A tree planting at our August community workday

Our newly planted Kauri Pine

The mature Kauri Pine

Among all the introduced trees seen in the parks of San Francisco, the Queensland Kauri Pine (Agathis robusta) is one of the less common. Kauri Pines have leathery, evergreen leaves, and grow very tall. Like the more commonly seen Norfolk Island Pine, the Queensland Kauri Pine is in the auricariaceae family. The Panhandle has one mature Kauri Pine - located near Cole Street. Nearby are two young Kauri Pines planted in recent years, and now, there's a third, planted just this weekend by the Panhandle Park Stewards under the supervision of SF Rec and Park gardening staff.

In addition to volunteers from the community, the SF Bridgemen joined the work group on Saturday, helping with the other projects of the morning: cutting back sucker growth from the elms and redwoods, raking and pulling weeds, and trimming a few of the large shrubs found near Lyon Street on the south side of the park.

Thank you Bridgemen for your work on Saturday! 

There's an old salvia in here somewhere....

September Workday at the Panhandle

At today's workday, volunteers focused on some care for two Queensland Kauri trees, which were planted about four years ago and have been slowly maturing (close to a more mature specimen). We removed some protective wire mesh that had been wrapped around the trees, and propped them against the wind by (carefully) installing two new posts.

Meanwhile, other volunteers removed dead stalks of the nearby cabbage tree (cordyline australis), a monster of a specimen. Families from the San Francisco Day School were also out with us today and raked up mountains of eucalyptus leaves near the playground.

Panhandle tree plantings begin

An article last week by Mike Billings in the San Francisco Examiner provided details about progress by the city in removing dying, hazardous trees from Golden Gate Park and planting young trees. The overall project, which includes the Panhandle, moves into a "second phase" later this month that will include removal of about 155 trees and pruning of another 44.  As I've traveled about Golden Gate Park, I've seen new removal notices on trees, some of which were in prominent places, such as by the front gate of the botanical garden. Some other trees to be removed are as close by the Panhandle as the Oak Woodlands. However, city staff have told me that no additional trees in the Panhandle are slated for removal (several were removed last year, mostly eucalyptus). 

Instead, the new year's tree plantings (about which I wrote in December) have already begun in the Panhandle. Below are two species planted west of Clayton Street. Send me a tip if you see a new tree planting, and include the nearest cross-street and any information about the number and type or types of trees. 

The top of a young Queensland Kauri, one of two that were planted close to a more mature specimen. Check near the base of these trees for the unusual crooked branches they sometimes drop.

Still working on identifying these young trees near Cole