New Trees for Arbor Day

The median between Knight and Main Drives on Pt. San Pedro Road was adopted in 1995 by Glenwood Homeowners’ Association. We work with City of San Rafael to upgrade the plant material and annual maintenance.

The median is one of the few large medians where trees can help mitigate at “point of pollution”. Large loader trucks moving to and from Dutra Quarry drop and scatter sicla dust. Scientists advise that this kind of dust along with regular road duff permanently and deeply settles in the lungs. All together, this roadway is a major source of pollutants adding to everyone’s chemical “body load”. This tree is intended to grow tall enough so that with pruning it will provide a window below its lowest limb in order to maintain the view to the bay for the neighbors whose back yards are to the median. This is one of the few medians along Pt. San Pedro Road that is wide enough to support tree roots without being limited by overhead wires.

Small 15-gallon trees have been planted with the expectation that the smaller root ball will adapt better to the shallow root zone. The previous road bed under the median was not removed. It is between 15 and 20 inches below the existing dirt. In the past 28 years the intersection of Knight at Pt. San Pedro has flooding seven times during the high tides of winter. Irrigation on the median helps flush out the salt build-up from the soil.

Koelreuteria paniculata, Goldenrain Tree, 20-35 feet tall. 25-40 feet wide, open branching, giving slight shade, deciduous, native to Asia, selected for its tolerance to conditions on the median; winter flooding, summer drought, and wind. It is among the more showy trees that grow well in Marin. New leaves are purplish, maturing to bright green in summer; may turn yellow to gold in fall, but fall foliage color is unreliable. Very showy, 8-14 inch long flower clusters in early to midsummer. Fruit capsules are red when young, maturing to buff and brown shades; last well into autumn. Capsules are used in both fresh and dried arrangements.

There are good examples of the Goldenrain Tree in the small park at the southeast corner of 5th Avenue and A Street, across from the mission. Good leaf begins late March to early April.

External Links:

• California Arbor Days
• Wikipedia Arbor Day
• Arbor-Day.net