Rare Chimera Redwood Tree Finds New Home In Cotati

COTATI (CBS SF) -- The fate of a rare redwood tree in Cotati has been decided after the SMART agency agreed on a new location near the city's new rail station.

The coast redwood tree has grown alongside railroad tracks in Cotati for over six decades, and was saved from removal by the efforts of an arborist and the neighboring community.

The tree, which grows green and white foliage is called a chimera, and displays both colors from separate sets of DNA. Arborists say the chlorophyll-deficient redwood may be the only chimera capable of producing both male and female cones, making it valuable for scientific research.

"When it was pointed out that this tree had some unique characteristics, SMART then determined that we should move that tree," Matt Stevens, SMART's Community Relations Manager said.

SMART announced that the move to City Hall was unfeasible due to power lines along the path on East Cotati Avenue, requiring 25 lines to be disconnected and reconnected.