Tree of the Week: The silk oak

Good morning, Big Brown, it's time to rise and shine and show the world what you're made of. To the rest of you, welcome to another installment of Pieter Severynen's "Tree of the Week."

The silk oak – Grevillea robusta

"Our trees here are even more cosmopolitan than our human population. Most of our Southland trees come from other parts of the world. Many stand out for their shape, flowers or foliage. Some sport a colorful history. By and large they are desirable neighbors, although some definitely have worn out their welcome. Several, including today’s silk oak, have both good and bad qualities, and should be used judiciously. All of them are fascinating.

"Fast growing to 60 feet, sometimes 100 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide, the pyramidal- to oval-shaped silk oak easily towers above its surroundings. Often planted near roads, it really stands out in late spring when, especially in good years, clusters of showy golden yellow flowers almost completely cover the tree. A thick gray trunk, few but heavy branches, moderately dense crown, evergreen ferny leaves divided into many 2- to 4-inch-long leaflets, medium green above, silvery-gray below, make it easy to identify the tree when not in bloom. Small inconspicuous black fruits follow the flowers. The tree is beautiful in bloom, drought tolerant and useful as a fast and tall-growing hedge on a large lot. But it has enough undesirable characteristics to keep it away from the house: messy leaf, flower, branchlet and seed drop; brittle wood; branches that break easily. The tree benefits from guidance pruning in youth.

"A member of the Protea family, which is known for unusual flower shapes, the silk oak comes from northern New South Wales and Southern Queensland, Australia. It is not related to oaks and does not produce silk. We use the tree only for its ornamental qualities, but in other parts of the world it is valued for its products. It provides medium-strength timber for furniture, plywood and guitar tops; plywood; and poles. In Eastern and Central Africa it is planted as a boundary hedge between farms which can be harvested occasionally for its wood, while the leaves provide mulch and cattle feed. The tree gives high shade and frost protection to coffee and tea shrubs in plantations. In warm and moist climates (Hawaii) it can become invasive."

Thanks, as always, Pieter.
Your thoughts? Comments? Email story tip to peter.viles@latimes.com
Photo Credit: Pieter Severynen

Comments

[Inland Empire]

Didn't you do this tree awhile back?

[George Bishopric]

Why would anyone ever suggest planting a non-native tree?

[peter m]

I would like to take time out from the mundane discussion of housing and RE meltdown to discuss the magnificent pine trees of the Sierras. Having walked and hiked a plenty among the lordly pines of the Sierras i have seem many magnicent specimens in their natural state. My favorite is the Sugar Pine , which often stands alone in the forest among the others. Beautiful light brown/tan to orange bark, large smooth bark platelets, dark brown fissures, truck and crown straight and tall , as impressive as the Sequoia.
There is also the Redfir, White fir , Lodgepole, Ponderosa, Foxtail & Cedar, all growing in magnificent stands in the western sierra slopes. As you get higher the pines get smaller and often stunted on exposed slopes but are all the more magnificent as they grow in harsh subalpine
conditions near timberline, often seemingly sprouting up in bare rocky talus slopes, sheer canyon walls, and desolate glacial lake margins.

Lower down in the foothills there are magnificent specimens of Oak in all their varieties: blue, California, black oak, and many others. Fort Tejon Historical Park near Gorman has some stately specimens of large oaks.

[MyLessThanPrimeBeef]

That reminds me of a story in Chuang Tzu about a tall, stately tree and a twisted, gnarly tree...the formerly ends being cut down for lumber while the latter lives a long and peaceful life.