What kind of tree is this?

Gorgeous. Hints; please. Season, location (is that the ocean I see?) temperature. It has the look of a cactus when it blooms after a rain.

I’ll get you a better picture of the full tree: http://www.flickr.com/photos/semiotomatic/2434513635/

It’s ubiquitous in San Francisco. This one is outside my apartment in LA. I’ve heard it called a “bottlebrush” tree. I thought it might be a “mimosa” tree based on a description in a Euginedes book, but I don’t think it is.

Does this help?

You got it!

I’m glad I could help!

Just based on what I see in the photo, it might be an Embothrium coccineum, or Chilean Firebush. It’s native to South America but can grow in USDA Zones 8–11 (particularly near the ocean on the west coast) up to 20’ tall. It’s evergreen and produces bright red (sometimes white) flowers in spring.

It could also be a Callistemon rigidus, or Stiff Bottlebrush. This is more like a shrub, growing 6–8’ and flowering in summer. It grows in USDA zones 10–11 (from Australia).

So I guess the question is, when do the flowers show up, how tall is it, and whereabouts did you find it?

Yep its a bottlebrush.

It’s a beautiful tree. What is it?

what on earth could babo have said to cause you to delete 3 answers?!!

Here’s what I said:
1. Umm…
(Then upon seeing that my answer had been deleted…)
2. OMG!!!
(And then upon seeing that my second answer had been deleted…)
3. Dude! I thought it was a joke!!! I mean, look at that thing!!! Sorry…
What that just some terrible stuff to say?

WHAT? Why did that get axed? Whatev!