Re: Akebonos - West End, Alberni near Burrard in Grosvenor Plaza The Akebobos in Grosvenor Plaza are 70% in bloom on March 23, 2008
Re: West End, Stanley Park - Ranchos on Davie Here are some more photos of what I'm still calling the Ranchos on Davie St.
Re: West End, Stanley Park - Prunus Pendula, one of everything First, I'm happy to report that there is no truth to the rumour that Seagulls sitting on branches have produced weeping Akebonos - another urban myth bites the dust! This apartment building at the corner of Thurlow and Barclay has a wrap-around planting of several Prunus pendula. They may have planted even more kinds, but two of them have no more of what was on top and are only aviums now. This first one next to those two is going to be in the same boat soon. It has brownish pinky white single blossoms that have a diameter of about the size of a penny, hairy pink pedicels, shapely calyxes, narrow sepals, and a V pleat along the length of the petals. The tree on the corner looks quite similar to the first, but it has a lot of green leaves out with the blossoms and the calyxes don't look as red. The second photo shows the pinky colour of the buds and new blossoms. Next, along Thurlow, is what I think we're calling Yae Beni Shidare, with small double pink blossoms. You can see the hairy pedicels in the first photo. The next tree along has single pink blossoms, but it does not look the same to me as what we're calling Beni Shidare at Alexandra Park (above in this thread). These blossoms look more like the white ones above, and they open more fully than the Alexandra Park ones, that never seem to open. And they're lighter in colour. The last tree looks similar to the white one that I said was on the corner, but the calyxes don't seem as red and the shape looks different. Ok, it doesn't look the same. Well, that is exactly the scouts' problem, that Laura articulated in one of her posts: things that look totally different to her seem to be the same tree, and things that look the same are not. We have trouble identifying the critical differences. I'm not guessing at names for these, except for the one. If there seems to be any agreement on the names, I'll label them, else not.
Re: West End, Stanley Park - Somei Yoshino, Akebono, and still Accolade Here's a Somei-yoshino on Pendrell St (two blocks from the beginning of Stanley Park), in full bloom, while the ones in Stanley Park where Bill Stephen is doing his Walk and Talk on Sunday (two days from now) have only a few open blossoms. This photo shows a sad Somei-yoshino that's next to the one above, with a young Akebono in the background, and the Akebono blossoms showing a couple of staminodes. It really was snowing on these Accolades, but doesn't look it in the photo. Have I posted enough Shirotae buds now? This one's at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. I'm hoping these and the ones at the Japanese Memorial are in bloom for my walk on April 5, but I suppose I'm dreaming. Last year, all my Shirotae blossom photos are from March 26-April 7.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Jacobson, North American Landscape Trees (Ten Speed Press) says P. sargentii 'Rancho' is Either an outright renaming of 'Columnaris' or so similar as to be practically identical. More than one strongly upright P. Sargentii clone exists. Documentation about them is too vague to enable distinguishing them nominally. Some nurseries that list "P. Sargentii" are not actually selling random seedlings, but grafted narrow-crowned clones better for street-side planting.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Here's a ratty-looking thing I think is Spire, on Comox at Cardero. We don't have an entry for Spire in the Ornamental Cherries Identification forum, so I'm posting this here to mention that the bud scales were sticky. I'm posting this to record the snow on my building's Akebono on March 29. It was what passes for a snowstorm around here.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Looks like 'Spire', bigger than any I've seen here (Jacobson lists one for a Seattle street over 24' tall).
Re: West End, Stanley Park While the lower rose garden Akebono grove is still holding tight, the planter trees at the northeast corner of Denman and Georgia have just begun to peak. There are a pair of Prunus sargenti 'Rancho' coming into their own at Malkin Bowl.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Here are the planter trees Bill is talking about. Bill mentioned in an email that this grove up on Georgia is on 'public realm', the public is legally invited to hang out beneath these trees. These are the Malkin bowl Ranchos, not fully out yet on April 5, 2008.
Re: West End, Stanley Park A few more trees around the West End/Downtown area: This Shirotae is techinically in the West End area, though it's downtown at on a plaza at Bute and Alberni. The tree photo is from April 5; it didn't have nearly as many blooms on April 2 when the blossom photos were taken. There's another Shirotae on the outside edge of this plaza that isn't nearly as far along. Note the over-sized serrated sepals and the hairs on the leaf edges.[Edited by wcutler 2010Mar4: this Shirotae has been replaced by a building now] The Yae-beni-shidare is on Bute at Barclay. It's not totally in bloom yet. The row of young Akebonos is at Coal Harbour east of Cardero. We didn't understand what was going on with the trunk here - it's as if a section of another tree was inserted. Here's another photo of the Georgia at Bute Akebonos. There are about 8 more of them at the next corner, part of the same apartment complex.
