Strollers along Caledonia Street can enjoy leafy green shade from beautiful trees including sycamores, water gums, and callary pears. Sausalito Beautiful has been implementing a multi-phase plan for improving the health of the existing trees, while adding more trees to this central shopping and residential street.
Planting of additional Trees
Sausalito Beautiful has advocated for planting street trees on Caledonia since 2015. We formed a subcommittee to work with the City and conducted a survey of neighborhood concerns which reflected an emphasis on tree maintenance.
In 2018, in partnership with Sausalito Beautiful, the City planted two flowering plum trees on Johnson Street, two Metrosideros (New Zealand Christmas tree) on the corner of Caledonia and Johnson, and another Metrosideros in front of Drivers’ Market.
In February 2020, the City planted eight new trees at the north end of the street. In 2019, the City had budgeted funds for tree installation, while Sausalito Beautiful had set aside funds for the trees. All eight trees are Tristaniaopsis lorena, or Water Gums, the prevailing species on the street. Sausalito Beautiful paid for a year of watering.
In 2023, Sausalito Beautiful continued our Caledonia Street Tree program. We managed and paid for the installation in October of six new Tristaniopsis laurina, Water Gums, on the west side of the block with Community Hardware. We reached out to property owners, obtained an Encroachment Permit from the City, and hired GSI to procure, plant, and maintain the trees for the first year.
We hope to continue working with the City to plant additional street trees on Caledonia. Our focus will be on planting techniques that encourage deep root growth so that there is minimal disruption to sidewalk paving.
Did you know that Caledonia Street is lined with 62 trees of five different species?
- 40 Water Gum
- 8 Carob
- 8 Sycamore
- 3 Callery Pear
- 3 Metrosideros
Sausalito Beautiful has planted several of them.
Species Planted
Water Gum Trees (Tristaniopsis lorina): With beautiful year-round foliage, its fragrant yellow flowers appear in late spring or early summer. Tolerant of both dry and wet conditions, grows in almost any type of soil, tolerates pollution and is essentially insect- and disease-free. A great tree to plant both in home gardens and on streets. Typically reaches 15 to 20 foot tall and wide.
Metrosideros excelsa: Admired for it’s evergreen foliage and striking flowers, this wide-spreading tree blooms in late spring or early summer. Tolerant of drought, wind, and salt spray it grows up to 30-35 feet tall and wide.
Expert Tree Care for mature Street Trees
In 2015, Sausalito Beautiful launched a project to assess and improve the health of all the existing street trees on Caledonia. We requested that Sausalito City Council set aside money for the maintenance of the mature trees on Caledonia Street. As a result, Bartlett Tree Experts pruned and fertilized the 128 trees surrounding the Civic Center and 44 additional trees lining the street. Continued maintenance of Caledonia street trees is a priority for Sausalito Beautiful.
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