Glen Park is one of the most charming and distinctive neighborhoods in San Francisco. Steep hills facing south, narrow winding streets, and jewelbox homes characterize the neighborhood—along with a good selection of trees. Combine that with a small but wonderful shopping district, and you’ve got a nearly perfect residential neighborhood.

This tree walk begins at Bird & Beckett Books, on Chenery Street—certainly one of the most popular independent bookstores in town. It then heads east on Chenery, north on Castro Street, northeast on Laidley Street for 2 ½ blocks, then back to Castro. It continues north on Castro for another block to Sussex Street, northwest and west on Sussex to Swiss Avenue, south on Swiss to Surrey Street, west on Surrey a few yards to Chenery, and finally east on Chenery back to Diamond Street, a short block from the start at Bird & Beckett. This walk is a little under two miles long.

Numbered trees are labeled with common and scientific names and country of origin, all written in white chalk on the sidewalk; accompanying numbers, in blue, run from 1 to 56. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

Our trio of tree geeks responsible for this tour is the same: Jason Dewees (author of Designing with Palms), Richard Turner (retired editor of Pacific Horticulture), and I’m Mike Sullivan, author of Trees of San Francisco.

Our thanks to Kay Estey and readers of her garden column in the Glen Park News for suggestions of trees in the neighborhood to include on this walk.

Chenery Street, Diamond to Castro, south side

Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) — Canary Island date palm (*Phoenix canariensis*)

1. 655 Chenery Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Monterey to Southwest Oregon; CA coastal native (tallest tree species in the world)

2. 600 block of Chenery Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), South Asia (row of trees across the street; a common, albeit problematic, street tree throughout SF)

3. 641 Chenery Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Canary Islands, Spain (planted in 1989 as tiny tree)

4. 3110 Castro African fern pine (Afrocarpus gracilior), East & Southern Africa (row of 3 trees on Chenery)

Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum) — Glossy privet (*Ligustrum lucidum*)

Castro Street, Chenery to Laidley, west side

5. 3110 Castro Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Eastern USA to Mexico & Central America

6. 3102 Castro Glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), South China

***Cross Castro carefully to Laidley Street***

Laidley Street, Castro to Roanoke, southeast side

7. 577 Laidley Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species (first introduced in San Francisco, where it is increasingly common - the interesting San Francisco story can be found here)

8. 535 Laidley Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum), New Zealand (these trees are dying all over San Francisco, due to an insect pest called thrips)

Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (Myoporum laetum); this tree shows the effects of thrip infestation that is affecting the species everywhere in San Francisco. — Myoporum or ngaio in Māori (*Myoporum laetum*); this tree shows the effects of thrip infestation that is affecting the species everywhere in San Francisco.

9. 533 Laidley After Dark peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa ‘Jervis Bay Afterdark’), Southwest Australian cultivar (often less vigorous than the green-leafed species)

10. 521 Laidley Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Southeast USA (state tree of Mississippi)

11. 100 Roanoke Eureka lemon (Citrus limon), hybrid from South Asia (hanging over the back fence on Laidley)

Laidley Street, Roanoke to Mateo, southeast side

12. 447 Laidley Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), East Australia (usually a tree, here it has been pruned to remain a shrub)

13. 100 Mateo Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), East Australia (tree is on Laidley; it grows in streamside locations in the wild; hence, the common name; SF’s most commonly planted street tree)

Laidley Street, northeast of Mateo, southeast side

14. 371 Laidley Kentia palms (Howea forsteriana) in the front garden next to the house, Lord Howe Island, Australia; also queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana) from Southern Brazil, in the sidewalk cuts at this address

15. 347-353 Laidley Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (row of 3 trees)

***Cross Laidley carefully***

Laidley Street, northeast of Mateo, northwest side

16. 380 Laidley Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Southern Brazil - a particularly nice specimen!

17. 376 Laidley Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), East Australia (feel the spongy bark)

18. 48 Mateo Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Brazil (tree is on Laidley)

London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia); showing the effect of repetitive “pollarding”, which creates knobby branch endings — London plane tree (*Platanus* x *acerifolia*); showing the effect of repetitive “pollarding”, which creates knobby branch endings

Laidley Street, Mateo to Roanoke, northwest side

19. 456 Laidley Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), East Australia

Roanoke Street, northwest of Laidley

20. 486 Laidley Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), CA native; Oregon to Baja (the tree is on Roanoke; the wood was used in construction and for making pencils)

21. Full block of Roanoke London plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia), hybrid of Eastern USA species and European species (these trees, on both sides of the street, have been pollarded in the past (pollarding means the repeated removal of the upper branches of a tree, which promotes the growth of a dense head of foliage and branches)

Laidley Street, Roanoke to Castro, northwest side

22. 554 Laidley New Zealand tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ruby Glow’), New Zealand

23. 556 Laidley Locust (Robinia x ambigua ‘Idahoensis’), hybrid of North American species (fragrant pink flowers in early summer)

24. 3045 Castro Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), Southwest Australia (2 trees are on Laidley)

Castro Street, Laidley to Sussex, west side

25. 3068 Castro Red alder (Alnus rubra), CA to Alaska; a rare SF native! (tree is in the side yard, above the fence)

26. 3006 Castro Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan

**Take a short side excursion to 283 Bemis Street (southeast side) for a Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), Western Mediterranean Basin

