Cycas revoluta - Sago Palm

Cycas revoluta: Cycas from Greek 'kukas', erroneous reading of 'koïkas', accusative pl. of 'koïx', a kind of palm tree, perhaps of Egyptian origin; revoluta, meaning rolled back from the margin or apex, revolute.

Evergreen. Native to the West Indies, China, and Japan. Slow growing to 20' tall x 16' wide, forming a short, cylindrical trunk with whorled stumps of removed leaf bases. Develops off-shoots at the base, forming multiple upward-curved trunks with age. Sago palms can live to be over 500 years old. Leaves are 2-3' long dark green glabrous feathery fronds that are rigid and feel like plastic. Bark is scaly, cinnamon-red to dark brown.

Fronds are composed of many stiff, narrow linear-paired pinnae with sharply pointed ends, arising from a short-sheathed stalk. Fronds persist until they are cut off.

Dioecious flowers occur on separate plants, with yellowish conelike males producing pollen...

and larger female rosettes covered wth thick down, maturing into a cylindrical dark cone...

with thick red edible seeds.

Seeds and stem starch have been widely used as a food source; a large plant may yield over 1,000 seeds. The Ryuku Islanders make a form of sake that is poisonous and an occasional batch kills all who partake.

Prefers part shade in hot interior climates, with moderate moisture in fertile, well-drained soil. Due to its tolerance of temperate climates and various forms of horticultural abuse, this is the most common ornamental cycad.

Albizia julibrissin - Silk Tree

See also this video of the leaves displaying thigmonasty (touch-induced movement).

Pinus thunbergii - Japanese Black Pine

Pinus thunbergii: Pinus is the Latin name for P. pinea; thunbergii, named for Carl Peter Thunberg, botanist and student of Linnaeus.

P. thunbergii is common to Japanese gardens where it is often heavily pruned to keep it small. In its native habitat, it can grow up to 100' tall. The trunk is often leaning. Bark is dark brown to blackish, deeply furrowed with rough, scaly ridges.
Sharp and stiff needles in fascicles of 2 are held upright.
Female are cones are relatively small (1.5-3").
Common bonsai specimen, takes pruning well.

Zelkova serrata - Sawleaf Zelkova

Zelkova serrata: Zelkova, from the Caucasian name for a related plant; serrata, having leaves with serrate margins.


Dark green leaves with serrate margins.
Oblique leaf bases typical of Ulmaceae.
Smooth grey bark can be peachy-colored if it flakes off. Compare to Ulmus parvifolia.
Good fall color yellow to orange to red.

Prunus serrulata - Flowering Cherry

Prunus serrulata: Prunus, Latin for 'plum'; serrulata, meaning 'with small saw-like teeth,' referring to the serrulate leaf margins.

Trees bloom in early spring (late March in the SF Bay Area), later than P. cerasifera.
Showy flowers in deep pink to white can have a single whorl of petals...
...or multiple whorls of petals.
Fine hairs along serrulate leaf margins.
Leafed out.
Shiny, smooth grey bark with distinctive horizontal lenticels becomes rough with age.

Acer buergerianum - Trident Maple

Acer buergerianum: Acer, Latin for maple; buergerianum, named for Heinrich Burger, a German Jewish pharmacist and naturalist who collected plants in Japan.


Leaves opposite, with 3 triangular lobes.
Yellowish flowers in early spring.
Seeds paired in winged samaras. Wings dropping to almost parallel.

Smooth grey bark becomes fissured with age.

Acer palmatum - Japanese Maple (and cvs.)

Acer palmatum: Acer refers to the maple family, palmatum for palmate (hand-shaped) leaf divisions.

Palmately divided leaves in green and red.
Serrate margins.
Also with excellent fall color.

Samaras at 80-90º angle.
Sangokaku cultivar with red stems.

Ulmus parvifolia - Chinese Elm

Cercidiphyllum japonicum - Katsura Tree