Common plants and trees of Mountain View, CA
This compilation of the common shrubs, plants and trees found in Mountain View CA, in alphabetic order of scientific name (Genus species), is for any one interested in learning more about the varied flora of this beautiful town located in the South Bay Area in North California. PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Items marked TBD are to be determined.
Flowering Trees ID checklist Coniferous Trees ID checklist Homepage References Acknowledgements Comments
Index of common names Apple Avocado CedarDeodar CedarIncense CherryBlossom Chestnut Cottonwood Elm Gingko Juniper Magnolia MapleJapanese MapleSilver OakSilver Peach Pear Persimmon Pistachio PineAleppo PineMonterey Redwood SycamoreAmerican SycamoreCalifornian Walnut
#	Name	Description	Thumbnail
1	Acer buergeranum Japanese Maple	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
2	Acer saccharinum Silver Maple	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Large spreading tree. Short trunk with furrowed gray bark Brittle branches. Leaves: 6" long 5-lobed maple shaped opposite leave with  deep lobes (central lobe has 3 points). Pale green above, silver below. Flower/fruit: 1/4" reddish buds turning greenish/yellow. Green to light brown L-shaped winged fruit with single seed.	TBD
3	Aesculus californica Californian Buckeye	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Small tree with smooth gray bark Leaves: Ovate pointed leaflets. Opposite. Flower/fruit: Pink and white flower clusters appear in May/June. Pear-shaped capsules hold polished brown nut	TBD
4	Castanea dentata American chestnut	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Deciduous large tree with massive dark brown trunk. Leaves: Shiny 5"-9" green leaves with forward-pointing toothed edge. Flower/fruit: Flowers early summer with numerous male flowers 5mm long in upright cat. Female flowers at base of shorter catkins. Fruit is 2" ball with stout branched spines. Matures in fall splitting in 3 or 4 parts revealing 2 or 3 chestnuts that are shiny dark brown flattened egg-shaped and edible.	TBD
5	Cedrus deodara Deodar Cedar	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
6	Diospyros virginiana Persimmon	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Small to medium tree. Leaves: 4" shiny simple leaves - dark above, light below. Flower/fruit: Round fruit green when raw turning to orange/purple when ripe.	TBD
7	Gingko biloba Gingko	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Ancient tree from time of dinosaurs. Only surviving member of it's family. Native of China. Leaves: Fan shaped with deep central notch Flower/fruit: Yellow/orange plum-like seeds.	TBD
8	Juglans nigra Black walnut	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Large tree with dark brown furrowed bark. Wood is hard and used for gun barrel. Leaves: Dark green aromatic compound leaves 8"-24" long, lance-shaped with 2" opposite leaflets Flower/fruit: Green-husked 2" round fruit, single or paired, often scattered on ground. Irregularly ridged, thick-shelled inner layer covers sweet edible seed.	TBD
9	Juniperus communis Common juniper	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Clumpy low-spreading evergreen shrub often used as low maintenance hedging.  Needles: 3-sided sharp 1/4 to 1" needles in bundles of 3 Cones: Berry-like blackish/blue cones with white powdery covering favored by wildlife.	TBD
10	Libocedrus decurrens Incense Cedar	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Oval shaped conifer. Reddish bark with deep furrows. Needles: Aromatic blue/green conifer with 1" needles. Cones:1" long reddish brown cones	TBD
11	Magnolia grandiflora Southern Magnolia	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Handsome large evergreen tree with scaly gray/brown bark Leaves: Thick oval leaves 6" long. Shiny above, hairy below. Flower/fruit: Distinctive large fragrant white flowers 6" in diameter bloom in late spring and summer. Mature into 3" long cone like fruit covered with rust-colored hair containing 2 seeds.	TBD
12	Malus sylvestris Apple	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Familiar fruit tree with spreading crown and gray fissured or scaly bark Leaves: Elliptical leaves 2" long with wavy saw-tooth edges. Green above, covered with dense hair below. Flower/fruit: Small white flowers with pink tinge bloom in early spring and mature in late summer into familiar edible apple with smooth shiny red or yellow skin sunken at ends. Pulp is thick and sweet with star-shaped core containing up to 10 seeds.	TBD
