Coast Redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, can be planted close to each other, 3 - 7 feet apart and then pruned and groomed to be a hedge. Ours was planted out of 24 inch containers and within 3 years, a fully private hedge was created. For this one, trees were placed about 4 feet apart and are now 12 feet tall. It is pruned so that the top is narrower than the base so the sun keeps the interior green, not browned which would happen if no light penetrates. Plan your height so that your ladder works! Redwoods are shallow rooted and need to be watered if they are not in a fog zone. Here at the Main Street Tree farm we have a single tree that has a 6-foot diameter trunk and makes quite an impact when you walk up to it through bush and suddenly see the massive giant's base up close.

We are famous for our large sized Valley Oak, aka Quercus lobata. This picture shows a couple in 48 inch diameter containers. They are about twenty feet tall and about 5 inch caliper (the width of the trunk). These trees do fine with good watering after they are put in their forever home. The Valley Oak is very fast growing if planted in their favorite habitat which is the valley floor, clay soil is great for them. The range goes to 1500 feet. They are also called water oak and are not the type of native oak that hates to be watered. They even grow in the river! They will find the water table with a strong tap root that reforms and drills deep deep deep into the clay for summer water. Until that happens you will need a drip system so it won't dry out in the summer. The whole valley floor here in Napa was Valley Oak back in the day before wheat, fruit trees and finally wine grapes dominate. Usually you will see the round apple sized gall balls hanging and that will help identify a Valley Oak from a distance. If you are from other parts of the US you would call this tree a White Oak. Beautiful!

This piece of art will greet you at Main Street near Pueblo. It was made from Corten steel and crafted by a young talent named Andrew using a picture of Valley Oak, Quercus lobata taken here in Napa.

This is a picture of 5 of a row of 9 large Quercus lobata, Valley Oaks, lined up and ready to be planted nearby. We are proud to offer large sized native oaks grown in Napa Valley from acorns collected in Napa Valley. We are collecting acorns now for the next crop of Valley Oaks for a neighborhood near you.

Feijoa, also known as Pineapple Guava and Guavasteen, are one of my favorite fruits. It is great that here in Napa we can grow this guava without protecting it from winter frosts like we have to do with the other guavas. The petals are edible and the fruit is just now starting to drop. It is ripe and is collected from the ground as soon as you can. The texture of the flesh is like a pear but the taste is a cross of a pineapple, a banana and a strawberry. The skin can be eaten or not. It has been an important commercial crop in Australia and New Zealand for 100 years but is hardly known in the states. It is origianally from Central and South America. I love Feijoa.