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     We live in a cool Mediterranean climate which is kind to many sub-tropicals. I understand the city's reluctance to plant flowering trees on their property thereby creating a potential mess of petals, or possibly a messy fruit that has to be cleaned up. But the rest of us might like to have more colorful trees that will take advantage the beautiful climate in which we live.

     Some time ago I had to replace the tree in my front yard. I wanted a flowering tree but had a lot of trouble trying to find out what grows around here, what the requirements are and what the drawbacks might be.
     After a month of trying to decide, I finally picked one and planted it. I know I could have done better with more information.

     This page is an attempt to give other people an idea of what flowering trees grow in this area, what they look like and where you might see one before you choose one to plant.
     I may tell you where to look but don't enter anyone's property. You are of course at liberty to drive by, to park and to photograph the tree, but do not enter their property without their permission.

     I will have a picture of the entire tree, the flower and the leaf. If there is a grid behind the leaf, it is in one inch squares. It is my understanding that a leaf is the fragment that falls in the fall. Some leaves are multipinnate, like the Albizia julibrissin . I hope I guess correctly.

     I have just started this page and it will probably take more than a year to get a good representation of the Flowering Trees of San Luis Obispo.

     If you see a tree that belongs here and isn't, please call me and tell me where it is (544-1731). If you don't know what it is, I'll find out!!

January
Acacia baileyana
Pyrus kawakamii 'Evergreen Pear'

February
Acacia dealbata 'The Silver Wattle'
Acacia retinodes from Bob Perry's book
Erythrina crista-gallii
Prunus sp.
Prunus sp.

March
Acacia baileyana
Bauhinia blakeana
Stenocarpus sinuatus
Chionanthus retusa

April
Erythrina caffra
Robinia idahoensis
Tabebuia chrysotricha
Tabebuia chrysotricha
Liriodendron tulipifera 2005.0423
Brachychiton bidwillii 2005.0423

May
Bauhinia blakeana
Brachychiton acerifolius

May
Catalpa speciosa at Atascadero Zoo
Crataegus diffusa, a hawthorn
Erythrina caffra

May
Jacaranda mimosifolia
Pyrus calleyrama 'Bradford Pear'
Robinia idahoensis

June
Brachychiton bidwillii
Erythrina crista-gallii
Metrosideros excelsus

July
Erythrina crista-gallii
Jacaranda mimosifolia
Tipuana tipu 2005.0708

August
Corymbia (Eucalyptus) ficifolia (I)
Corymbia (Eucalyptus) ficifolia (II)
Albizia julibrissin

September
Albizia julibrissin
Chorisia speciosa
Erythrina crista-gallii

October
Albizia julibrissin
Arbutus unedo

October
Chorisia speciosa
Koelreuteria paniculata

November
Metrosideros excelsus Acacia retinoides

December
none yet

Other
Trees with unknown bloom.

Please let me know if something is incorrect or is in trouble for any cause