Approved Street Tree List

Please be advised that in planting areas of small sizes only a few of these trees may be approved. The bigger the planting area, the more choices of trees.

DECIDUOUS (loses its leaves in the Fall)
EVERGREEN (maintains leaves throughout the year)

Small & Upright Trees

Bauhinia variegate (Purple Orchid Tree)

Semievergreen, rounded or dome shaped tree to 30’ tall with moderate growth rate. Light tan to dark brown trunk smooth when young. Light green two lobed leaves 2-3”. Foliage may thin out in summer with a few scattered flowers may appear. Clearance suitable for 0-6’ parkways, medians or cutouts and under utility lines.

Chionanthus retusus (Chinese Fringe) male only preferred

Deciduous, graceful small tree with slow to moderate growth up to 20’. Bark is smooth grayish brown with glossy green leaves 2-4” long, bright yellow in the fall. Flowers are 1” long in 4 thread like petals. Male and female are different trees and can produce fruit if close enough. Clearances suitable for 0-6’ parkways, medians and cutouts.

Cercis Canadensis (Eastern Redbud)

Slow to moderate growth to 20’ and as wide, deciduous tree. Smooth pale grayish bark with blue/green leaves with light yellow fall coloring. Fruit develops in summer approximately 1.5 – 3” long. Clearances suitable for 0-6’ parkways, medians and cut-outs, suitable under utility lines.

Lagerstroemia indica “Zuni” or “Pecos” (Crepe Myrtle)

This deciduous shrub or tree grows 15 to 30 feet tall and six to 15 feet wide, marked by midsummer blooms in shades of white, pink, lavender, or red. Clearances suitable for 0-6’ parkways, medians and cut-outs, suitable under utility lines.

Pyrus Kawakamii (Evergreen Pear)

This slow-growing evergreen tree has a height of 15 to 25 feet with a spread of 20 feet. Foliage is dark green, glossy oval leaves. White flowers in clusters one inch across. Requires light annual pruning. Tolerates sandy or clay soil. Attracts birds and bees. Susceptible to aphids. Clearances 0-6’ parkways, medians and cutouts.

Arbutus Marina (No common name)

This tree blooms year-round but peaks in spring and fall with white blushed carmine pink flowers. Grows 40 to 50 feet tall and about as wide. Is susceptible to root rot if overwatered. Dark green, leathery leaves, but new growth is bronze colored. Clearances 0-6’ parkways, medians and cutouts.

Tabebuia avellanedae (Pink or Lavender Trumpet Tree)

Semi deciduous fast growing initially slowing to moderate growth small to medium tree up to 30’ and spreading. Palmately compound leaves smooth and shiny olive green, 2-4” long. Clearances 0-6’ parkways, medians or cutouts, suitable under power lines.

Medium/Large Trees

Pistacia chinensis (Chinese Pistache)

Deciduous round tree with slow growth to 40’ and as wide, when mature structure is good with dense foliage. Bark is light gray with hints of light orange. Leaves are 10” long and pinnately compound, dark green with small leaflets. Fall coloring is scarlet, crimson, orange and sometimes yellow. Clearances minimum 10’ parkway or 6x6 cutout.

Fraxinus oxycarpa (Raywood Ash, Claret Ash)

Deciduous upright narrow tree when young ending as a medium size tree with rounded canopy and upright branches. Trunk is smooth to fibrous gray with narrow leaves light green to yellow. Clearances 6’ minimum parkway and 5x5 cutouts.

Gleditsia triacanthos inermis (Thornless Honey Locust)

Deciduous medium size fast growing tree to 40’ with up to 30’ spread. Bark when young is green changing to gray and rough. New foliage is golden in color with bipinnately compound leaves up to 10” long. The golden spring leaves turn green while still producing gold leaves through mid-summer. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Hymenosporum flavum (Sweet Shade)

This drought-tolerant evergreen grows 20 to 30 feet tall and 15- 20 feet wide. The clusters of yellow flowers have a sweet smell of orange blossoms. Clearances 0-5’ parkways and 3x3 cutouts.

Koelreuteria Paniculata (Goldenrain)

Slow to moderate growth to 30’ with dense branching. Has small yellow summer flowers. The fruits are papery-walled green, then salmon capsules, resembling lanterns. No significant pest problems. Native to China, Korea and Japan. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Lyonothamnus floribundus (Catalina Ironwood)

Native to the Channel Islands west of Santa Barbara County, Catalina ironwood tree is fairly quick growing to a maximum height of 50’ and a width of up to 20’ but is usually seen in cultivation as a slender upright tree with an open canopy no more than 30’ tall.. Large clusters of small white flowers are noticeable in summer. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Sophora japonica (Japanese Pagoda Tree)

A native of China, this medium sized tree has a rapid growth rate and tolerates city conditions, heat, and drought it grows to 30 to 40’ and spread of from 40 to 60’. Sophora prefers an open, sunny location. The 6- to 10-inch, bright-green, pinnate leaves are fern-like and consist of 9 to 15, elliptic leaflets. The leaves are extremely pest-free. Fall color is yellow. Clearances 10’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Zelkova serrate (Saw Leaf Zelkova)

Deciduous moderate growing tree maturing to 40’ and as wide with a vase shape and rounded crown. Bark is semi smooth with a golden brown to grayish green color. The leaves are 2-5” long, dark green with fall color of yellow to red. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Koelreuteria bipinnata (Chinese Flame)

This deciduous tree grows 20 to 40’ tall with equal canopy. Roots are deep but not invasive. Leaves are one to two feet long remaining until late fall then turning yellow to brown, flowers small bright yellow with papery lantern like capsules that turn orange, red in late summer. Tolerate of wind, heat, coastal conditions. Not suitable for under power lines. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Laurus nobilis (Sweet Bay)

