The Naples Zoo - Lions, a Panther and Palms, Oh My...

[Palmarum]

The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens -

Lions, a Panther and Palms, Oh My

Zoo website: The Naples Zoo

 

Back in mid-October of this year (2018) I had the opportunity to visit the Naples Zoo in Southwest Florida. It was my first trip to the zoo and after recent years of hearing about the work being done to establish and better the plant collection, I was interested in seeing the results firsthand. The horticultural staff at the zoo has been expanded and infused with new blood, focused on bringing the existing plant collection up to a premiere status; alongside the zoo's ever growing menagerie of animal species. They have been working steadily to both maintain the original garden palms, trees and plants and to update current collections with new and interesting material. The Zoo is currently going through a remodeling phase so there are many more changes to come. There were a list of reasons behind the visit, all condensed into a fun, informative and yet brief experience:

A:  I was traveling with Jeff Searle, from Searle Brothers Nursery, who was delivering a group of plants that were purchased by the Zoo during the Fall 'Ganza. They had bought a mix of material, some small, some large and needed the nursery to deliver the order. The focus of the delivery was on the larger material which included a pair of Carpoxylon macrospermum that needed heavy equipment to be loaded and unloaded. They were seen on display in the 'Ganza topic: The 20th Fall 'Ganza - First Sat. Morning the last photo set shows the palms on display. The delivery was planned two days after the second Sunday of the 'Ganza, Wednesday, Oct. 16th.

B:  After the delivery, Jeff and I were invited to a guided tour of the Zoo to see both the plant and animal species on display in their different habitats. The Zoo is set on 50 acres, including a 5-acre lake at the center of the property, so there is a lot to see. The history behind the property is quite extensive and goes back a long time, in fact, the property is approaching its 100th anniversary.

C:  Identity check. With close to 100-years of on and off again plant-related activity on the property, there were extant examples of living history in the form of unidentified plants. Many of which have been identified by the staff, but a few odd palms and other plants, especially original crotons; awaited possible identification.

D:  Hurricane Irma. The Zoo was in the direct line of fire from Hurricane Irma, which hit the area just a year before. Even without a reference for myself as to the extent of the damage, part of the tour took time to explain what had happened, what trees fell, which ones were damaged and what specimens with decades and decades of storm experience, did the best. The clean-up and repair had long since been completed, but there were still visible scars on survivors and voids where you could tell a tree once stood.

E. The last and probably the most intriguing part of the visit involved the oldest part of the history behind the property. Within the existing grounds of the zoo, lie the 14-acre southern estate of the legendary horticulturalist Dr. Henry Nehrling. This came as a surprise to me, as I have both of Dr. Nehrling's 2-volume books and often refer to them as the first guide to plants in Florida. It was a direct connection to some of the oldest plant history in Florida and I had to explore that. There is not much left from the late 1920's but one could still make out the original property outline, entrances, planting areas, etc.

 

There was a ton to see in a short span of time. I photographed as much as I could, but our time for the visit was short as we had a lot of travel time to and from the Zoo. As you are walking through, your attention is pulled in many directions at once.

- 10:34AM - With landscape truck and trailer in behind, Jeff and I left the nursery early in the morning and crossed over the width of the state via good old US 41. Not many alligators to see, as it was a very hot day. As we got close, our directions told us to look for Exit 105, Golden Gate. The Zoo is not far from the exit and with a few turns we were there. I didn't take that many photos at the entrance as I had to navigate and this one photo didn't do it justice. Part of the remodeling includes a vast new entrance area that will be on the other side of the property. As we drove through, we noticed extensive construction in the form of new office and veterinarian buildings. 

- After a short wait at the security gate we were escorted to the back of the Zoo property to the horticulture facility, where we would unload the palms and plants. The crew were ready for us as we pulled up and parked in front of one of their growing areas. The trailer was first. The doors were opened and one of the Macarthur Palms, Ptychosperma macarthurii, was first to be unloaded via a dolly. With her hands on the palm, Chief Horticulturalist Danielle Green is head of the department and oversees everything plant and grounds related at the Zoo. To the left, her second in command, Horticulture Manager Darryl Windham is next in line to grab a plant. Danielle and Darryl selected the plants during two trips to the 'Ganza. (B) The unloading continued by hand until someone mentioned that doing it this way was going to take a while... so Danielle jumped onto a tractor equipped with a bucket. Problem solved.

- Jeff Searle, who was at the front of the trailer, was sliding palms towards the back before jumping out to help load. He has his hands on a large Cyphophoenix nucele as he carries it over to the bucket. (B) From one palm to the next, he keeps going until the bucket gets full, then repeats. A pair of 7 gal. Dypsis carlsmithii were next, followed (C) by a leafy Pinanga coronata (wide leaflet, broad form).

- With this load full, Danielle drives it over to be unloaded on ground cloth, over on the left. This process went on for a while. (B) Jeff peers into the trailer to direct crew members as to what plant they should bring up next, after the Beccariophoenix fenestralis.

Ryan

[Reeverse]

The Zoo is going to look GREAT with that material!

[Alicehunter2000]

What a great read....look forward to seeing it one day.

[Palmarum]

- The unloading from the trailer via the tractor continued as the material got smaller and smaller in size. It reached the point where it was faster to move the remaining palms by hand. The staff moved in order, one plant after another. (B,C) Danielle carries off one of the remaining palms, a Dypsis carlsmithii.

- The last plant from the trailer was a 7 gal. White Bird-of-Paradise, Strelitzia nicolai. The selection of plants were a mix of the rare and the common. The plants had a two-fold purpose; the first was as a decorative screening for an upcoming fund-raiser gala and then secondly the material would be planted in the Zoo landscape as intended. (B) After the trailer was unloaded, it was the palms in the truck that were next. Only part of the plants on the left came from the trailer. There was a lot of material in line to be planted at the Zoo; from nurseries and sources far and wide. The truck was backed up to allow access to the truck bed...

- Time for the even larger material to be unloaded. Jeff was unlatching the side panels and handing them to Darryl, as the Kubota tractor with the bucket was pressed into service. (B) It was tricky to line up the front of the bucket even with the truck bed, it took a few attempts. The crew member on the left was steam powered. (C) With time being short, and seeing that more practiced hands were needed, Danielle got behind the controls of the tractor once again.

- A grouping of giant Areca Palms, Dypsis lutescens, were laying astride the two Carpoxylons and had to be unloaded first. Love 'em or hate 'em, when you need a living screen in a hurry, few can do it better than an Areca Palm. (B) The first one was righted quickly and plopped over into the bucket. The pot used up half the bucket, allowing two plants to fit side-to-side equally, a nice time saver.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- After the first, came the second Areca Palm. Even with the tractor, a lot of elbow grease was needed to get the plants to the side of the truck. It took all three of them to tilt the palm upright, then slide it over to the edge of the truck bed...

- .. using teamwork, the palm was then lifted slightly and carried over the gap to the bucket. (B) With two loaded Areca's ready to move, Darryl lets Danielle know she is clear to go and unload them.

- As the first two palms were being moved to their spot in the holding area, Jeff takes a moment to ask questions about the Zoo. That chain-link fencing seen in the background is the rear part of a large animal enclosure. (B) Two down, three Areca's to go. With a bit of sheer strength and grit, Jeff and the crew member pull one of the large pots straight up and over one of the Carpoxylon's.

- With the now free space in the truck bed, it was a little easier to move the pot over to the bucket, not by much as they were still heavy. (B) A fourth Areca gets loaded in a hurry as Jeff gives the "go" signal.

Ryan

[Missi]

We should do a Palmies meet up at the zoo guys! Pleeease???

[Palmarum]

- The second load of Areca's were being dropped off, as Jeff and company were (B) discussing the possible unloading methods involving the Carpoxylon's. They were laying down side-by-side, with their leaves spirally wrapped around the center and tied up with twine. Oh, and they were quite heavy in case you didn't guess.

- There was one more Areca to unload before they could get at the robust duo. At this point it was reactionary more than anything, as the last Areca was raised and loaded in one long pull and push.

- To unload the robust Carpoxylon's a bit more 'umpf' was needed. Danielle parked the tractor and climbed aboard a backhoe-loader, a Kubota M59 TL 1350, that had a forklift attachment at the front instead of a bucket. The forks were more flexible and dynamic, as the large pots had fork slides at the bottom and the palms needed to be righted by a strap. Danielle was right at home at the controls, she was driving it forward and back, forward and back in a hurry; maneuvering it around like a sports car.

- The first Carpoxylon had to be pulled out, kept straight, moved to the edge of the bed and righted in one continuous action...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Just now, Missi said:

We should do a Palmies meet up at the zoo guys! Pleeease???

I figured you would find this topic.

A 'PRA' at the zoo would be a great idea, as they have a ton more to look at -- compared to what I had time to photograph. It is a long drive from the East coast, but I am sure something will come up to get a few of us from the East side back over to Naples.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- "Easy... easy... there." They couldn't just yank the palm upright. They had to do it slowly, so the strap would not slip and potentially damage the crownshaft.

- With a flick of the wrist and some pushing and shoving, the first Carpoxylon was up right. Jeff beings to remove the strap as everyone was getting ready for phase two...

