Читать книгу The Trees of San Francisco онлайн

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Also contributing to the challenges for trees is the fact that San Francisco is the most densely populated U.S. city west of Manhattan, with little room for grassy medians or lawns. As a result, street trees are almost always planted in small cuts in the sidewalks, in compacted soil that many species cannot tolerate. In addition, narrow streets and overhead wires often leave no room for large tree canopies. Finally, San Franciscans love their views, so when it comes to a choice between tall trees and vistas to the ocean or bay, trees often lose out.

So San Francisco’s trees have to be able to handle:

 sandy soils set in cement,

 driving wind,

 foggy summers,

 seven months a year without rain,

 and attacks from view-conscious residents.

It’s hardly a place for maples and beeches. But through decades of trial and error, San Franciscans have discovered and welcomed a unique mix of trees from around the world that thrive in our unusual conditions. This book introduces those trees to you.

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