Anyone in the neighborhood of San Marcos CA. could see some of these great ficus at the Palomar College Arboretum.  I took astronomy classes there but never realized what all was there.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/arbimg10b.htm#arboretum

Soni

Hi Soni,

Thanks for the mention of the arboretum at Palomar College.   I’m not more than 30 minute south of there and, while I’ve never visited, heard much about the arboretum from palm enthusiasts.  Think they are also renowned for their succulent collection and garden.    You have me looking forward to spending a morning at the college, I’ll follow up with a firsthand report……….. :-)

BTW…. Other than the well-known Balboa Park (huge ficus trees), lesser publicized San Diego Botanic Garden is supposed to have some nice figs.   Just a few minutes from me so, must put that on the list for re-visit with attention to figs trees.

Hello Jack,

    I could kick myself that I didnt visit the arboretum while I was right there.   I'll enjoy it vicareously through you, so please take pictures. 

Soni

Very nice trees and photos, thanks for the link.

Best,
Tam

Hi Soni,

Merry Christmas……. your wish for a vicarious experience to Palomar College Arboretum has been accomplished.  

Yesterday’s awesome 80 degreeSouthern California weather begged my visitation to the Arboretum.  You remember those warm sunny days, right!   Just trying to put you in the mood…LOL!     Anyway, think I was the only person on campus or at least in the garden acreage.  No surprise, a holiday weekend after all!  Truly serene!   I was able to raise a docent by phone, who on short notice, was nice enough to invite a personal tour of the cactus and succulent garden (his baby).  This garden is normally under lock and key and he drove a short distance from home to meet me.  He was most happy to oblige because he gets maybe one tour request a week.    Kind of sad but, indicative of the visitor traffic in the gardens I suspect.  Really nice guy and great tour but, he knew nothing or seemed to care less about the balance of acreage.

So, off I (we) went wandering through the woods.   Literally…!    Sometimes on developed pathways, trails and others, just scrambling over the rocks and brush!   With no map it was truly an adventure.  Unlike most formal gardens or arboretums I’ve visited previously, Palomar seems to be planted in a helter skelter manor.   Very little signage or identification!   Exotic bamboo planted with native oaks or foreign palms, blah, blah.   Maybe this is all in keeping with the “native” theme for all know?    The gardens do appear to be lightly visited and therefore very peaceful settings abound.   

Figs…..!    For me, most were impossible to identify.  If indeed, what I discovered were of the ficus family?  They sure weren’t your garden variety or type the F4F forum folks favor anyway!   Also, sure some of the website photo’s (i.e. Morton Bay Fig) are pirated, because I sure saw nothing of that stature.   If like the ones at Balboa Park, a blind man could see those a mile away.    Anyway, I did find or should I say…..stumbled into many an odd fig.  Best of all, I had the most delightful afternoon.  I hope you enjoyed too.  

We can now scratch Palomar College Arboretum off our “Bucket List”………:-)

Best of fig karma your way in 2014