My sister and I drove into Oakland on Tuesday to the IKEA store. I think it's actually in Emeryville but I have never figured out where the borders are down in that area. As I have said before, this store is always worth the trip. I love looking at all the "mock ups" that they put together to show you what you can do with what they want to sell you. If they charged an admission I would pay it. You get a catalog and so many ideas that you come out of there wanting to redo your whole house. If you go into the store looking for something specific you have to stay focused or you're lost.
So Sis and I opted for a walk through Ikea instead of a walk in her neighborhood. We had taken a long walk the day before and decided to treat ourselves to something different...., slower...., more commercial. This is the proverbial "Shop 'til you drop" store. We did our walking for the day.
When we got out of the car we saw this amazing tree... actually a whole row of them on the parking medium. We thought that we had seen this tree before, down in Pismo Beach. The bark looks like thick paper peeling off of the trunk. It's really astounding.
It's not like a Crape Myrtle. The pieces of loose bark are bigger and looser....
The branches almost look like someone twisted them. The tree looks like paper mache. ( that's Sis being at one with the trees.)
Take a close look at this. It's texture is just beautiful.... if you're into trees.
Here is a close up of a blossom and it's olive like leaves.
And it's beautiful seed pods. Maybe it's some kind of tropical tree. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area has a very mild climate.
If this tree looks familiar or you know what it is, please leave a comment. I would love to know it's name and where it comes from.
Have a great weekend.....
Never seen this tree before, but I look forward to hearing more!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like an Australian Eucalyptus obliqua, commonly known as a stringybark. I believe other trees from Aust and New Zealand flourish in the San Francisco area, so it could be. They are lovely trees.
ReplyDeleteI love that tree and have no idea what it is! AND I love Ikea! Most of the furniture in my workshop is from Ikea. Then you get to assemble it! Have fun. Riki xoxo
ReplyDeleteThe tree is very unusual and beautiful. I would love to know the name of it and where it originated. Have a blessed day. Madeline
ReplyDeleteP.S. I like your new header.
It's definitely some sort of callistemon, or melaleuca.... better known as "bottle brush".
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callistemon
Do you know that I have NEVER been to an Ikea??
I think I'll have to check them out when I get home next year!!
What strangeness! It reminds me of those people who get those tumors and they call them tree people...I see you've changed your header as well! I am like that with my furniture..have to change with the seasons. Nice one.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you have smart friends like Kate. Bottle brush trees... those blooms sure look like bottle brushes. Wonder if they feel like brushes, too. Love the bark also. I don't think there is anything more beautiful than the patterns that nature shares with us...
ReplyDeleteLooks like what we call a "Paperbark tree" in Aus, aren't they interesting? They belong to the Maleleuca line, Stringy bark are quite different,darker & the bark is harsh & stringy rather than papery. If you Google I am sure you will find them!The Aus.trees d7s3QQ v v vxyep, looks like what we call a "Paperbark tree" in Aus, aren't they interesting?vd c vxaxaaesp. the eucalyptus & it's relatives seem to flourish on the west coast, in the Canary Islands too where we found many of them.
ReplyDeleteThis tree sure has personality! Sounds like you've gotten some good ideas as to what it may be. I've never been to an Ikea store...don't think there is one near here.
ReplyDeleteI also noticed the header and have the hardest time getting a photo in mine. Beautiful :)
Oh my goodness - Emeryville....
ReplyDeleteI lived there, for a short time, in a huge apartment complex, back in 1990 when my husband was transferred down there for a year. We ultimately moved to Berkeley, but Emeryville was little more than an industrial area at the time...but it was up and coming, this I remember. They had a funny warehouse with a food court and a play area for kids - I spent many hours there. This was before even Pixar moved in there.
Memories. :-)
What interesting texture on this tree! Isn't it amazing what enthralls us? :-)
ReplyDelete~ Sue
Melaleuca leucadendra, commonly known as weeping paperbark, long-leaved paperbark or white paperbark is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is widespread in northern Australia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands. It is a tree, sometimes growing to more than 20 m (70 ft) with a trunk covered with thick, white, papery bark and weeping thinner branches. It has a long flowering season, can flower at almost any time of the year and is often grown as a tree in parks and on roadsides. It was the first melaleuca to be described and was described from a specimen growing in Indonesia.
ReplyDelete