Fall color around town
Our part of California isn’t exactly known for stunning fall color. Most of the trees native to the Sacramento Valley simply turn a non-descript brown. Fortunately, there are plenty of non-native trees planted all over Davis that do provide pops of color. Many of them are at their peak, as you will see below, but some are just starting:
College Park
This means that there’ll be good color for another few weeks, provided we don’t get a lot of wind that would knock the leaves off the trees.
Few trees produce more brilliant shades of orange than the Chinese pistache. Here’s a whole row of them:
Fall color and succulents? A great combination:
The weather on Saturday afternoon was perfect for taking photos.
Leaves come to life when backlit against the sun.
My favorite tree for fall color (and a favorite year round) is the ginkgo. Its yellow leaves against the blue sky are pure magic.
How about agaves, aloes and cacti with a ginkgo in the distance:
More yellows…
…oranges…
Chinese pistache berries
…and reds:
The last photo is my favorite of the day.
I’m glad I took the time to go exploring on Saturday afternoon. I ended up in some areas of town I’d never been before, and I saw some beautiful trees!
Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteGreat!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos! I love the colors on the Chinese pistache trees. I've been thinking of planting at least one in my garden. These photos are helping to convince me.
ReplyDeleteEvan, they make great trees, not just in the fall. They're slow growers, though, so buy the biggest specimen you can afford.
DeleteImported trees or not, you've got fabulous fall color. We've got nada.
ReplyDeleteIt might be too early for you.
DeleteMore color than I expected, and more than we had around here! Ours tend to drop pretty quickly after turning too.
ReplyDeleteThat last photo: hummingbird cloud! (attracted by the reds in that tree)
I still don't see a hummingbird, isn't that weird? The cloud looks like a seahorse to me.
DeleteWow! no need to go Eastcoast for fall colors. I will just have to drive to Davis. :)
ReplyDeleteYou must have good color in San Jose!
DeleteWow! So much better than here. Also amazing is the size and health of the Pistache trees--there are a few around here about 1/4th the size and with 1/4th the foliage and none of the color. There are dazzling Ginkos in So Cal, but not this year...that darn drought thingy again.
ReplyDeleteI was very surprised that we have such great color this year. Maybe it was the recent rains?
DeleteLove ginkgos so much! Beautiful photos, and the hummingbird cloud is awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe brilliant yellow of ginkgos in the fall is one of nature's greatest sights in my book.
Delete