So anyway, I love those dark maples with the leaves that are so blue they’re almost black in certain light. I call them goth maples.

Picture:

Weeping willow trees. We had one at my childhood home. When it was sold, the new owners tore it out. I was very sad.

Everything about the Gingko tree is pretty cool

Weeping Willow!

I’ve got three and I’ve been trying to grow each from seed:

1. Dawn Redwood because it has an incredible backstory, it is a true redwood contrary to popular belief, and It easily grows where I’m at.
2. Giant Sequoia because they are massive, it is also a true redwood, and it can allegedly grow where I’m at.
3. Cedar of Lebanon because I grew up in one of the many U.S. towns of Lebanon named for the trees as referenced in that religious book and I remember the original Cedar of Lebanon referenced in that story I linked.

Unfortunately, I can’t get the Giant Sequoias past a few inches tall while even acknowledging their infamous 20% germination rate. The Cedar of Lebanon seeds I can’t even get to germinate but I also haven’t found as much academic literature on cultivating them from seeds.

Shoutout to the Ginkgo Biloba for being one of the OG trees, also.

Love me a magnolia tree

Scots pine

Dogwood. Hidden away under the canopy, reaching out and up to find sunshine in the PNW rain forest. Beautiful white spring flowers.

After leaving my beloved PNW when I was 12 to move to smoggy searing Los Angeles and missing the green and rain for 45 years, I’m back. We just bought a dogwood for the backyard. So excited for spring.

Fiddy.

Not too expensive.

Japanese Maple. Had one by the front door of the house I grew up in. Reminds me of my childhood home.

I don’t think its very common in the US but The pōhutukawa tree

The pōhutukawa tree is a special part of New Zealand culture, often called the “New Zealand Christmas tree” because of its bright red flowers that bloom in December. It’s seen as a symbol of strength and resilience, especially since it grows along rugged coastlines. For Māori, it has deep spiritual meaning—there’s even an ancient pōhutukawa at Cape Reinga where spirits are believed to begin their journey to the afterlife. Plus, it’s great for the environment, providing food and shelter for native birds and insects.

Being the most common tree in America doesn’t make the sycamore any less awesome.

They’re big and their canopy is lush. Their limbs are all twisty and knobbly. They’ve got huge leaves that sound amazing blowing in the wind or crunching underfoot. The colloquialism for their seedpods is hilarious and the pods themselves are almost as cool as sweetgum seed pods.

Just some great trees all around.

Delonix regia, the original flamboyant.

Red-black tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red–black_tree