Longtime Goleta historian Tom Modugno learned recently that a developer was looking to build four large homes on the ranch Ellwood Cooper established in the 1880s. Cooper was known for planting trees, including one of the tallest in Goleta — the Ellwood Queen — a lemon-scented gum tree from Australia. In this piece, Modugno expresses what the city has to lose if this development proceeds.
We all know Ellwood Cooper left his mark on the Goleta Valley, in a good way. He planted thousands of trees around our area and many of them still exist. But there is one tree that stands above them all, literally.
The Ellwood Queen is a prime specimen of a Lemon-Scented Gum tree planted by Mr. Cooper in 1887 on his gorgeous ranch in western Goleta. The Lemon-Scented Gum is a close relative of the Eucalyptus, one of Ellwood’s favorites, and many folks get them confused. Due to their regal beauty and their drought resistance, they became quite popular and were planted throughout California as an ornamental tree.