A medium-sized evergreen tree, slow-growing up to 40’ and 30’ wide and conical shape. Aromatic, dark, glossy green leaves. Blooms with clusters of small yellow flowers followed by small black berries. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Tristania Conferta (Brisbane Box)

Moderate growth up to 70 feet. Foliage is bright green in color, tending to cluster at branch ends. Has fragrant flowers in summer. Fruit is a woody capsule, similar to the eucalyptus. No significant pest problems. Native to Eastern Australia. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Gingko Biloba “Autumn Gold” (Gingko or Maidenhair)

Evergreen, slow growing up to 50 feet. Have broad fan-shaped leaves. Plant only male trees; female trees produce messy, ill-smelling fruit in large quantities. Plant in deep, loose, well-drained soil. Generally not bothered by insects or diseases. Resistant to oak root fungus. Native to Eastern China. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Large and Open Space Trees.

Quercus agrifolia (Coastal Live Oak)

This beautiful drought-resistant, evergreen tree, ranges in height from 20 to 70’ with equal spread. The bark of young trees is smooth. With age, it develops deep furrows, ridges, and a thick bark. The inner bark and cork layers are thick. Open-grown crowns are broad and dense. Coast live oak stands are typically from 40 to 110 years old, individual trees may live over 250 years.  Clearances 10’ minimum parkways and open spaces.

Quercus ilex (Holly Oak)

Evergreen, medium to fast growing reaching 40-50’ with equal spread forming a rounded crown. Leaves are stiff and various shapes and sizes, green on upper side with yellowish on underside. Clearances 10’ minimum parkways and open spaces.

Quercus suber (Cork Oak)

Evergreen with moderate growth reaching 60’ with spread to 40’ with slightly asymmetrical crown. Trunk is whitish in appearance with thick corky bark. Leaves are dark green with grayish white underside. Clearances 6’ minimum parkways and 5x5 cutouts.

Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm)

Evergreen or deciduous according to winter temps. Rapid growing to 60’ and 70’ wide, generally spreading. Smooth/scaly bark from brown to greenish. Thick simple leaves .75-2.5” long and .5-.75” wide oval and evenly toothed dark glossy green tops. Clearances 12’ minimum parkways and open spaces.

Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cajeput/Paperbark Tree)

Evergreen, fast growing upright 40’ tall and 20’ spread. Thick spongy like bark, light brown to whitish, peels off in sheets. Leaves are 2-4” long dullish green to silvery with silky hairs, new leaves are copper in color. Flowers are 2-3” spikes with a bottlebrush look. Clearances 12’ minimum parkways and open spaces.

Ainus rhombifolia (White Alder)

A moderate-sized tree growing 40 to 80 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet in diameter with a broad, dome-shaped, open crown. Alternate, simple leaves, deciduous, ovate or oval, 2 to 4” long, green to yellow-green above and paler green below. Similar to red alder, outer bark is ashy gray to grayish brown, generally smooth but breaking into flat, irregular plates near the base, increasingly covered with white lichens as it ages. Clearances 12’ minimum parkways and open spaces.

Araucaria Heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine)

These trees can grow 100 feet tall, with straight vertical trunks and symmetrical branches. Tolerant of wind. Widely planted in southern California.  Open spaces.

Calocedrus Decurrens (Incense Cedar)

Grows to become a moderate sized evergreen, pyramidal conifer to 60’ with a thick trunk. Cones are about one inch long. Pollen is shed in mid-winter. Open spaces.

Cedrus Deodara (Deodar Cedar)

Young trees have a broad pyramid-like crown that becomes wider with age. This tree can reach 80’ tall 30-40’ wide. Its evergreen needles are one to two inches long, on slender twigs, causing branches to droop with age. Open spaces.

Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphora)

A large evergreen tree, which grows 60 feet tall or more, with a round, wide-spreading crown. The leaf is evergreen, the flowers greenish white to pale yellow. Clearances 15’ minimum parkway and open spaces.

Plantanus X acerfolia, orientalis “Bloodgood” (London Plane)

A large deciduous tree – a sycamore – with dappled bark. Growing 66–98’ with a trunk up to 10’ or more in circumference. The bark is usually pale grey-green, smooth and exfoliating, or buff-brown and not exfoliating. The leaves are thick and stiff-textured, broad, palmately lobed, 4–8” long and 5–10” broad. The young leaves in spring are coated with minute, fine, stiff hairs at first, but these wear off and by late summer the leaves are hairless or nearly so. Clearances 15’ minimum parkways and open spaces.

Canary Island Pine (Pinus canariensis)
Canary Island pine is an evergreen coniferous species of tree that grows to mature heights of up to 100 feet), with a straight stem and a usually open crown of regular upswept branches. Its overall structure is narrowly conic when young, later widening to broadly ovoid-conic, finally becoming irregular and dense with age. Suitable for open space (parks)

California Sycamore (Platanus racemose)
A large, tall tree with a fast growth rate to 40 – 70’ with like spread. In youth it has a pyramidal and upright habit. With age it develops a spreading, irregular, oval or rounded crown of heavy, large-diameter branches. It typically has a single trunk, but it may have multiple trunks. Suitable for open spaces (parks)

Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea)
The stone pine is a coniferous evergreen tree that can exceed 60 feet in height, but 40–60 ft is more typical. In youth, it is a bushy globe, in mid-age an umbrella canopy on a thick trunk, and, in maturity, a broad and flat crown over 26 ft in width. The bark is thick, red-brown and deeply fissured into broad vertical plates. Suitable for open spaces (parks)

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