Committee Plants 10 Exotic Trees in Chavez Ravine Arboretum
On an overcast Monday morning in early December, Citizens’ Committee members Philip Murphy, Evan Rosenberg and Sakae Koyama partnered with Jenine Bush, Gina Mendoza, Lazaro De La Mora and Jaquan Gregory of the L.A. Conservation Corps to plant 10 trees in the Chavez Ravine Arboretum.
Eduardo Martinez and Leon Boroditsky from Recreation and Parks’ Forestry Department directed the groups and provided necessary expertise. In fact, Boroditsky, who is a certified arborist and tree surgeon, was instrumental in choosing the tree species for the Arboretum.
The groups practiced safe social distancing and wore masks throughout the planting.
Purchasing and planting these trees was made possible by the Echo Park Neighborhood Council through a Neighborhood Purpose Grant. These grants, available to non-profits and schools, support projects benefitting the local community.
The chosen trees featured rare species from around the world, including:
Firewheel Tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus) x 2 – An Australian rainforest tree known for its showy, firework-esque blooms
Monkey’s Hand Tree (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon) – A tree species that is native to Guatemala and southern Mexico with interesting hand-shaped flowers
Kashmir Cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana) – An evergreen native to high-altitude regions in Asia and the national tree of Bhutan
Australian Coral Tree (Erythrina x sykesii) – This stunning deciduous tree offers stunning red-orange flowers that are particularly noticeable in the winter and spring
Yellow Cypress (Cupressus nootkatensis) – A bright green-yellow conifer tree endemic to the North American West Coast, ranging from northern California to Alaska
Pink Cedar (Acrocarpus fraxinifolius) – A deciduous tree common in southern
California that displays young pink-red leaflets that eventually take on a yellower hueYellow African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata ‘Lutea’) – Known for its eye-catching yellow flowers, the African Tulip Tree best survives in mild, temperate climates
Mexican Netleaf Oak (Quercus polymorpha) – Also referred to as the Mexican white oak, this tree is native to parts of Central America
Apple Gum Myrtle (Angophora costata) – A fast-growing species with a beautiful, multi-colored bark as well as long leaves and white flowers in early summer
We’re proud to contribute to this special and historic destination in Elysian Park and deeply grateful for our community’s support, including the Echo Park Neighborhood Council, L.A. Conservation Corps and Recreation and Parks. We look forward to more partnerships with these organizations in the future.
When was the last time you visited the Chavez Ravine Arboretum? If you happen to go for a stroll, keep an eye out for these fresh plantings.
