Although you may know Markham best as a great place to buy plants-and a great place to talk to people who know about plants, the park was actually established to showcase some amazing trees.

Established in 1966, the 16-acre park is a unique setting in which to discover and learn about trees - both native and exotic. To create Markham Nature Park and Arboretum, the City of Concord purchased some adjoining parcels, the largest of which was the home of Ira and Bea Markham, longtime residents of Concord and enthusiastic horticulturists. Many of the beautiful trees in the park and arboretum were planted by the Markhams decades ago. Today more than 600 trees belonging to more than 90 species grow in the park. Many of these are mature specimens more than fifty years old.

To introduce visitors to some of these special trees, a Tree Walk was created. It showcases 45 different species. Many of these are native to California and thrive in the Concord area. You will also see many trees from other countries in the world with a similar Mediterranean-type climate, including a number from Australia. Many of these trees are drought tolerant and grow well in Concord. 

One interesting tree you can see on the Tree Walk is the Bunya Bunya Tree (Araucaria bidwillii) or the Bunya Pine. (#14 on the Tree Walk map). The tree makes an interesting silhouette against the sky, with its spiky foliage and long drooping branches. The Bunya Bunya comes from Queensland in Australia. However, its ancestors have lived on earth for a long time. Fossils of the genus have been found as far away as South America and Europe and there are similar trees of the genus still growing in Chile. 

The Bunya Bunya is an evergreen coniferous tree. If you are lucky, you will see one of its giant cones lying on the ground. If you are unlucky, a falling cone could land on your head. If this happens, you will get quite a headache, as the cones can weigh 10-15 lbs or more. When ripe, the cones can be as large as a pineapple. (So keep a safe distance from the tree during August and September.)

Top left: Bunya Bunya Tree; top right, leaves; bottom left, cone; bottom right, kangaroo.

Come to the park and take the Tree Walk. There is no formal path to follow, but there is a map available which gives the location and identity of each tree. Although the Tree Walk covers relatively flat terrain, wear comfortable walking shoes. You should be able to cover the entire route in 30-45 minutes, with ample time to look closely and enjoy each tree. 

Tree Walk maps are located at the far end of the La Vista parking lot and are free to visitors. Another option is to download the pdf file below and print it out on your home computer. The map is 12 x 18 inches (tabloid size). (Tree Walk.pdf)