Alright, let’s talk about them trees, you know, the ones that stay green all year round down here in Southern California. Them fancy folks call ’em “evergreen,” but I just say they’re the ones that don’t go bald in the winter.
First off, there’s this Ficus Nitida tree. Some call it Indian Laurel, but that’s too much of a mouthful for me. This thing grows everywhere, and I mean everywhere! You see it in yards, by the roads, everywhere. It’s got these shiny leaves, kinda like plastic, and it grows big and strong. I’ve seen them so big, their roots mess up the sidewalks. Good shade though, real good for sittin’ under on a hot day. They say it ain’t really from around here, but it sure likes it here. Keeps its leaves all year, never seen one bare, not even in that little bit of cold we get. They grow fast too, faster than a weed sometimes.
Then there’s them Jacaranda trees. Now, these ain’t green all over all the time. In the spring, they get covered in purple flowers. Purty as a picture, they are. But the rest of the year, they got these ferny lookin’ leaves, and they stay green. Folks around San Diego, they call ‘em the purple trees, on account of them flowers, I reckon. But they’re evergreens too, far as I’m concerned. They don’t drop all their leaves, just enough to make a mess in your yard, ha!
- But there are other trees too, you know, the ones that just stay green, no fuss, no flowers, just green.
- Like them Live Oaks. Tough as nails, them trees. They grow slow, but they get big and strong. And they keep their leaves all winter. Don’t see many leaves fallin’ from them, just a few here and there. Good for climbin’, if you’re a young’un. I ain’t climbin’ no trees no more, my bones are too old for that.
- And then there’s this other one, the California Buckeye. Now, this one’s a bit different. It actually grows new leaves in the fall and winter. Imagine that! Most trees are goin’ to sleep, and this one’s just wakin’ up. It loses its leaves in the summer, which is kinda backwards, but hey, it’s California, things are different here. Still green when everything else is brown.
So, there you have it, some of them evergreen trees down here in Southern California. You got your Ficus, your Jacarandas, your Live Oaks, and that Buckeye that does things backwards. There’s plenty more, I reckon, but them’s the ones I see around the most. They keep things green around here, even when it ain’t supposed to be. Makes it nice, you know, having somethin’ green to look at all year round. Beats lookin’ at a bunch of bare branches, that’s for sure.
Choosing the right tree for your yard, well, that’s a whole other story. You gotta think about how big it’ll get, how much water it needs, and whether you want flowers or just plain green. And don’t forget about them roots, you don’t want them messing up your pipes or your sidewalk. That’s a headache you don’t need. Best to talk to someone who knows about these things, someone at the nursery or somethin’. They’ll set you straight.
And one more thing, if you’re plantin’ a tree, make sure you dig a big enough hole. Don’t be stingy with the water when you first plant it, and give it some good dirt. Trees need to eat too, you know. Take care of it, and it’ll take care of you, givin’ you shade and makin’ your yard look purty. That’s what my old pappy used to say, “take care of the land, and the land will take care of you.” He was a smart man, my pappy.
Anyways, that’s all I got to say about them evergreen trees. They’re a good thing to have around, keepin’ things green and pretty, no matter the season. So, go on out and plant yourself a tree, you won’t regret it.
Tags: [evergreen trees, Southern California, Ficus Nitida, Jacaranda, Live Oak, California Buckeye, trees, landscaping, gardening]
