I first met my favorite tree of eastern Santa Cruz County while working in the Patagonia mountains. Every fall I have a field season that involves harvesting wild seeds for ecological restoration from the forest lands around southern Arizona. One of my absolute favorite places to work is up in the Madrean oak woodlands near Mowry. That area completely transforms when the monsoons are generous, transporting you to a different place (a different realm?) when you make the trek.
One day in 2021 I was scouting for new field sites to bring my ten-person seed collection crew to when I came across the biggest, most magnificent Emory oak I have ever seen. Not only is this species an ecological keystone for the Sky Islands, but this particular specimen literally made me gasp when I laid eyes on its beauty.
This tree has to be at least 200 years old. It has dark bark that creates a stark contrast with the surrounding vegetation, deepening with the slightest bit of moisture in the air. It has a massive trunk that branches so that each new branch is as thick as most main trunks on the other oaks around, making it appear like a stacked, two-tier tree. The branches form quite high up on the main trunk and extend towards the heavens forming a crown that is tall and wide, exuding an almost religious exaltation.
I visit this tree every year and the awe has yet to fade. I love this tree and am grateful to be able to bask in its majesty.
Previously in Great Trees of Eastern Santa Cruz County:
“Elgin’s Movie Star Cottonwood” by Sue Downing
“A Pleistocene Juniper” by Jim Koweek
“The Leaning Pine of Duquesne” by Bekki Jaynes
“The Hollow Tree of Harshaw Townsite” by Cassina Farley
“The Mexican Blue Oak of Sonoita Creek” by Vince Pinto
Do you know a great tree? Share it with us! Submit photos (or artwork!) and text about your favorite tree to prtadast@gmail.com. It can be any tree on public or private property in Eastern Santa Cruz County. (You don’t have to disclose the tree’s exact location unless you want to.) Tell us what makes the tree great: maybe it’s the tree’s size, shape or age; or its leaf color; or the animals and insects who inhabit it; or the special events or family traditions associated with it; or perhaps something more personal. Whatever it is, share it with us. Let’s celebrate our area’s natural splendor and heritage!