Ficus trigonata (?)

Anyone have an idea of what these trees are? I'm pretty sure they are Ficus.

Location coastal San Diego County, California. The best match I can find from all the ID websites is this one...

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Leaves & trunks from 15-ft and 30-ft trees:

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I can't reach the leaves on the taller trees & none on the ground....

6-ft tall tree:
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Leaf from 6-ft tree, front:

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Leaf from 6-ft tree, back:

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Reply to
Guv Bob
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Does the tree have a milky white or pale yellow sap? If not, it is not a Ficus.

The leaves almost seem to be compound leaflets rather than simple leaves along a stem. This is why I question the Ficus identification since Ficus species have simple leaves.

If these trees are planted in a park or along a street, you might inquire at the public works department of the local city or San Diego County. They generally maintain an inventory of trees in public spaces. A garden club or good nursery might also identify them.

Reply to
David E. Ross

find from all the ID websites is this one...

ground....

Thanks, David. No white or yellow sap with these.

Following the tree ID charts, I ended up with anything from figs to walnuts. The city does plant ficus trees here. That's why I thought these might be ficus, but mine grow tall and straight - and don't bush out like the city trees.

One reason I thought it might be a ficus are the photos on this site:

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The base of my largest tree is starting form lobes, like the tree in the left photo 2nd row.

Also the leaf matches exactly except the one in this photo has a stem, and mine don't. However the bottom row, right photo looks nothing like my trees. Mine are all a single smooth trunk, straight up, with no branching out below

10 feet.
Reply to
Guv Bob

find from all the ID websites is this one...

ground....

Another leaf from the mystery tree. This one has alternating leaves.

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Leaf photo posted earlier with opposing leaves.

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Reply to
Guv Bob

find from all the ID websites is this one...

ground....

Another leaf from the mystery tree. This one has alternating leaves.

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Leaf photo posted earlier with opposing leaves.

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At 2nd look, maybe that first leaf is opposing also?

Reply to
Guv Bob

While the leaves in the second photo join the stem close together, they are indeed alternating.

I have seen a number of different trees with leaves like these. Have you tried city or county offices or a local garden club?

I had the street tree in front of my house identified by taking a small branch with leaves to the botony department at the nearest community college. Also, every county in California (except possibly San Francisco) has a cooperative extension service in conjunction with the University of California at Davis. That service generally includes a master gardener program whose volunteers might be able to identify your trees.

Reply to
David E. Ross

can find from all the ID websites is this one...

David, I stumbled upon the same type tree growing near a nursery and they told me it's a carrotwood (or carrot wood) tree. Evidently if you prune it before it gets too tall, it makes a decent shade tree. Unfortunately for me, mine are 20-30 feet and headed toward power lines. Few limbs below 15 feet, so it will probably end up as firewood.

From wikipedia...

Cupaniopsis anacardioides, with common names tuckeroo, carrotwood, beach tamarind and green-leaved tamarind, is a species of flowering tree in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, that is native to eastern and northern Australia. The usual habitat is littoral rainforest on sand or near estuaries. The range of natural distribution is from Seven Mile Beach, New South Wales (34.8° S) to Queensland, northern Australia and New Guinea. C. anacardioides is an invasive species in some parts of the United States, primarily Florida and Hawaii.

Reply to
Guv Bob

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