The five best drought-tolerant trees to plant on the Central Coast

▪  Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis). A favorite in California landscapes with a dense, rounded crown and beautiful orange and red fall foliage. Deciduous. Grows 30-50 feet.

▪  Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia). Revered and iconic California native. Evergreen. Grows 40-70 feet in urban areas.

▪  Gold Medallion Tree (Cassia leptophylla). Fast-growing, with long-lasting fragrant, yellow flowers produced intermittently throughout the year. Evergreen. Grows 20-30 feet.

▪  Red Flowering Gum (Corymbia ficifolia). Produces impressive summer display of crimson, vermilion, pink or orange flowers. Evergreen. Grows 20-40 feet.

▪  Valley Oak (Quercus lobata). One of California’s largest native oaks, with broad, rounded canopies of craggy branches and deeply lobed leaves. Deciduous. Grows 80+ feet.

“A Californian’s Guide to the Trees Among Us”

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 4:40 PM with the headline "The five best drought-tolerant trees to plant on the Central Coast."