Here I am contemplating the big job before me.

Here is a lovely example of crown reduction and natural flow pruning. I worked on this Pittosporum undulatum in the Richmond District on 19th Ave and Balboa.

From the inside of the canopy it made quite a difference.

Thuja occidentalis.

Some common names are Arborvitae, Eastern Arborvitae, Northern White Cedar.

The above picture is a Thuja I pruned over on Laguna Honda.

They come in many shades of green, yellow, or blue green with differing shapes and sizes. Sometimes the leaves can hang horizontal, vertical, or in waves. They are quite popular in San Francisco, especially in formal gardens. They are often hedged, sculpted, or sheared.

The name Arborvitae means tree of life. Rich in vitamin C, early European settlers and native Americans used it to fight scurvy.

Naturally occurring in Canada and the northern U.S., these shrubs are food for deer, hares, and porcupines. They are preferred building material for log cabins because they are good insulators and resist rot. They are also used as fence posts and siding for boats since they withstand water damage.

Since they naturally occur in both highlands and lowlands. You can find them growing out of rocky cliffs, on a mountain clearing, or in the ecotone (transition space) between a bog and a forest. They like calcium rich soil.

If you want them to thrive in your garden, plant Thuja where they can get full sun. Also keep the soil somewhat moist. Still, don’t over water. Just don’t let the soil get too dry for too long.

These are very hardy trees with few pests.

Thuja are very slow growing. They can get up to 50 feet tall given the right environment, but it may take 50 years. They can live for up to 1000 years.

Here is a photo of a famous, 300 year old Arborvitae in Minnesota, growing on the shore of lake superior. It is sacred to the Ojibwa Indian tribe who named it Manidoo-giizhikens, or Little Cedar Spirit Tree.

Here’s a link to where I got much of my information on the Arborvitae. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/thuocc/all.html

I got a call from a contractor who was in a panic. His backhoe had damaged the trunk and root system of this poor Monterey Pine. A concerned neighbor had alerted the department of urban forestry. They in turn did an inspection of the work site and determined that the tree was a hazard and must be removed. This contractor wanted me to reinspect the tree and see if there was a possibility that the tree could be saved.
Despite the lean, the damage, the prevalent high winds, and the giant hole in the ground I thought with a some reduction in wind sail the tree would probably make it. I made the contractor promise that the backhoe would be removed immediately. I also said that I would do a more thorough inspection of the roots and clear away the root crown and buried surface roots. If I were to discover large, damaged or cut roots, especially on opposite side of the lean then I would stop work and advise removal. My friends at the Dept of Urban Forestry backed me up as long as the owner would take full liability.
The next day I returned to the site, prepared to excavate and remove some large limbs. The backhoe was still on site and still digging. There was now several more yards of dirt on top of the root zone. The neighbor showed up too. He pointed out exactly how much dirt had been removed. He was very concerned.

Then I looked at the neighbor’s house. And that’s when I realized that the tree actually blocked his view. At this point I am starting to wonder what is really at stake.

I called the contractor. I told him I didn’t want to be in the middle. It seemed that too many people wanted too many different results. I said I wanted to break my ties and that I wouldn’t write a report verifying that the tree could be saved. I didn’t want to be the fall guy. hehehe

He asked if there was anything he could do for me to make me change my mind. Was that a bribe? I told him that next time he should consult an arborist BEFORE he does construction in the vecinity of a large tree.

Georgia called me to say, in her charming New York accent, that her tree needed some care. She lives with her family on the top of Duncan Street, above Noe Valley. The street is pretty bare except for a few, young trees planted in the last few years by the Friends of the Urban Forest (www.fuf.net). What a surprise! In her back yard was this giant California Buckeye, Aesculus californica. As you can see from the picture, it takes up the entire back yard.

Well, Georgia wanted me to raise the canopy so that she could walk under the tree. I suggested that we remove the Bay Tree on the right since it is a distraction. But the Bay Tree started growing at the same time she was pregnant with her daughter. She wanted to keep it for sentimental reasons. That’s the most wonderful reason to love a tree. So instead we decided just to give it a trim.

The main reason why Georgia called me was to remove the lower branches that over hung the neighbors property in the back. They nicely complained about the leaves in the their yard. The neighbor to the left, however, was a different story. She instructed me not to listen to her at all. “If she wants anything she can come talk to me herself!” As you can see from the above picture, Lefty took a big chunk out of the tree.

Fortunately we were able to restore the tree’s natural dome.

Fun Fact: the California Buckeye loses its leaved in the summer, not the fall. This is a survival technique so that the tree can make it though the dry season. Without all the leaves the tree can withstand summer drought. Georgia says that usually by now all the leaves are gone. But since we’ve had such a rainy spring the tree still has all of its leaves. If you look closely you can see some of the leaves beginning to change color.