A favorite tree

One of my favorite trees is the California Buckeye Aesculus californica. The first tree to leaf out (February) and with leaves that brown by June, it appears dead by June/July to the layman, which is perhaps why one rarely sees them planted in yards (or perhaps they’re cut down when they appear to be dead!). The first seasonal storm strips off the browned and crinkled leaves, revealing the compelling natural beauty of the trunk and branches, along with the large and tantalizing nuts. It’s a disappointment to me that the 1.5-3" diameter nuts are poisonous (though they were eaten in starvation years by natives after leaching out the toxin).

California Buckeye
(the outer husk splits in November, revealing a smooth and shiny brown nut)

The image above was taken with the Canon EOS 1D Mark III [buy one] and the Zeiss ZF 85mm f/1.4 Planar at f/2.8. The image rendition pleases me—what do you think?

Want an in-depth review of the Zeiss 85/1.4 Planar (and others)? Look no further: