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# Letter: Ginkgo trees unsuited to replace ficus on Second and Fourth Streets
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/052307-story/
- Published: 2007-05-23T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:48:33.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Main St, #archive-import

*By C. Johnson Santa Monica Falwell’s life in perspective Editor:*

It appears Bayside officials are in the dark (“Shedding light,” May 22). The ginkgo biloba trees chosen to replace the fabulous old-growth ficus trees bear plum-like 1” fruit, shed leaves in the fall, can grow to 100 feet tall with a girth of 3-4 feet. (They are) recommended for zones 4 - 8\. Santa Monica is zone 10.

Second and Fourth Streets will look as bare and soulless as the parking lots between Main Street and Neilson Way, where dozens of old-growth ficus were removed a few years ago. But that is what this city likes.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 23, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052307.pdf?ref=smdp.com)