California has a lot of pine trees (San Diego, San Francisco: gated, bars)

[Axxlrod]

I might be weird, but I only like pine trees in the mountains. Above 5k feet altitude or so. To me that is where they belong.

I don't like seeing pine trees in areas that are at sea level. Messes with my mind. I like leafy trees in these areas. Love me some Maple and Sycamore trees.

I once passed on making an offer on a house because it had several large pine trees on the property. True story.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by yearinvermont

California is one of my favorite states in the country. It has pretty much everything: the ocean, mountains, the beach, rivers, lakes, the desert, and even its own sea. The only shortcoming is that while there are a lot of pine trees, there aren't many deciduous trees like they have on the east coast. I lived on a mountain in southern California and it was pretty much all pine trees and basically nothing else. When I drove up to Northern California, including Yosemite, there were just more pine trees. Even the redwoods were basically pine trees. I'm just wondering if anyone else noticed how many pine trees there are in California, and if they get tired of only having pine trees and not enough trees that are leaved trees.

Well it's not a Humid Continental Climate and glaciation was very limited.

It's great to see a more ancient set of species.

[yearinvermont]

In LA there are lots of oaks and even streets named for them (Los Robles), there are also jacarandas and other trees that were imported to the area probably. My point is though is that on balance there are too many pine trees and not enough other kind of trees. I noticed Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico had a similar problem so I'm not trying to single out California. But I think, to be reasonable, you have to admit there are too many pines and not enough angiosperm type trees.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by yearinvermont

In LA there are lots of oaks and even streets named for them (Los Robles), there are also jacarandas and other trees that were imported to the area probably. My point is though is that on balance there are too many pine trees and not enough other kind of trees. I noticed Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico had a similar problem so I'm not trying to single out California. But I think, to be reasonable, you have to admit there are too many pines and not enough angiosperm type trees.

No, I don't. It's only a problem if you see it as a problem. I love the California landscapes, and if I went to Vermont, I'm sure I'd like the landscapes there too, with whatever trees grow there. Every place is different, and they all have their own beauty.

Your issue seems to be that you are judging California for not being some other place.

[JGC97]

Originally Posted by yearinvermont

California is one of my favorite states in the country. It has pretty much everything: the ocean, mountains, the beach, rivers, lakes, the desert, and even its own sea. The only shortcoming is that while there are a lot of pine trees, there aren't many deciduous trees like they have on the east coast. I lived on a mountain in southern California and it was pretty much all pine trees and basically nothing else. When I drove up to Northern California, including Yosemite, there were just more pine trees. Even the redwoods were basically pine trees. I'm just wondering if anyone else noticed how many pine trees there are in California, and if they get tired of only having pine trees and not enough trees that are leaved trees.

It has to do with elevation and weather conditions. You knew that already, though. Didn't you? Yosemite's elevation goes from a little over 5,000 to over 12,000 feet. Pine trees are hardier at higher elevations than flowering trees, which is why you see more of them in places like Yosemite and fewer deciduous trees. As an example, there's an abundance of oaks in the foothills but as you drive higher up, you see less and less of them and more pines appearing. It's simple botany, really. There are plenty of streets in California lined with trees that aren't pine. You lived on a mountain so it stands to reason pine trees were the only thing you saw.

[Unsettomati]

Originally Posted by yearinvermont

California is one of my favorite states in the country. It has pretty much everything: the ocean, mountains, the beach, rivers, lakes, the desert, and even its own sea. The only shortcoming is that while there are a lot of pine trees, there aren't many deciduous trees like they have on the east coast. I lived on a mountain in southern California and it was pretty much all pine trees and basically nothing else. When I drove up to Northern California, including Yosemite, there were just more pine trees. Even the redwoods were basically pine trees. I'm just wondering if anyone else noticed how many pine trees there are in California, and if they get tired of only having pine trees and not enough trees that are leaved trees.

The word is 'conifer' - pines are just one sort of conifer.

Anyway, California abounds in oaks of many species, aspens, cottonwoods, maples, walnuts, not to mention palms, Joshua trees, and so forth.

Of course, conifers tend to dominate in higher altitudes, such as on the mountain you lived. But while most of California has mountain ranges, the majority of the state is by no means 'high altitude'. So the whole notion that the state has 'only' pine trees is utterly wrong.

California, due to its considerable variation in elevation and climate and isolating mountains, has more biodiversity than any other state.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by yearinvermont

In LA there are lots of oaks and even streets named for them (Los Robles), there are also jacarandas and other trees that were imported to the area probably. My point is though is that on balance there are too many pine trees and not enough other kind of trees. I noticed Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico had a similar problem so I'm not trying to single out California. But I think, to be reasonable, you have to admit there are too many pines and not enough angiosperm type trees.

I don't think you know California very well.

[yearinvermont]

Hi I agree with Axxlrod. I also wouldn't buy a property that had too many pine trees. I disagree with Ruth4Truth. I know California very well.. I lived in LA, Santa Cruz, in a mountain somewhere, Palm Springs, and I've been to San Francisco multiple times, Mt. Shasta, Mendocino, Yosemite, Sequoia National Park, Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego, the Salton Sea, San Diego, Barstow, Needles, Blythe, Bakersfield, San Luis Obispo, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, the Mojave Desert, Mono Lake, Sacramento and a lot of other places. I lived in California for at least fifteen years. The fact is that there are a lot of pine trees, and not a lot of other kind of trees. Sure there are a few deciduous trees here and there but not very many compared to how many pine trees there are. I don't know why people won't admit that this is the case and it's a major shortcoming. Sure the east coast has problems too because it's cold. Maybe deciduous trees cause it to be cold, or the cold causes deciduous trees to occur, or there is a third factor that causes both deciduous trees and the cold, so maybe that is why Californians are wary about deciduous trees. I don't know really, but it's kind of silly not to admit that the state is lacking in trees that are not of the pine tree variety, and this is kind of a problem for having a variegated landscape.

[NextStage]

Originally Posted by yearinvermont

Hi I agree with Axxlrod. I also wouldn't buy a property that had too many pine trees. I disagree with Ruth4Truth. I know California very well.. I lived in LA, Santa Cruz, in a mountain somewhere, Palm Springs, and I've been to San Francisco multiple times, Mt. Shasta, Mendocino, Yosemite, Sequoia National Park, Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego, the Salton Sea, San Diego, Barstow, Needles, Blythe, Bakersfield, San Luis Obispo, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, the Mojave Desert, Mono Lake, Sacramento and a lot of other places. I lived in California for at least fifteen years. The fact is that there are a lot of pine trees, and not a lot of other kind of trees. Sure there are a few deciduous trees here and there but not very many compared to how many pine trees there are. I don't know why people won't admit that this is the case and it's a major shortcoming. Sure the east coast has problems too because it's cold. Maybe deciduous trees cause it to be cold, or the cold causes deciduous trees to occur, or there is a third factor that causes both deciduous trees and the cold, so maybe that is why Californians are wary about deciduous trees. I don't know really, but it's kind of silly not to admit that the state is lacking in trees that are not of the pine tree variety, and this is kind of a problem for having a variegated landscape.

Well hopefully you've managed to land in a place now that pleases you visually.

[yearinvermont]

Well we moved to the east coast, but now it's cold. We would go back to California, but there are so many pine trees there!