Monkey Trails the Numbers to the Plant ID Signs
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10 Pygmy Date Palm 13 Thai Mountain Giant Phoenix roebelenii Caryota gigas Native to Southeast Asia, this is This species is the largest of the a popular palm for indoor and Caryota species, reaching up to outdoor landscapes around 100 feet tall. It is a hapaxanthic the world. The species is slow tree, meaning that the tree dies growing, only reaching a mature after it flowers and sets fruit— size of 8 to 10 feet tall. after about 15 to 25 years. Another common name for this plant is fishtail palm. Caryota species are the only palm trees with bipinnate leaves. This means that the fronds of the palm are Look closely at this palm tree and you will notice that it FUN FACT has multiple heads. This is a “crested” palm and it is not divided twice, giving it the look of a fish’s tail. FUN FACT entirely understood why some develop in this manner. 14 Forest Bush Bell Mackaya bella 11 Silver Saw Tree This shrub is native to South Acoelorraphe wrightii Africa and reaches 6 to 8 feet tall. It produces light lavender This palm forms thickets in flowers in spring. ‘Bella’ is Latin brackish swamps in its native for “beautiful,” referring to its habitat in Florida, West Indies, attractive flowers. and Central America. In San Diego, it prefers light shade, coastal conditions, ample water, and good drainage. The fruit of this shrub is a hard, woody pod that splits and scatters the seeds. FUN FACT The common name comes from the rows of sharp orange teeth arranged along the edges of FUN FACT the leaf petiole. 15 Texas Wild Olive Cordia boissieri This small tree grows 15 to 25 feet tall and is native to south Texas. The funnel-shaped flowers attract 12 Macaw Palm butterflies and hummingbirds. Acrocomia aculeata The peak bloom season is in spring, but flowers can be found This spiny palm is native to the throughout the year. tropical Americas, Cuba, and the Caribbean Islands, and can reach up to 60 feet tall. The pinnate The fruit is eaten by birds and other animals. The leaves resemble that of a queen fresh fruit is slightly toxic to humans; however, Native FUN palm, but this species can tolerate FACT Americans cook the fruit to make jellies and dyes. dry spells more easily. Made possible through the generosity of The Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Foundation The fruit is the size of a small apple and has the flavor FUN of coconut. It is a favorite food of hyacinth macaws. FACT sandiegozoo.org Monkey Trails the numbers to the plant ID signs. The tour Matchbegins at Map Locator 3, continues along Monkey 4 Autograph Tree 7 Joy Perfume Tree Trail to Treetops Way and back to the Front Plaza. Clusia rosea Magnolia champaca Bay Rum Tree This large, evergreen shrub is This evergreen tree is an Indian 1 Pimenta racemosa salt and drought tolerant and relative of the iconic southern will grow in full sun to part magnolia of the southeastern This is a small tree in the myrtle shade. The ornamental white United States. The sweet- family, related to allspice and flowers last only part of the day. smelling flowers bloom nearly guavas. The leaves can be year round. used in cooking and tea, and essential oils are also distilled from them. The early Spanish Conquistadors in the West Indies The oils from the flowers are used to make the A type of cologne named ‘Bay Rum’ was historically used the leaves of this tree as writing paper and to perfume ‘Joy’, considered to be one of the costliest FUN FUN made in the early 20th century by distilling the oil using FACT make playing cards. FACT fragrances in the world. FUN FACT rum and water, hence the common name of the plant. 2 Atemoya 5 Red Mahogany 8 Caribbean Royal Palm Annona squamosa x Annona Khaya nyasica Roystonea oleracea cherimoya This tree is native to the This impressive palm can grow This is a cross between two fruits, the evergreen forests of central up to 130 feet. It is often used sugar-apple Annona squamosa and and southern Africa. Its as an ornamental with its large, the cherimoya Annona cherimoya. lumber is prized for making smooth, gray trunk. The genus The fruit is popular in Asia, South furniture and cabinets. Roystonea was named for Roy and Central America, Cuba, and the Stone, a U.S. Army General who Middle East. Artificial hand pollination fought in the Civil War. produces the best fruit quality. All the red mahoganies found along Monkey Trails The fruit is an important part of the diet of orange- were received as 5-gallon plants in 1999 and grown The fruit has a taste similar to a piña colada and winged Amazon parrots and red-bellied macaws in FUN can be eaten right out of the shell. FUN in the Zoo’s plant nursery until their installation as FUN FACT FACT FACT Nariva Swamp, Trinidad and Tobago. 