Re: West End, Stanley Park A nice stretch of Shirotae on Georgia between Jervis and Broughton had just a few flowers closest to the building on April 1. They're about 50% open in these photos April 7. The Uminekos also were hardly out on April 1; they're now looking nice, with some red coming up in the blossoms. The first blossom photo was taken April 1; the others on the 7th. These blossoms look exactly like Somei-yoshino to me. If it weren't for the tree shape and Ron and Douglas saying they're Umineko last year, I never would have figured it out. I thought the red centres were characteristic, but when the blossoms are young, they don't have that (2nd photo) and Somei-yoshino have red centres when they age too. The Umineko blossoms are a lot sparcer on the branch and don't whorl (is that a verb?) around the branches the way Somei-yoshino do. Takasagos are coming quickly. All these trees went from one blossom to at least half open in one week, even though it's been just as cold as the previous weeks when the Accolades and Akebonos were refusing to open from coloured buds. [edited by wcutler 20090724: I'm totally cheating here, but I need this photo posted of the Takasagos on Beach Ave between Cardero and Bidwell. This photo was taken April 1, 2007. There were four trees at the time; now there are three and the middle one is very sick.
Re: West End, Stanley Park At Wendy's suggestion, I ventured down Comox Street today. Even I could tell there's a great range of species there. I'll add some pictures...believe that the "ratty looking thing" is a Spire. In the sunshine and with the guide, this would be a great walk--I had neither today! The umbrella shaped tree has been pruned into that shape according to a resident.
* Finished - Mikuruma-gaeshi - West End, Pendrell from Thurlow to Stanley Park On Pendrell St in the West End, there are thirteen Mikuruma-gaeshi between Thurlow and Bute, and sixteen more in the four blocks from Bidwell to Stanley Park. A few of them are not too bad looking, but it's hard to see why "the royal carriage returned", which is what the name is supposed to mean. I understand it might be to see if the flowers were single or double. They're single, but a few of them do have staminodes, extra petal-looking things derived from the stamens, so they might appear semi-double. One block over on Comox is a similar stretch of Takasagos, which have a similar shape and colour, but those have double blossoms.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Here are more photos of the pruned umbrella-shaped thing. Takasagos are in full bloom now, about a week ahead of the Mikuruma-gaeshi. They run for 8 blocks along Comox, from Thurlow to Stanley Park, about 2 or 3 per block. The Aviums are coming into bloom now, some of them fully open and others just starting. The little Kiku-shidare-zakura in our yard is in full bloom now. This is its second year.
Re: * POSTED - Mikuruma-gaeshi - West End, Pendrell from Thurlow to Stanley Park Got it! The Royal Carriage Returned to see these double blossoms that occur only rarely on these trees, but I found a branch (1st and 3rd photos, branch on the right). Normally, there are some flowers with an extra petal (staminode, 2nd photo), but on this branch, all the blossoms had as many as 8 staminodes, so looked very double.
Re: West End, Stanley Park I'm posting a suggested walk for Joseph and anyone else who'd like to see what's happening in the West End and Stanley Park. The walk starts at the West End Community Centre at Denman and Haro. 1 - Walk down Haro to the end. The Pink Perfections (Kanzans?) are just starting to bloom, so might have some flowers by the weekend. At the end of the street are three Mikuruma-gaeshi in bloom. HIding in back of a hedge, on the SW corner of Chilco and Haro, is a Snowdrop, so called until Douglas tells us why not. [edited by wcutler: It doesn't seem to be Snowdrop, so we're back to calling it "Umbrella"] 2. Walk straight into the park to Lost Lagoon to see two huge beautiful Shirotae. I thought Shirotae would make nice yard trees, as all the ones I've seen around town are a lot smaller than older Akebonos and look so nice, but these make me think that's not good advice. There's a Somei-yoshino nearby and the three Autumnalis rosea (not pictured) look about the same as always (not interesting, unless it's December). 3. Turn right to take the underpass, then left to the Rose Garden to see the Akebonos in full bloom and looking fabulous. They should also be quite spectacular when the petals start to fall. 4. Take the path to the right along the far side of the upper garden to pass some Takasagos in bloom. How did this Rhody get in here? 5. After passing Malkin Bowl, hang a left around the building/restaurant then turn right at the bus loop and take the wooden bridge to reach the Shirotae at the Japanese Memorial. At the other side of the memorial is a tree leaning heavily to the right, just starting to bloom. I think it might be a double Mikuruma-gaeshi, as the blossoms are pinkish and very large, and just a few of them are single with large darker pink stars. [edited by wcutler: no, I think it's more likely a Tai Haku - it's getting more white as the blossoms open more. Or maybe it's something we don't know.] [edited again by wcutler 20081030: now we're calling it Ojochin] I don't have any suggestions for getting you out of the park. We used to watch the whale show, but last time I looked, the gate was locked.
