The fog rolled in on July 4th weekend, as it so often does in San Francisco, diminishing the drama of Friday evening’s fireworks display and dimming hopes for a sunny day at the beach for Monday. But the tree geeks braved the chill, dampness, and cold winds to chalk out our 40th tree walk. We returned to Noe Valley, site of our first walk in 2020, focusing this time on the southeast corner of that neighborhood—an easily navigated flat stretch of the valley, along and either side of Sanchez Slow Street (our prior walk can be found here at sftrees.com as the Noe Valley South tour; this one ventured even further south so we’ve dubbed it “uber-South”). We met at Noë Cafe, which opened during the pandemic and has become a popular neighborhood hangout at the corner of Sanchez and 26th streets. One of the cafe’s owners is the brother of Matt Ritter, a tree geek of the highest order and author of A Californian’s Guide to the Trees Among Us and California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora—both of which are on sale in the cafe and should be in every plant-lover’s library.

We were joined on this walk by Sairus Patel, one of Palo Alto’s preeminent tree geeks. Sairus has been updating the database of the trees of Stanford campus and will soon be publishing a revised edition of Ronald Bracewell’s Trees of Stanford and Environs, originally published in 2005. A lot has happened, tree-wise, since then. Sairus was a delight to have along and helped with the identification of a couple trees on our walk.

Today’s walk begins at the northeast corner of Sanchez and 26th streets; take time for coffee or a tasty treat at Noë Cafe. The route heads east to Church Street, south on Church to 27th Street, west on 27th to Sanchez, south on Sanchez to Duncan Street, east on Duncan back to Church, and then continues south on Church to 28th Street, west on 28th to Sanchez, south on Sanchez to 29th, west on 29th to Noe Street, South on Noe to Day Street, east on Day to Sanchez, and finally north on Sanchez to its start at 26th. Be forewarned that, on this last leg along Sanchez, the route crosses and mingles with earlier segments of today’s route. This walk is a little over 1 ½ miles in length.

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 55. White arrows on the pavement provide directions whenever a turn is needed.

The street addresses provided below will help when the chalk has faded. Most of the trees on this walk are planted in pockets in the sidewalk pavement; a few are planted within the front gardens of the homes along the route; and one is on the grounds of the old Kate Kennedy school building.

26th Street, Sanchez to Church, north side

1. 3982 - 26th Kermadec Islands pōhutukawa (Metrosideros kermadecensis), Kermadec Islands, New Zealand

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) - not at 3958 26th; we saw this one a little further on…

2. 3958 - 26th Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (these heat loving trees were seldom seen in Noe Valley until about 20 years ago; now there are quite a few, and they seem happy—all thanks to climate change)

3. 3948 - 26th Blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’), Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria (a beautifully shaped specimen)

4. 3922 - 26th Cajeput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Eastern Australia (feel the spongy bark)

Church Street, 26th to 27th, west side

5. 1420 Church American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Eastern USA to Mexico and Central America (these trees are notorious for their surface roots; note how this tree’s roots have formed a square reflecting the size and shape of an earlier sidewalk pocket)

6. 1454 Church Red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), East and Southeast Australia (note the spectacular bark; there are other specimens in the neighborhood)

7. 1480 Church Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), Eastern Australia (this is a giant specimen of this species; others in the neighborhood have been heavily pruned to control their size)

27th Street, Church to Sanchez, north side

8. 325 - 27th Hybrid red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia x calophylla), Soutwest Australia (the tree is across the street; note the open clusters of pale pink flowers)

9. 318 - 27th Hercules tree aloe (Aloidendron ‘Hercules’), hybrid of two South African species (this is a relatively slow grower, but will reach tree-like proportions in a few years)

Flame tree (*Koelreuteria* species) - we’re still figuring this one out - it’s either K. elegans or K. bipinnata; we’ll come back when it’s flowering to figure it out. Whichever one it is, it’s a City Champion - the best specimen in San Francisco!

