San Diego Cypress, Balboa Park. Balboa Park's trees date back to the late 19th century. In 1892, Kate O. Sessions, often referred to as "the Mother of Balboa Park," got the City of San Diego to lease 30 acres for her nursery. In exchange, Sessions committed to planting 100 trees per year in the park. Her work transformed the park from a mesa into a landscape dotted with shaded lawns, flower gardens, and natural paths. Many of the trees she introduced are thriving, including this one.

The tree is located north of the intersection of Balboa Drive and the El Prado. What is remarkable about the City's work here over 150ish years, is its ability to geoform a new sustainable gardens in what had been an unsuitable environment.