Spotted this evergreen today. Some not all, have pointed leaf margins. Gray/green leaves and light colored undersides. Reddish veins. It reminded me somewhat of my young Quercus virginiana but wrong leaf color. This stands about 24" tall. Thanks in advance. Cheers.
Wild guess, but I'm growing a grevillea and some lemon bottle brush out on the Gulf Islands and the colour/texture reminds a lot of both of those (though neither the ones I grow have serrations).
Thanks @november24 . I don't know enough about Grevillea to comment on the serrations. I haven't seen any species with them. As a side note, I spotted a nice Grevillea victoriae a few weeks ago. I took several cuttings in the hopes they'll strike. The camera doesn't capture the gray color too well. Cheers.
Perhaps a Silverleaf Oak Quercus hypoleucoides. Leaves alternate with rolled margins some having teeth, felty white underneath. Reddish brown branches. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin
Very interesting. Certainly looks the part but the underside veining on my siting is reddish. Perhaps a result of growing conditions. I suspected Quercus in the early going. Cheers, and thanks.
Definitely silver-leaf oak, I've known this tree for years and have a couple of them here at present. One at the Seattle arboretum was 48' tall in 2005.
I wonder if whoever owns the property where you spotted this oak realizes how rare it is in cultivation? Perhaps they planted it as an acorn. "Writing in 2006, le Hardÿ de Beaulieu and Lamant noted that in spite of its attractions, it was almost impossible to find this oak in cultivation, ... " Species Spotlight: Quercus hypoleucoides A. Camus
3 years earlier (2003) Colvos Creek nursery near Seattle and Cistus nursery (mentioned in article linked to above) in Portland were offering it. Since then local independent garden centers have had it in later years. This means that it was made available to them wholesale. In addition to the aforementioned 48' specimen at the Seattle arboretum there were two examples 47' tall and 43' tall respectively at the Carl English Garden as well as street tree plantings in at least three other Seattle locations the same year (2005). (See p. 296 of Trees of Seattle - Second Edition (2006) by Arthur Lee Jacobson).
That's good to know. The fact that I'd never heard of Quercus hypoleucoides doesn't mean anything so although I've never come across one before, it's possible they are available in garden centres here on Vancouver Island and maybe they are more widely planted than I realize. The fact that they are beautiful and quite drought-tolerant should increase their popularity regardless.
Hi Margot, This is on public land (Puntledge Park) in Courtenay. I have noticed a number of non traditional plantings in public parks in both Courtenay and Comox. Since I'm new to the area, I have explored and will do more in the future. Makes me wonder who in the parks board is that forward thinking? I have not seen any "non traditional" plants/trees available in local regular garden centers. Most are horribly bog standard offerings. There are a few family run nurseries in outlying areas that sell some exotics. Cheers.
Colvos Creek Nursery on Vashon Island is no longer in operation correct? They had some very nice, interesting offerings. Cheers.
I think I may have the answer to that question. Two very experienced and knowledgeable horticulturists working for the adjacent cities of Courtenay and Comox - Dany Fortin and Shane Tillapaugh have become valuable assets to the gardening community here on Vancouver Island, especially to the Alpine & Rock Gardeners of Central Vancouver Island (AGCVI). Shane Tillapaugh and Dany Fortin Dany Dany has worked in the horticulture field for 16 years, including landscaping and tree care. He is an ISA Certified Arborist and Tree Risk Assessor. During his year at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew working on large projects, he was responsible for maintaining the Caprifoliaceae and Oleaceae collections. Locally, he helped create the No. 6 Mine Park in Cumberland, has spent three seasons working on the Filberg Park in Comox and is the creator of the beautiful rock gardens located at the Comox Rec Centre and the Comox Marina. He is currently working for the Town of Comox in the Parks Department. Dany is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture, the American Rhododendron Society, the Alpine Garden Society in England and the Royal Horticultural Society. He has a severe form of PCS and for this reason is an avid rock gardener. Shane Shane is a gardener and a naturalist who loves birdies, bees, plants and trees. He began his career in gardening in 2004 after graduating with a Biology degree from UVIC. Afterwards, through Gaia College he completed a certificate in Ecological Landscape Design and later earned the designation of Certified Organic Land Care Professional. Shane is an ISA Certified Arborist and qualified Tree Risk Assessor. Shane’s experience includes native plant gardens, nature inspired water features, organic lawn and garden care, and drought tolerant landscapes. Shane also teaches the Soil Science and Plant Health modules of the Horticulture Apprenticeship program at North Island College. He is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture, the Canadian Urban Forest Network, the Society for Organic Urban Land Care, the American Rhododendron Society and the American Rock Garden Society. Shane is currently a horticulturalist in the City of Courtenay Parks Department. Shane has a mild case of PCS and for this reason has become a rock gardener. July 12 ~ Crevice Style Rock Gardens
Thanks for the info Margot. That certainly explains what I'm seeing. The Comox marina is especially noticeable and one Eucalyptus there has not been identified by me, and at least one gardening friend of mine. I'm leaning in the direction of a ssp of Eucalyptus pauciflora. It's leaves are rather small, but from my experience, they can vary in size even within the same sub species. Cheers.
