This is a . . .

That's what's so great about Jigidi - all the help. I guess it's A Non Ting Tree.

It don't mean a ting if it ain't got that swing--so, as this has no rope with a tire attached, this can't be a ting.

It's a ting tree. Everyone asks what is dat ting and now you know the rest of the story.

Ooops, my bad! I wish I knew what tree this is, but I run out of tree-identifying ability after oak/maple/hickory...

Thanks pdev. will do a google.

...large plant that Joyce Kilmer wrote a poem about.

pumpkinhead, "just between us", I don't know what it is but I think some tree should be "Slim Shady" - so maybe this one. If anyone actually knows the name of this tree, I'd be interested. There is such a diversity of plants here in So. Cal. (predominantly non native) that I probably don't know 95% of their names.

never heard of it! Is there a story behind the technical name?

Yep, that's it, that's the technical name.

"Slim Shady"?