Another benefit of watching the PGA Championship, from Harding Park in San Francisco (see yesterday's post), is enjoying the beautiful stands of Monterey Cypress. Native to the Central California Coast, these hardy trees tolerate poor, rocky soil and grow best where the climate is cool and moist.
While a few relic groves still survive near Carmel and Monterey, most of the Monterey Cypress found along the coasts of California and Oregon have been transplanted or reintroduced; indeed, these attractive trees have been introduced to Great Britain, southern Australia and New Zealand as well. While their twisted limbs, thick, white trunks and flat, flag-like tops suggest that they are ancient trees (think bristlecone pines), these features simply reflect the raw, windy habitat in which they evolved and continue to thrive. Other species of cypress are also found along the California Coast, including Tecate Cypress in Southern California and the Baja Peninsula.
In contrast to the baldcypress swamps of the Southeastern U.S., which call to mind hot, humid air, we can almost feel a cool, damp breeze when we gaze upon a grove of Monterey Cypress. In the midst of a steamy Midwest summer, a bit of psychic air-conditioning is certainly welcome!
