Chorisa speciosa - Silk Floss Tree

Chorisa speciosa: Chorisa named for Ludwig Choris, a botanical artist 1795-1828; speciosa, meaning 'showy'.

The common Spanish name for this tree translates as 'drunken tree' for the trunk's resemblance to a wine barrel.

Moderately fast growing mid-sized tree, common in the Southern California landscape.
Palmately compound leaves with 3-5" leaflets.
Deep pink to burgundy large (up to 8" x 5") flowers in fall. Flowers resembled a narrow-petaled Hibiscus.
Fruit is a woody pear-shaped capsule 6-12" in spring
Tapered greenish trunk with thorns is enlarged and heavy at the base.

Syagrus romanzoffianum - Queen Palm

Syagrus romanzoffianum: Syagrus is the name used by Pliny the Elder for a variety of date palm; romanzoffianum, named for the politician Nikolai Petrovich Romanoff (1754-1826), who financed the second Russian expedition in the Americas.

Feather palm with fronds easily damaged by wind.
Soft, flexible, paired leaflets radiate around the frond. Petioles are unarmed.
Fruits are inedible single-seeded drupes about 1.5" long ripening late in summer.
Very smooth grey bark with rings originating from old leaf base attachments.

Jacaranda mimosifolia - Jacaranda

Schinus molle - California Pepper Tree

Schinus terebinthifolius - Brazilian Pepper Tree