As the name suggests, this species is not native to California or anywhere in the United States. It is commonly cultivated here, but doesn’t live nearly as long as it does in Europe, where it can live to be 300 years old. These trees thrive at higher altitudes, and one variety that grows in the Alps was used by Stradivarius.

Also, it was really fun to draw. I didn’t sit down to it until after 9:30, and I was dragging. Then I didn’t want to stop. But that is so often the way.

Advertisement