Point Grey + Kitsilano
Introduction
Trees always play an important role in Vancouver. The first
street named after a tree existed as early as in 1874, and many more street
were named in this fashion by L.A. Hamilton in later years. These streets of
tree names tell us the cultivation of trees in Vancouver.
Heather Street
Named on Plan 228 during 1887, a subdivision of DL 472. DL
472 was pre-empted in 1874 by William Mackie, who was believed to have named
the street used by him as access to his isolated tract of land.
Heather Street is the first street named after a tree in
Vancouver. Heather is very popular
ornamental plant in gardens and for landscaping. There are many named
cultivars, selected for variation in flower colour and for different foliage
colour and growing habits. It is commonly seen in Vancouver especially in
residential gardens.
Willow Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of land
between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Willows all have abundant watery bark sap, which is heavily
charged with salicylic acid, soft, usually pliant, tough wood, slender
branches, and large, fibrous, often stoloniferous roots.
The Weeping Willow in Kitsilano is a distinctive deciduous
tree having long, narrow, leaves in a spiral formation. In fall these light
green leaves turn a golden yellow colour. Some think these gracious trees with
their long hanging branches have a sad appearance; therefore they are called
the Weeping Willow.
Oak Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Northern Red Oak is one of the most common of eastern North
American oaks growing to 30 meters tall in the mixed oak-hickory forests. It is
also the commonly cultivated oak with bristle tipped leaves in Vancouver parks
and gardens.
Oaks are one of the most common trees in North America. One
of the largest trees is just above English Bay in the park at the corner of
Beach Ave and Bidwell St; there is a large individual one the east side of Pine
Cres between 29th Ave and 30th Ave; and there are long
street plantings along Blenheim St from King Edward Ave to 37th Ave,
along 32nd Ave from Wallace St to Camosun St, and a double row along
Main Mall at UBC that was planted in 1931.
Alder Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Red Alder is by far our most common native deciduous tree,
growing from southern Alaska to California. It is usually not cultivated here,
but many be seen in abundance in any native forest, such as Pacific Spirit
Regional Park, the University Endowment Lands, Stanley Park, or Queen Elizabeth
Park.
There are two large specimens by the pedestrian underpass on
the North West corner of Stanley Park Pitch & Putt Gold Course, a number of
very large trees by the concession stand at Third Beach in Stanley Park, and a
long row of large specimens on the south side of 33rd Ave between
Oak St and Willow St.
Birch Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Birch is by far the most attractive of all white-barked
birches and deserves to be cultivated much more that it is. A native of the
Himalayas, it ultimately reaches about 18 meters tall. There are a number of
nice individuals around the city in parks and public gardens.
There is an individual on the North East corner of 20th
Ave and Collingwood St; five on the North East corner of Oak St and 7th
Ave; and several around the Pitch & Putt Golf Course in Stanley Park, in
the Asian Garden at UBC Botanical Garden, and in the Sino-Himalayan Garden at
VanDusen Botanical Garden. The best planting is a grove to the west of the
Heather Garden at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Fir Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Douglas Fir can grow 60-75 meters, and maximum heights of
100-120 meters. The two varieties of Douglas Fir occur in quite different
ecosystems. The interior variety grows in a variety of habitats including open
forests with pinegrass and mosses beneath. On the coast, Douglas Fir can grow
with western red cedar, hemlock, and grand fir.
Douglas Fir is one of the most common native deciduous trees
in Vancouver. First Nation peoples in the south part of the province used it
for fishing hooks and for handles. Its boughs were frequently used for covering
the floors of lodges and sweat lodges.
Maple Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Plan 2975 (1909) labeled the street between the Vancouver
and Lulu Island branch of the CPR and West 37th Avenue De Banco
Road, after an unidentified person. Changed to Maple Street by Point Grey in
1912.
Norway Maple is native to Europe and western Asia, grows 20
meters or more tall, and is very commonly cultivated as a city street or garden
tree in North America. There are also Vine Maple, Douglas Maple, Nikko Maple,
Japanese Maple and more of its kind around the city.
Arbutus Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets.
Arbutus is the only native broad-leaved evergreen tree in
Canada. Locally, the trees are usually called Arbutus, but they are more
commonly called Madrone from Washington to California.
Arbutus in our province reaches its northern limit on rocky
bluffs of the southwestern part. A large wild population may be seen along the
Upper Levels Highway on the rocky slopes between West Vancouver and Horseshoe
Bay. The tree is not often seen in cultivation because of the extreme
difficulty in transplanting it.
Yew Street
Officially registered on Plan 590 during 1891, but was named
on an 1887 map by L. A. Hamilton, who chose tree name for the large block of
land between Cambie and Yew Streets. Point Grey By-law 32, 1919, changed Barton
Road to Yew Street.
In the wild, Pacific yew generally live 200-300 years with
some specimens living 400 years or more. First Nation peoples used the Pacific
Yew as an anti-inflammatory, and for rheumatism, scurvy, lung and bowel
complaints.
The Western Yew is native, and is found at low to mid
elevations on the coast and interior of BC. It was considered one of the
guardian trees, and was traditional planted near wells or over blind springs.
Yew Street is very green, but any yews you see there are courtesy of the
independent gardens and hedges of residents and owners.
p.s. The watercolor paintings are done by me!
