Trees of Carlsbad.

I've thought for a long time that I would like to take some photos of Carlsbad's grand old trees, so yesterday I set out to do it. First I decided I wanted to find one with fall foliage, just to put us in the mood, but that was easier said than done. I circled a good mile radius from our house before I came to this one.

Most of the leaves on our deciduous trees just shrivel up and die. Sometimes I may be driving along a road and think to myself, "Why are all these trees dying?" Then I remember it is fall. Some trees have red leaves all year round like the sugar maple or Chinese maple. So it is hard to find a tree that is actually turning from green to gold or red. It is especially hard this year because we haven't had any cold nights to encourage them to turn. The good side of this of course, is that we have not had to turn on the furnace.

The photo above and the one below is to show some of the many eucalyptus trees we have in North San Diego County and to tell you why they are there. The early settlers planted thousands of these trees because they grow so straight and they thought they would make a good investment for railroad ties -- and probably telegraph poles. However, they soon discovered that they dry out and crack and so are no good for these purposes.

Another thing about eucalyptus trees is that they are highly flammable. So when fire season comes along, they are really dangerous. I have seen fire race up a hill to a grove of eucalyptus trees and then the trees seem to explode with flames shooting up a hundred feet or more! There is a small housing development not too far from us called Hosp Grove and the houses are all set in the midst of a fair-sized grove of eucalyptus trees. You couldn't pay me enough money to live there!! It is all very picturesque but I would have nightmares living there.

If we have to have these kind of trees I would be much happier if they would populate them with Koala Bears then at least we'd have some wild life in among them.


The picture above and the one below show two of some grand old, old eucalyptus trees situated on Grand Avenue, down town Carlsbad. There are a good many more like these down town. They are magnificent because of their size. If you compare them with the cars at their base you can see just how large they are.


This tree below, can be found in Holiday Park, just off Freeway #5. I think it is a star pine but I'm not sure. The tree is interesting because it has just been fenced off.

If you look at the photo below you can see why it has been fenced off and two warning signs placed there. The cones are very large and could do you some damage. Sadly there were none there to photograph yesterday. Since the fencing has only recently been erected I suspect someone has been hit and the city is trying to avoid future lawsuits!

Along the east side of Holiday Park there is a line of palm trees -- very tall and stately. Arborists have to climb these to give them a 'haircut' every now and then. But they don't climb them like the islanders of the South Seas do!!


You can see just how tall they are by comparing them with the street light.


I would liked to have taken this photo with the whole tree against the sky line. There is another one just like it about a half mile further the left. But I'd have to take my life in my hands to avoid traffic right here, so we have to make do with this.

Behind this tree is the Buena Vista Lagoon, a great bird sanctuary. It is one of several salt water lagoons along the San Diego County coast line. I will have to make another post to tell you, and show you, these unique lagoons.