10. 350 - 27th flame tree (Koelreuteria species), East Asia (this is clearly a city champion of a species we could not identify for certain; it’s the only one in the city, as far as we know)

11. 1399 Sanchez Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), Southeast Australia (this tree is on 27th; it has been beautifully pruned and shaped)

12. 1399 Sanchez Marina strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’), hybrid of Mediterranean species (this tree is on 27th). The tree was first introduced in San Francisco in the Pan-American Exposition of 1915; after the expo a plant nursery in the Marina acquired some specimens that eventually found their way to the nursery trade – hence the “Marina” name.

Sanchez Street, 27th to Duncan, east side

13. 1415 Sanchez European weeping birch (Betula pendula), Eurasia and North Africa (a pair of trees with distinctive white bark; not usually well-adapted to San Francisco)

14. 1435 Sanchez Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), Eastern Australia (this tree grows in stream-side locations in the wild, hence the common name; San Francisco’s most commonly planted street tree)

Duncan Street, Sanchez to Church, north side

15. 342 Duncan Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus), Eastern Australia (there are numerous specimens in the neighborhood, many of them, like this one, decades old)

16. 340 Duncan Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Korea and Japan (a particularly pronounced red-leafed selection)

17. 338 Duncan Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Southern Brazil

18. 330 Duncan Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), China (last of an ancient lineage of gymnosperms)

19. 324 Duncan Mayten (Maytenus boaria), Chile (there are four trees nearby)

20. 316 Duncan Holly olive or false holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus), Japan and Taiwan (the leaves of this species are typically spiny, like holly; this selection is more or less spineless)

21. 314 Duncan Giant bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), South Africa (note the huge flowers)

a little volunteer California poppy (*Eschscholzia californica*) that we saw on a sidewalk along the way

Church Street, Duncan to 28th, west side

22. 1562 Church River wattle (Acacia cognata), Southeast Australia

28th Street, Church to Sanchez, north side

23. 208 - 28th Elegant water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Elegant’), Eastern Australia (4 trees on 28th and more on Church)

24. 251 - 28th Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Ireland to Portugal and the Mediterranean (this tree is across the street; a beautifully shaped specimen, one of the largest in San Francisco)

25. 265 - 28th Prickly melaleuca (Melaleuca styphelioides), Eastern Australia (this tree is across the street). This specimen is uncharacteristic of the species’ normally weeping form.

26. 270 - 28th Peppermint willow (Agonis flexuosa), Southwest Australia

27. 282 - 28th Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle), Peru to Chile

28. 1499 Sanchez Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii), Japan and South Korea (this tree is on 28th Street)

Sanchez Street, just north of 28th, east side

29. 1489 Sanchez Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), west and central China (not commonly planted in San Francisco since it needs greater summer heat to develop its spectacular fall foliage colors)

30. 1485 Sanchez Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), East Asia

**Return to 28th and cross to the west side of Sanchez**

Sanchez Street, 28th to 29th, west side

31. 1500 Sanchez Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia), southwest Australia (tree is on 28th; San Francisco’s best flowering tree)

32. 1500 Sanchez Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), China and Vietnam (this species seldom does well in San Francisco, but these are doing beautifully)

33. 1510 Sanchez Cabbage tree or tī kōuka in Māori (Cordyline australis), New Zealand (4 trees planted in the front garden)

Coast live oak (*Quercus agrifolia*) - the largest one on San Francisco’s streets!

34. 1514 Sanchez Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), San Francisco and California native; Baja to Mendocino, always within 30 miles of the coast (this specimen is a city champion: the largest on the City’s streets —a truly magnificent tree)

35. 1521 Sanchez Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolia), Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay (this tree is across the street; it has been shaped over the years into a broad gumdrop)

36. 1560 Sanchez Evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Taiwan (compare this species with another Callery pear next to it; note the different bark characteristics and the leaf spots on this species)

29th Street, Sanchez to Noe, north side

37. 422 - 29th Victorian box (Pittosporum undulatum), Eastern Australia (intensely fragrant white flowers cycle through the year)

