Request a Street Tree
Property owners can also request a street tree be planted by submitting a Street Trees Planting Request Form.
The City of Cupertino currently has thirteen tree species available for planting, subject to a few neighborhood themed streets that require a specific species. Please refer to the Neighborhood Tree Themes Map(PDF, 1008KB).
Descriptions of the thirteen available species are below. It is a goal of the City to plant street trees and expand our urban forest as much as possible.
Coast Live Oak
Quarcus agrifolia is a large evergreen tree with a dense canopy that can reach heights of 60 to 80 feet with an equal spread. The tree’s bark is smooth, gray-brown when young, becoming darker with broad, lighter gray ridges. It is susceptible to Oak root fungus and crown rot and is not a good selection for lawn areas. This tree does best with infrequent deep watering and should only be planted in areas where they have ample room to grow. These trees can be seen on the west side of Miller Ave between Disney Ln. and Bollinger Rd.
Brisbane Box
Tristania conferta is an evergreen tree with moderate to fast growth to 30 to 40 feet tall. Its trunk and limbs resemble those of the Madrone tree, with its reddish brown bark peeling away to show smooth light colored bark. Its growth is upright with a rounded head. Its leaves are 4 to 6 inches long oval, leathery, bright green. Their flowers are white to creamy and grows in clusters of 3 to 7. This tree can be seen on Blaney Ave north of Stevens Creek Blvd.
Marina Strawberry Tree
Arbutus marina is a medium sized evergreen tree that grows 30-40 ft. tall with a broad dense crown. The upright branches are covered with a smooth mahogany colored bark which exfoliating to expose new bark. Dark green leaves 4-5 inches long. The pendulous clusters of urn-shaped pink flowers are produced year-round. The fruit that follows is yellow, orange, and dark red. These trees can be seen in the lawn near the main entrance at city hall.
‘Aristocrat’ Flowering Pear
Pyrus callervana is a flowering pear tree that is deciduous. It grows fast to 30’ in height. It is pyramidal in shape with glossy, oval leaves to 3 inches long. Small, white clustered flowers appear late winter/early spring and its leaves turn to a purple red in fall. These trees can be seen on Stevens Creek Blvd median strip between Blaney Ave & Torre Ave. Semi-tolerant to fire blight.
‘Chanticleer’
‘Chanticleer’ Flowering Pear Pyrus callervana ‘Chanticleer’ is a flowering pear tree that is deciduous. It grows up to 30’ in height. It is columnar in shape with glossy, oval leaves to 2 inches long. Small, white clustered flowers appear late winter/early spring and its leaves turn to a purple red in fall. These trees can be seen along Stevens Creek Blvd roadsides from Portal Ave to Stelling Road. It is more susceptible to fire blight than the ‘Aristocrat’ Pear Tree. But is a good alternative where sight blockage is an issue.
Chinese Pistachio Tree
Pistacia. chinesis is a deciduous shade tree growing to 40’ in height. Leaves are narrow up to 4’ long turning to a brilliant display of orange, red, and crimson in the fall. In the summer the female Chinese Pistachio produces panicles of inconspicuous red dish flowers that are followed by small green berries that turn red to reddish-purple in the fall, which are relished by birds. Tree can be seen at City Hall on Rodrigues Ave.
Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia X Fauriei ‘Tuscarora’ is a small deciduous tree that only grows to 30’ in height. It has 1 to 2 inch oval, glossy leaves producing deep coral pink flowers from July to September. This popular tree can be seen at De Anza Blvd. median strip (north-end) between Mariani Ave & 280 Freeway.
Red Maple
Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ is deciduous tree growing to height of 40 to 60 feet tall with a span up to 35 feet. Its leaves are 2 to 5 inches long with 3 or 5 lobes. Leaves are deep green on top and pale underneath. As fall approaches the leaves turn to a brilliant scarlet red. Occasional deep watering and periodic feeding will help keep roots deep and avoid sidewalk damage
Maidenhair Tree
Ginko biloba. ‘Autumn Gold’ is a deciduous tree that grows to 40 feet in height. Broad, fan shaped leaves turning gold in fall. Not generally bothered by insects or diseases. It is resistant to oak root fungus. This tree is a fruitless variety.
Chinese Flame Tree
Koelreuteria bupinnata is a deciduous tree growing to height of 30 - 40' with near equal spread, blooms in June with yellow showy flower clusters to 15" long. Fruit is inflated papery-walled capsule, turning from red to coppery-colored and brown in the fall.
Autumn Purple Ash
Fraxinus americana ‘autumn purple’ is a seedless variety of ash. It grows rapidly and forms a rounded crown 50' tall and slightly less wide. The leaves are a fine deep green in summer, becoming red-purple come fall. It is currently the replacement tree being used in the Rancho Rinconada Neighborhood.
Shamel Ash
Fraxinus uhdei is a upright to narrow, semi-evergreen to evergreen tree that grows extremely fast often reaching 25 feet in height, by 15 feet in width in 10 years. At maturity the form is more spreading and will eventually grow to 70 to 80 feet. The leaves are pinnate, dark green and up to 6 inches long, each with up to 7 oval, tapered leaflets. Leaflets may burn if exposed to hot wind. Shallow rooted, encourage deeper rooting by watering deeply. These trees can be seen around Vallco shopping center and should only be planted in areas where they have ample room to grow.
London plane Tree
Platanus X Acerifolia ‘bloodgood’ is a large deciduous tree growing to 40 to 80 feet tall. The bark is usually pale grey-green, smooth and exfoliating. The leaves are thick and stiff-textured, broad, palmately lobed, superficially maple-like, the leaf blade 4 to 8 inches long and 5 to 10 inches wide. The young leaves in spring are coated with minute, fine, stiff hairs at first, but these wear off with maturity. The flowers are borne in one to three (most often two) dense spherical inflorescences on a pendulous stem.