Golden Gate Garden

Who knows what this is?

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In mid-November we wee walking on San Bruno Mountain, at the south end of San Francisco when we came upon this plant with white berries. I think it's a California native shrub, but I don't know its name. My best guess is a viburnum, but I am only about 20% confident of that guess. So this time, I put the question to you who are reading this blog. Do you know what species this is?

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In the spring, this plant had flat clusters of white flowers. I shot those too, but don't remember the exact date, and don't know if I can find the images.So, any guesses from just this photo?

 

 

6 responses to “Who knows what this is?”

  1. Jane Huber

    brown dogwood?
    http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=2386

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  2. David Elhami

    I believe this plant is commonly known as Western Dogwood, Cornus sericea ssp. occidentalis.
    http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=302277&one=T
    But it is also referred to as Red willow, redstem dogwood, redosier dogwood.

    Click to access cs_coseo.pdf

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  3. Pam Peirce

    David,
    Yes, I think you are right. Thank you! I looked at the photo on CalPhotos and it looks like the same plant to me. I will try to locate my images of the flowers and post those as well.

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  4. Julie

    red osier dogwood?

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  5. Pam Peirce

    Red osier is a common name for Cornus sericea, which is also called creek dogwood, American dogwood, Colorado dogwood, and redtwig dogwood. The scientific name may also appear as Cornus stolonifera. It is found across the US, but the one I photographed is in a natural area, so I assume it is the California native strain known as “western dogwood.” A lot of names, but I think this is the right species.

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  6. Matthew Clark

    Pam– I just saw today’s article re successful grafting. You’re generally completely correct, but I have had some success grafting apples onto European pears. I got a Mollie’s Delicious and Gravenstein to take on a Burre d’Anjou Pear; the Mollie produced fruit the first year (1) and second (a few), the Gravenstein produced (1) fruit the second year. Neither produced this year at all, but on the San Mateo coast it’s been a bad apple year, at least for me; the Mollie flowered, no fruit, the Gravenstein didn’t even flower and may be dead. The pear trees, on the other hand, have tremendous crops; I have about 10 varieties grafted onto two trees–the Seckles went crazy, even more than usual. I also have one apple scion–variety unremembered as the tag blew away–that took on an Asian Pear but hasn’t borne fruit at all in 3 or 4 years.
    I’ve also talked to people at CRFG scion exchanges who’ve had success both directions, apple to E.pear and pear to apple, and also A.pear to E. pear and vice versa.

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