38. 427 - 29th Sweetshade tree (Hymenosporum flavum), Eastern Australia (this tree is across the street; the fragrant yellow flowers appear in late spring through much of the summer; this tree often grows tall and narrow at first, eventually widening its canopy)

39. [not used]

40. 454 - 29th Hybrid pōhutukawa in Māori (Metrosideros excelsa x kermadecensis), New Zealand mainland and Kermadec Islands (the rounded leaves, relatively few aerial roots, and winter flowers suggest that this tree is a hybrid)

41. 477 - 29th Forest Pansy eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’), Eastern USA and NE Mexico (this tree is across the street; come back in spring for its bright magenta flowers)

Noe Street, just north of 29th, west side

42. 1590 Noe Natchez crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez’), hybrid of East Asian species (developed by the National Arboretum in DC; notable for its beautifully mottled bark, outstanding fall color, and its mildew resistant foliage, making it a good choice for San Francisco; its flowers are white)

Noe Street, 29th to Day, west side

43. 1603 Noe Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Norfolk Island, Australia (tree is towering above the rear of the buildings across the street)

Snow-in-summer tree or flax-leaf paperbark (*Melaleuca linariifolia*) - you can see a bit of the “snow” on this tree as it’s blooming now :)

43b. 1620 Noe Snow-in-summer tree or flax-leaf paperbark (Melaleuca linariifolia), Eastern Australia (feel the spongy bark; white flowers cover the tree in summer)

44. 1620 Noe Champak (Magnolia champaca) South and Southeast Asia (pale orange flowers are intensely fragrant)

45. 400 Day Swamp paperbark (Melaleuca ericifolia), Southeast Australia (this tree is on Noe)

46. 400 Day Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Southeast USA (this tree is within the private garden, on the corner; a particularly well shaped specimen)

At the southwest corner of Noe and Day streets sits the Mission Education Center, occupying the old Kate Kennedy Building; at the nearest corner is a small grove of Monterey pines:

47. Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), California native: Año Nuevo, Monterey, Cambria, plus Cedros and Guadalupe islands, MX (most widely planted coniferous tree in the world, mostly for lumber)

Day Street, Noe to Sanchez, north side

48. entire block of Day Purple-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), Eurasia (the trees are on the other side of the street; formerly San Francisco’s most planted street tree; it is usually in flower by early February)

49. 350 Day Helene Strybing tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium ‘Helene Strybing’) New Zealand (named for the benefactress of the San Francisco Botanical Gardens, originally known as Strybing Arboretum)

50. 336 Day Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), West Coast and Rocky Mountains to Southern Mexico (needle leaves, a California native tree!)

51. 332 Day Weeping willow (Salix sp.), Eastern North America or Asia (the many species look a lot alike)

**For a quick detour, continue east to 238 Day to see a small specimen of golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) in flower in July; compare the leaves to those of the flame tree at #10.

**Walk north on Sanchez Street, in the direction of Noe Cafe**

Sanchez Street, 29th to Valley, east side

52. 1545 Sanchez Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), Southeast Australia

53. 1539 Sanchez Gold medallion tree (Cassia leptophylla), Brazil (when more mature, this tree will produce clusters of golden yellow flowers at the top of the tree; at its base is a seedling locust, or Robinia pseudoacacia, which can be weedy in our area)

54. 1507 Sanchez Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa ‘Nitida’), Southern Asia to Australia (there are a great many of these trees in the neighborhood, particularly along Church and Dolores streets)

Sanchez Street, Valley to Duncan, east side

Note: you will pass trees #29 and 30 as you walk north on this side of Sanchez

55. 1451 Sanchez Primrose tree (Lagunaria patersonia), Australia and South Pacific Islands (this specimen shows the typical pyramidal shape of this species)

Today’s walk ends here at Sanchez and Duncan streets. Noe Cafe is three blocks further north. In the next block, between Duncan and 27th, you will pass trees #13 and 14.

This walking tour of Noe Valley’s street trees 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. One other great book on San Francisco trees, while you’re at it: Elizabeth McClintock’s Trees of Golden Gate Park, edited by Richard Turner. If you’re a tree enthusiast, buy all three books!”