Sussex Street, Castro to Diamond, southwest side

Giant yucca (Yucca gigantea) on the left; Majestic Beauty Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis x ‘Montic’) on the right — Giant yucca (*Yucca gigantea*) on the left; Majestic Beauty Indian hawthorn (*Rhaphiolepis* x ‘Montic’) on the right

27. 1 Sussex Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), East Australia (white flowers, very fragrant)

28. 11 Sussex Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica), East Asia (though usually grown as a shrub for its beautiful late winter/spring flowers, Japanese camellia is actually a small tree)

29. 15 Sussex Ray Hartman ceanothus (Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’), hybrid of CA native species

30. 41 Sussex River wattle (Acacia cognata), Southeast Australia

Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa) — Monterey cypress (*Hesperocyparis macrocarpa*)

31. 53 Sussex Giant yucca (Yucca gigantea), Central America

32. 53 Sussex Majestic Beauty Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis x ‘Montic’), South China & Japan to Southeast Asia

33. 62 Sussex Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis), East Australia (across the street)

Sussex Street, Diamond to Van Buren, southeast side

34. 2600 Diamond Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), Southwest Australia (tree is on Sussex; this tree loves SF’s climate)

35. 155 Sussex Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Carmel, CA native

**The steep alley to the left of the fence is Ohlone Way, named for the Native Californians who once occupied much of the San Francisco Bay Area (and one of San Francisco’s few remaining unpaved streets).

Ohlone Way, one of San Francisco’s few remaining unpaved streets

Van Buren Street, Sussex to Surrey

36. Both sides of Van Buren Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), East Australia (the crushed leaves smell of lemon)

Sussex Street, Van Buren to Swiss Avenue, south side

37. 167 Sussex Fern-leaf Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius), CA’s Channel Islands, except Catalina; CA native (a particularly fine specimen)

**For another side excursion, head uphill on Conrad Street a short distance to Poppy Lane and turn right into this unpaved alley; about fifty yards down on the left is a giant specimen of California buckeye (Aesculus californica). This stunning tree might well be older than the homes that surround it.

38. 201 Sussex Hybrid tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Dark Shadows’), Australia

39. 201 Sussex Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species (one of SF’s finest speciments; first introduced in San Francisco - the interesting San Francisco story can be found here)

40. 205 Sussex New Zealand cabbage tree (Cordyline hybrid), New Zealand

41. 261 Sussex Kwanzan flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), East Asia

42. 291 Sussex Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonii), Australia & South Pacific Islands

**Another side excursion to 333 Sussex (southwest side) will bring you to a Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis), from Guadalupe Island, Baja California

Swiss Avenue, Sussex to Surrey, west side

43. 116 Swiss Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Mediterranean Basin & Ireland

44. 120 Swiss Princess tree (Tibouchina urvilleana), Southern Brazil (usually a shrub, sometimes becoming a tree; notable for its intense purple flowers; loves San Francisco!)

45. 140 Swiss Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius’), Eurasia (a selection of purple-leaf plum from a Bakersfield nursery)

46. 146 Swiss New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand (widely planted in SF, where it loves the climate)

Surrey Street, Swiss to Chenery, north side

Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) — Canary Island pine (*Pinus* *canariensis*)

47. 360 Surrey Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis), East Australia (peer through the cracks in the fence to see this rare tree at the very corner of the garden; google it to read the intriguing story of the tree’s discovery in the mid-1990s)

**The home at 370 Surrey belongs to Zoeanne Nordstrom, one of the three “Gum Tree Girls” who fought hard to prevent a freeway from being built through nearby Glen Canyon Park.

48. 398 Surrey Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis), Canary Islands

Chenery Street, Surrey to Burnside, south side

49. 959 Chenery Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle), Peru, Chile

Chenery Street, Burnside to Chilton, south side

Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) — Red-flowering gum (*Corymbia ficifolia*)

50. 925 Chenery Coffee tree (Coffea arabica), Eastern Africa & Yemen (tree is in the entry court of St John’s Catholic School; coffee trees are seldom seen outdoors in SF)

51. 907 Chenery Flowering gum (Corymbia hybrid), Southwest Australia

52. 864 Chenery Olive (Olea europaea), Mediterranean Basin (across the street)

53. 828 Chenery Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), Southwest Australia (a softly colored specimen across the street)

Chenery Street, Chilton to Diamond, south side

54. 775 Chenery Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), East Australia (white flowers, very fragrant)

55. 757-763 Chenery New Zealand Christmas tree, pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa), New Zealand (widely planted in SF, where it loves the climate)

56. 751 Chenery Cabbage tree or tī kōuka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand

End of tour at Chenery and Diamond, a half-block from the start at Bird & Beckett Books.

Tree fans may wish to visit the Glen Park Greenway, which parallels Bosworth Street on its north side, to see the new plantings of coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) and other, mostly native, trees and shrubs. The Greenway runs from Diamond to Elk Street, where it meets the bottom end of Glen Canyon Park. The Greenway is a volunteer-run project.

Our regular commercial: This walking tour was organized by Mike Sullivan, author of The Trees of San Francisco and webmaster of www.sftrees.com; Jason Dewees, horticulturist at Flora Grubb Gardens and author of Designing with Palms; and Richard Turner, retired editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine . You can follow Mike and Jason on their tree-themed Instagram pages at @sftreeguy and @loulufan. Richard edited another great book on San Francisco trees: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!