While walking to the ER to volunteer the other week, I spied this GORGEOUS festival of “bottle cleaners.”

How stunning!!

Aren’t these trees super cool? They’re actually bushes that are cut into the shape of trees. They’re all over the Bay Area, but before we moved to the west coast, neither Earl nor I had ever seen them. We think they’re pretty neat. I don’t know the exact name for them, although I’ve heard them called both “Bottle Cleaner” and “Pipe Cleaner” plants… I’m sure you can see why.

My aunt, who lives in Pleasanton, told me those trees are really common out here, however she does NOT like them, because they “attract too many bees.” I think if we ever have a yard, I would totally get a couple of them, they’re just so cool looking! Bees, schmees… besides, isn’t there a major shortage of bees now anyways, so shouldn’t we encourage them to be buzzing around?

Of all the bottle cleaner trees I’ve seen in the city, this one in particular had the most and brightest blooms. I stood there in the sunshine and soaked in her beauty for a solid two minutes. A perfect 10! Don’t you agree?

UPDATE: A bit of google-ing and I found out the tree is called the Callistemon, and is native to Australia. I do declare, the Callistemon which I found here in the SF city streets is FAR more comely than the one in the wiki entry!