Mike Pepera spear-headed a “Love Your Block” grant application a few years back, that finally came to fruition last weekend. The grant funded new vegetation and labor to update the landscaping along the Corrine Median.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Saturday morning, April 24, 2021, with a community turnout of over 15 people! Neighborhood specialist Krista Roy was also able to stopped by for a visit and photo op. The plants added to the median include an Arizona Cypress, which will live and grow in our community for many years to come (read the unique history of this seedling below).
We are grateful for everyone’s dedication and support in bring this project to life!
The Arizona Cypress:
The Arizona Cypress is a conical, hardy evergreen native to interior Mexico and Southern USA. It is expected to grow up to 40 ft tall at a rate of 18-24 inches per year, and 25 ft wide. It prefers full sun and is well-adapted to poor soils and hot climates…making it a perfect candidate for our Corrine Median! Here is a bit on the history of how this particular seedling made its way from the San Diego Botanical Garden all the way to Phoenix, AZ.
“I purchased this Arizona cypress seedling at the San Diego Botanical Garden plant sale in October of 2019. It was in a tiny pot labeled Arizona Cypress, Cupressus arizonica, and was only 2 two inches tall! I brought it to my home in Solana Beach, CA, transplanted it into a slightly larger pot, and gave it lots of loving care, water and sunshine. As it grew, I increased the pot size to one gallon and then to two gallon. It was a very handsome healthy plant. From the very first I was thinking of how I might find it a home in Phoenix, where I have two siblings with gardens of their own and I thought they might like it for their yard. I knew that it was not a tree that I could put in my own coastal garden, but when I learned of its mature size of up to 40’, no one seemed to want it!
My sister Sue and her husband Mike visited me in September of 2020, and I showed them the little tree which was now about two feet tall, with two strong trunks and healthy foliage. Lo and behold, Mike shared that he was in the process of a project to beautify the Corrine Median by updating the landscaping, and he said that one day this plant might find a home there. And so, it came to pass on April 15th 2021 my husband and I came for a visit and brought along the Arizona cypress. Two days later, on April 17th, we were pleased that the planting project came to fruition and the wee little seedling, now a promising “teenager”, found a home in Arizona, where hopefully it will grow to a graceful old age!”
~ Sherry