Michael Lee (founder and operator of the now-closed Colvos nursery) says the gum looks like the form of E. pauciflora that Stan Gessel of the University of Washington collected some years back. And that Colvos "sold dozens of these in the 90's".
Thanks for that info. I'm not the least bit surprised to learn that is quite likely in the pauciflora species. Perhaps sometime I'll find out if it did come from that source. Cheers.
For me it looks rather sad. For sure opuntias, yuccas, gum trees, and such, as shown on the pics, are not native in Comox. They could be, may be, fine in a botanical garden. Are not there native plants worth to be brought to people's attention?
Here is a list of native plants that Streamside Native Plants (Bowser, BC) has in their inventory for dry sun. There are probably others but I don't know of any that would substitute for the planting at the Comox Marina. For one thing, most suitable natives are deciduous and/or messy. Cacti, palms, yuccas, gum trees and such are not my favourite plants but they obviously fit the criteria for this location - sun-loving, minimal water needs, low maintenance, some salt-tolerance - and no need for signs saying, "Keep off the garden"! Trees: Arbutus menziesii Quercus garryana Pseudotsuga menziesii* Shrubs: Alnus crispa ssp. Sinuata Holodiscus discolor* Mahonia aquifolium Sambucus caerulea Vaccinium membranaceum Ground Cover: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Fragaria chiloensis Perennials: Achillea millefolium Anaphalis margaritacea Grindelia intergrifolia Lupinus arcticus Streamside Native Plants
My question "Are not there native plants worth to be brought to people's attention?" was rhetorical but thank you for answering. (A rhetorical question is a question that is asked not to get an answer, but instead to emphasize a point.)
I find that comment rather sad. At any garden center/nursery, the vast majority of plants aren't "native". Plenty of folks do grow our local plants, but a climate like ours opens the door for a wide variety of offerings. It's akin to turning away people of different ethnic backgrounds. Gardening should never become narrow minded. Cheers.
Landscaping choices have meaningful effects on the populations of insects, birds, amphibians and other animals. Without native plants the insects and other animals that co-evolved with them can not survive. Many alien plant species have become invasive, out-competing native species and degrading habitat. The results of recent studies already tell us about alarming decline in those animals populations. Besides, outside of their range they often look ridiculous and out of place. As for your comparison, I find it rather ludicrous.
It is true that some insect species have co-evolved and rely on certain native plants for their survival. For example, Erynnis propertius (Propertius duskywing butterfly), depends on the native Garry Oak ecosystem for its continuing existence. However, science is showing that the majority of native creatures, including insects, reptiles, birds, mammals . . . can adapt quite nicely to introduced species as well. Linda Chalker-Scott has written frequently on the subject. From: https://wwv.isa-arbor.com/events/co...CHALKER-SCOTT_Native_Species_Biodiversity.pdf The rationale, revisited: A. Definitions of native and alien species are value judgments, not science-based concepts. B. Urban areas are developed for human use and rarely resemble a natural habitat. C. Native species are often less well adapted than introduced species for urban conditions. D. Mandating native trees in urban areas is not a science-based policy.
Well you'll be very disappointed should you ever visit Vancouver Island or much of the PNW coastal regions. Cheers.