, you will usually find the buckeye in more natural areas such as in Foothills Park and Arastradero Park. In particular, you can find the tree on Page Mill Road between Junipero Serra and Peter Coutts Road, as well as in several of Canopy’s tree walks including Barron Park and Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden.
Characteristics: Known for its beautiful flowering foliage, called sakura in Japan, the Japanese Cherry is a small deciduous tree. To grow, the tree needs abundant moisture with some shade. This tree often does not do well in the Bay Area due to the heat and high water needs.
Where to Find: A selection of the lovely Japanese Cherry can be found along the tennis courts at the Cubberley Community Center and at several spots around Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto.
To find the exact location of the trees mentioned, use our online mapping tool: Tree Plotter. With Tree Plotter you can find trees by species, address, or land use. Visit here for more information on Tree Plotter and how to use it.
Have you noticed any lovely blooms this spring? Let us know where in the comments!