* POSTED - Shirotae (now Shirofugen) - Stanley Park at the Japanese Memorial This awesome double row of Shirotae lines the path leading from the bus loop to the Japanese Memorial in Stanley Park (near the Aquarium). In bloom April 14, 2008, these are a 2008 VCBF Festival Favourite.
Re: West End, Stanley Park A few more trees not mentioned in the walk: Robson between Denman and Gilford. Are these Uminekos? Barclay, from Denman to Cardero, another stretch of Mikuruma-gaeshi, 2 in the first block from Denman, then 4 on the south side and 1, the only one, on the north side. The Ichiyos are coming into bloom, all private trees. There are two back lane locations, this one between Barclay and Nelson, east of Cardero.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Mikuruma-gaeshi at Pendrell Street are really fascinating. Here are some photos for your appreciation. [Edited 2012apr4 by wcutler]: the Parks Board removed three 'Mikuruma-gaesh' from this block last month. There might be one remaining. There are still some others of this cultivar between Thurlow and Stanley Park. They also removed three of them on Barclay west of Cardero.
Re: West End, Stanley Park This is really a reply to Wendy about the umbrella thing, at one time snowdrop. On Comox Street, nearby, there is another, unpruned, tree which I believe has the same flowers and leaves. I wonder if it could possibly be Washi-no-o because of the raggedy petals on the flowers. The descriptors in the book do say that the leaves emerge "with or following the flowers". Perhaps because a fool has pruned (I'm quoting)it so heavily the leaves have decided to come out at the same time. (Actually I can't believe I'm being so bold as to do this--I guess it would be wise to check out 47th and Balsam.) I'm also pasting the picture of the Spire's graft. That poor tree seems like the ugly duckling on Comox and it has so few but dear little flowers clinging to the trunk.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Washi-no-o or Tai Haku??? There are a pair of these trees in the 1900 block of Nelson.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Sue, the blossoms on those two trees really are Tai Haku size and shape, and most of them have fairly smooth edges. I just never knew Tai Haku to be that shape, but then, I've never seen a young one.
Re: West End, Stanley Park Just the other day, I posted something in the Scouts Comments thread about how these trees just seem to pop up. I was walking by those supposed Tai Hakus on Nelson again today and there right next to them is a young Shogetsu with just a few blossoms open. I didn't notice it at all the other day.
Re: West End, Stanley Park - another walk Joseph and others, here's another walk, starting from the West End Community Centre. 1. Go south to Barclay, turn east for two blocks to pass the Mikuruma-gaeshi trees past their peak but still looking ok and you can see what the late blooms look like. Notice Kanzan in bloom to the right as you cross Bidwell. 2. At Cardero (next block), turn right (south) and look at the two Takasagos just around the corner. At the first lane, turn left to see the two Ichiyo trees in the back yard of an apartment building. 3. Return to Cardero and continue to Comox to see a Shirofugen about 30% in bloom. Around the corner is another one with no blossoms yet. The tree with all the blossoms is a Takasago. If you want to walk another two blocks across Davie, there are two nice Ichiyo trees just off the street (all Ichiyo trees seem to be nice). 4. Take any route east over to Broughton and proceed north to Alberni. On the southeast corner are 13 Amanogowa. [Edited by wcutler 2012mar21]: these are all gone. 5. Continue north on Broughton one block to Georgia, turn right and head down the path at the Lions apartment buildings through the Shirotae running the whole block along Georgia St. 6. Head toward Stanley Park, which has the best Kanzan display, by proceeding back south to Haro, then turning right. If you didn't see the Shirofugen on Comox, there's one in the lane south of Alberni, between Broughton and Jervis. As you head west on Haro, there's a small pruned Kiku Shidare Zakura on the north side of Haro just before Chilco. Across Chilco are three Mikuruma-gaeshi and a white pendulous thing on the southwest corner hidden behind a hedge. 7. Turn north on Chilco to Alberni if you want to see three skinny Amanogawas. They're easier than the Broughton ones to photograph up close without tramping through the surrounding plantings. 8. There's a nice little allotment garden on Lagoon Drive at the foot of Robson. The Shirotae at the lagoon are still in bloom, people are still photographing the Akebonos at the Rose Garden, though they're well past their best, the Takasagos at the west end of the upper Rose Garden have their late blossom colours, and the Shirotae and the Ojochin (or is it Ariake - Ojochin is winning at the moment) at the Japanese Memorial are still looking very nice. As usual, I'm ditching you in the park. If you go to the heronry and are near the entrance to the golf course, just north of that on Lagoon Drive is an Atsumori with blossoms that look like tiny Takasago flowers.