36-inch box specimens in 2006. 3 Moreton Bay Fig 6 Watkins Fig 9 Traveler’s Palm Ficus macrophylla Ficus watkinsiana Ravenala madagascariensis This species is native to eastern This strangler fig from the rain This tree is not a true palm, Australia where, if grown without forests of eastern Australia can but is in the same family as the competition, it can reach 150 reach heights of up to 135 feet and well-known bird of paradise. It feet wide. In crowded, natural forms massive buttress roots. The is a striking and unique tree and forest habitats—or near buildings figs are the main food source for is often used as a focal point in in an urban setting—it tends to cat birds, which spread the seeds tropical landscapes. grow tall and narrow. up into the canopies of host trees. This huge, 168-inch diameter, 440,000 pound specimen This plant gets its name from the fact that thirsty Another example of this species grows near the San was moved to the center of Monkey Trails by a tracked travelers may find water that accumulates in many Diego Natural History Museum. It was planted in FUN FUN gantry system. The tree was moved 300 feet horizontally FUN parts of the plant. In fact, each leaf base can hold FACT preparation for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition. FACT FACT and 30 feet down to its current location. up to one quart of water. 10 Pygmy Date Palm 13 Thai Mountain Giant Phoenix roebelenii Caryota gigas Native to Southeast Asia, this is This species is the largest of the a popular palm for indoor and Caryota species, reaching up to outdoor landscapes around 100 feet tall. It is a hapaxanthic the world. The species is slow tree, meaning that the tree dies growing, only reaching a mature after it flowers and sets fruit— size of 8 to 10 feet tall. after about 15 to 25 years. Another common name for this plant is fishtail palm. Caryota species are the only palm trees with bipinnate leaves. This means that the fronds of the palm are Look closely at this palm tree and you will notice that it FUN FACT has multiple heads. This is a “crested” palm and it is not divided twice, giving it the look of a fish’s tail. FUN FACT entirely understood why some develop in this manner. 14 Forest Bush Bell Mackaya bella 11 Silver Saw Tree This shrub is native to South Acoelorraphe wrightii Africa and reaches 6 to 8 feet tall. It produces light lavender This palm forms thickets in flowers in spring. ‘Bella’ is Latin brackish swamps in its native for “beautiful,” referring to its habitat in Florida, West Indies, attractive flowers. and Central America. In San Diego, it prefers light shade, coastal conditions, ample water, and good drainage. The fruit of this shrub is a hard, woody pod that splits and scatters the seeds. FUN FACT The common name comes from the rows of sharp orange teeth arranged along the edges of FUN FACT the leaf petiole. 15 Texas Wild Olive Cordia boissieri This small tree grows 15 to 25 feet tall and is native to south Texas. The funnel-shaped flowers attract 12 Macaw Palm butterflies and hummingbirds. Acrocomia aculeata The peak bloom season is in spring, but flowers can be found This spiny palm is native to the throughout the year. tropical Americas, Cuba, and the Caribbean Islands, and can reach up to 60 feet tall. The pinnate The fruit is eaten by birds and other animals. The leaves resemble that of a queen fresh fruit is slightly toxic to humans; however, Native FUN palm, but this species can tolerate FACT Americans cook the fruit to make jellies and dyes. dry spells more easily. Made possible through the generosity of The Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Foundation The fruit is the size of a small apple and has the flavor FUN of coconut. It is a favorite food of hyacinth macaws. FACT sandiegozoo.org Monkey Trails.