13	Pinus haleoensis Aleppo Pine	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: Female pine cone larger than more abundant male pine cone	TBD
14	Pinus radiata Monterey Pine	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: Female pine cone larger than more abundant male pine cone	TBD
15	Pistacia texana American Pistachio	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Aromatic evergreen shrub with gray/brown bark - smooth initially but gradually becomes rough. Leaves: Pinnately compound leaves, elliptical and curved. Dark red when young becoming dark green above and pale underneath. Flower/fruit: Clusters of tiny red flowers maturing into elliptical nutlike fruit with single seed.	TBD
16	Plantanus occidentalis American Sycamore	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Also called "plane trees". Oval shaped deciduous tree recognized by their smooth bark - grayish/white with green/purple patches Leaves: 6" long, wide maple shaped leaf. Alternate. Simple on long stalks. Flower/fruit: Numerous tiny greenish flowers crowded in 1 to 6 balls on a drooping stalk. Mature into round 1" ball shaped fruit hanging on long stem with single seed	TBD
17	Plantanus racemosa Californian Sycamore	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: wide spreading shaped tree recognized by their bark - grayish/white with green/purple patches Leaves: 10" long, wide maple shaped leaf. Flower/fruit: Numerous tiny greenish flowers maturing into round 1" ball shaped fruit hang in groups of 3 to 7 per stem	TBD
18	Populus trichocarpa Black Cottonwood	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Largest broadleaved tree of Pacific Northwest. Black trunk with deeply furrowed bark Leaves: Simple leaves with smooth edges. Triangular 4"-8" long with pointed tip Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
19	Prunus persica Peach	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Small fruit tree with short trunk with dark reddish/brown bark. Smooth becoming rough. Leaves: Lance-shaped finely saw-toothed leaves shiny green above, pale below. Crushed leaves have bitter taste and strong odor. Flower/fruit: 1" pink flower usually single maturing in summer into a 2" round fruit with fine velvety hair on  yellow/pink rind. Flesh is sweet edible pulp with central large elliptical pitted stone.	TBD
20	Pyrus communis Pear	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Small fruit tree with dark gray/brown bark. Smooth becoming scaly Leaves: Broadly ovate-shaped finely saw-toothed leaves crowded on spurs. Shiny green above, pale below. Flower/fruit: 1" rounded white flowers in long stalked clusters maturing in summer into a 2"-3" pear-shaped fruit with smooth green/brown skin.. Flesh is thick, juicy edible pulp with central star-shaped gritty core.	TBD
21	Sequoia sempervirens Coast Redwood	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: State tree of California. Very tall with reddish 12" thick bark that is fire-resistant Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
22	Ulmus americana American Elm	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: Vase shaped tree with main gray-colored trunk, sometimes buttressed, dividing in several branches close to the ground. Leaves: Dark green elliptical leaves 4" long, doubly saw-toothed with unequal sides. Flower/fruit: Greenish clusters of small flowers maturing into wafer like key-shaped fruit 1/2" long with points curved inward.	TBD
23	TBD Avocado	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
24	TBD Cherryblossom	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
25	TBD Silver Oak	Sample specimen: TBD Tree: TBD Leaves: TBD Flower/fruit: TBD	TBD
References Metcalf, Woodbridge - Native Trees of the San Francisco Bay Area Cassie, Brian - National Audubon Society - First Field Guide Trees Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees
Acknowledgements This compilation would not be possible without the encouragement and support of Paula Dispoto and the Mountain View Public Library. Email your comments and feedback to goagonsalves@yahoo.com and I'll be happy to add your name to this list
Email comments to goagonsalves@yahoo.com