1. Different kinds of trees.

Conifers and deciduous trees. Trees have evolved many strategies to survive, and some of these can easily be seen in the park. First, conifers, such as pines, spruces, and redwoods, are all conifers. They do not lose their leaves in the winter. They do not have flowers. Deciduous trees have flowers and lose their leaves in winter.

Magnolia The magnolia blooms in early spring before the leaves come out. The flowers grow at the end of the branches. Magnolia flowers evolved a long time ago, and they are similar to the very first flowers. Some of the oldest fossil flowers discovered are similar to magnolia blossoms. They are primitive features for several reasons. They have many stamens and pistils, which are parts of the flower. The stamens are arranged in spiraling rows, and both stamens and pistils are attached to a fingerlike receptacle.

Deodora (Cedrus deodora). Several trees are near the corner of the park. The deodora is in the cedar family. These are large trees that are shaped like pyramids. The trees grow to about 80 feet. Cones of 3-4 inches are found on the lower branches through the winter months. These trees were originally native to the Himalayas, but now are common decorative trees.

Coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis). Several plants are in this corner of the park. Baccharis comes from a Greek word for plants with fragrant roots, and pilularis refers to the sticky resin on its flowers. Coyote brush, a common native California plant, adapts its shape to its environment. Near the seashore, it is low to the ground. In places where it is more protected, coyote brush forms bushes. Its leaves have a waxy coating to reduce water loss, and the coating also protects them from fire. The coyote brush sends out a very large root system to find water.

2. Sedge (family Cyperaceae). This family contains a large number of plants that look a lot like grass. In general, they prefer to grow in wet areas, so if you see one, it's a good guess that there is water nearby. The ancient Egyptians used one of the sedges to make papyrus for writing.

3. Two kinds of birch trees.

River birch (Betula nigra) (pictured with the magnolia above) is also called the black birch. Like all birches, its bark peels away from the trunk and branches. In the river birch, the inner bark is dark.

White birch (Betula papyrifera) (left) is a medium-sized deciduous tree and a native of North America. A lot of butterflies feed on the white birch. The bark is filled with resin and was used by Native Americans on the outside of canoes to waterproof them.

4. California ground squirrels  (Spermophilus beecheyi)

The piles of dirt indicate that we have company here. California ground squirrels, (they aren’t really gophers) are common throughout California and the western United States. They are gray and light brown with buff or grayish yellow undersides. They are about 12-18 inches long with a 6-inch tail. In the spring, a mating couple will produce a single litter of 5-8 babies.

   Because they dig up yards and gardens, ground squirrels are looked upon as a pest, Also they eat the leaves, flowers, roots, and seeds, and fruits. They are very shy, but if you sit quietly for a while, you might see one peeking out of his hole. Enjoy looking at them if you are lucky enough to see them. But like with all wild animals, it’s best to stay away from them.

5. Tree stump.

Tree stumps are fascinating. You can easily see the tree rings, which provide a record of local climate during the life of the tree. Many trees are hundreds of years old, and a few live thousands of years. Thus, the rings provide information that is not available from scientific records.

   At the center of a stump is a small core of pith formed when the tree was a sapling. Then comes a cylinder of dark dense wood -- the heartwood -- with annual rings which are often very narrow near the core because as a youngster it grew in the shade of older trees and did not get enough light. Surrounding that is a collar of lighter-colored wood -- the sapwood -- with a smaller number of rings. Beyond that and just inside the rough outer bark is a spongy layer of inner bark called the phloem.

   The most important part is hard to see because it is so small. Between the sapwood and the inner bark is a single layer of living cells called the cambium, which has the magical property of producing, each year, a layer of sapwood on the inside and a layer of inner bark on the outside. The wood formed each spring consists of light-colored thin-walled cells. Near the end of summer, the cells are smaller with darker walls. Together, the springwood and summerwood form a ring.

6. Small trees in the corner.

Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta). This "oak" is not an oak at all. It is an evergreen tree with fern-shaped leaves that are dark green on top and silky white underneath. This native of Australia is used as an ornamental plant in the US.

Acacia. (Acacia sp.). Acacias are in the pea family. The seed pods resemble pea pods. The leaves of acacias are compound pinnate. That means that each leaf contains a large number of smaller leaflets. There are roughly 1300 species worldwide. In the US, the tree is mostly grown as an ornamental. They are sometimes confused with locust or mimosa trees, which have similar features.

Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). The redwood is the world’s tallest tree. The tallest known specimen is 368 feet, but typically, they reach 200 feet or so. The trunk is reddish brown and much tapers from a very thick bottom to a thinner top. Sprouts grow from stumps, and in redwood forests, you can usually find circles of redwoods that that have grown up from the remains of the original tree. This is a very important tree for lumber.

7. Gingko. The gingkos are also referred to as "living fossils because many fossil gingkos have been found. Their relationship to other trees is not clear. They seem to be a more primitive plant than many other trees. In the fall, their distinctly shaped leaves turn bright yellow.