San Francisco's gum trees are in full bloom

Red flowering gum trees are in bloom across the city.

Why it matters: Despite their beauty, Rachel Gordon, a Public Works' spokesperson, told us the city isn't planting the trees as much anymore, in part, because they need "a very large basin and wide sidewalk" to accommodate their size.

• This year, the city hasn't planted any new red flowering gum trees.

What they're saying: "It's a long goodbye to San Francisco's best tree," Mike Sullivan, author of "The Trees of San Francisco," said in an interview. "In 10 or 25 years, you're going to see a lot fewer of them."

• Sullivan said red flowering gum trees — native to Perth, Australia — are his favorite in the city, partly because of how much they thrive in the cool, coastal climate.

Be smart: The trees bloom from July to mid-August, and despite their name, their flowers can come in a variety of colors, including orange, pink and white.

• Currently, there are almost 2,500 red flowering gum trees in San Francisco, according to a Public Work's database that catalogs every street tree in the city.

Worthy of your time: The largest red flowering gum tree in the U.S. is here in San Francisco in the St. Francis Woods neighborhood at the corner of Monterey and Junipero Serra boulevards.