- Phase two involved the turning of the pot so the fork slides at the bottom would align with the forks on the loader attachment. Easier said than done, as the sheer weight and bulk of the palm made it impossible for three people to turn and due to the length of the backhoe-loader, it could not get at a good 'attack' angle to turn the pot with the forks. (B) A call was sent out for assistance. Within a few minutes, two more employees arrived to help turn the pot...

- With some willpower and brute force, they turned the pot and got it on the forks. After the hard part was done, a little hydraulic pressure lifted the palm off the bed.

Ryan

[bubba]

Ryan,

What an awesome thread! Searle Palms to the Naples Zoo to enhance the historic Nehrling South Florida experiment after Gotha. Truly iconic essence interwoven. The best of the best. Thank you, bubba

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Great thread and photographic documentation.

 

I think a PRA to the Naples Zoo and the nearby Naples Bot Garden would be really cool.

[Jeff Searle]

16 hours ago, Missi said:

We should do a Palmies meet up at the zoo guys! Pleeease???

You going to show up?

[Missi]

2 hours ago, Jeff Searle said:

You going to show up?

 YES!!! 

[Palmaceae]

15 minutes ago, Missi said:

 YES!!! 

I don't know, someone could be weeding that day 

[Palmarum]

- A second later, the first Carpoxylon was free of the truck bed. Although the forks were in the right spot and the palm and pot were balanced with some heft, the specimen was moved very slowly. Having it fall off would be... bad. Darryl directs Danielle back and forth, as the palm clears the truck. If you flip through the photos, it will move faster than it did in person.

- One foot (meter) at a time, Danielle moves the palm over to its temporary holding spot. (C) The gang awaited her return, as their attention turned towards the last plant of the delivery, the second Carpoxylon.

- Practice makes perfect. Everyone knew what to do and the second palm was lifted, dragged over and righted with swiftness and skill.

- Over a span of two minutes, the second palm was righted and placed onto the forks. Teamwork had the process down pat, figures it would reach this point with the last plant.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- There it goes. The last plant of the delivery was moved over as the crew placed the side panels back on the truck, secured the trailer, etc.

- With Darryl's direction, Danielle lowers the second palm and slides it off the forks. (B) All delivered and ready for action. The two Carpoxylon's would remain tied up for a short while, as an irrigation line would be run over to them and water delivered via a set of drip emitters. If I remember correctly, these two specimens are destined to decorate the new grand entrance area, once construction is completed; one on either side of the main walkway. In the background, towards the left, a recently-constructed shadehouse can be seen and when in person, voices could be heard. I followed the voices...

- I caught up to Danielle and Darryl as they were giving a quick tour to Jeff of the shadehouse and nearby horticultural facilities. The shadehouse was built mostly for the care of smaller material and to protect them from varmints, mainly raccoons. It was getting full of palms and other plants that would, one day, inhabit the Zoo grounds. The tour continued in the back areas of the Horticultural Department, which included interesting conversations about the complexity and everything involved with the unique world of zoo horticulture. There is a lot more to it than just growing and maintaining plants in a zoo setting; it includes all the possible animal interactions and the needs of each animal species, habitat, shelter, food, etc.

(B) I took a moment to look around the holding area at the various plants. The gathering was interesting, as the plants ran the gamut from rare species purchased for the creation of a specific themed exhibit to large & common trees that were simply unwanted and donated to the Zoo. One palm in particular caught my eye. This is a seven-gallon, hybrid, heavily clustering, Copernicia. At first glance and from a distance I thought it was a Serenoa repens, but then I noticed the lavender tag and remembered this palm came from a batch of one-gallon plants sold at the 'Ganza less than a year earlier. It floored me as to how fast it had grown. I know where the seed were collected (not telling) but I do not know as to the exact parentage. It will be a freaky looking palm for sure.

 

Note: Guided by Danielle and Darryl, Jeff and I began our tour of the Zoo which included all areas of a working zoo imaginable. It was quite fascinating to go 'behind the scenes' and see a lot of what goes on to make a zoo function on a daily basis, similar to related shows and specials seen online and on TV. These areas included some of the cool landscaping, rare trees, historic plants, identification queries and wow moments of the tour. But due to security and safety reasons, I was unable to take photos which I easily agreed with. Many of the animal species housed by the Zoo are rare, endangered and potentially dangerous and therefore need specific and carefully designed methods to keep them safe and secure.

 

- 12:09PM - Our tour left the working areas and entered the public and open sections of the Zoo. First, as a plant person, I noticed the balanced mixture between the old and the new. Ancient trees provided vast canopy for large expanses of the zoo, often sheltering sitting areas, exhibition centers, and enclosures under one tree. Then, over by itself, was a dynamic planting bed, used to rotate material in and out based on the season. The limit on time was hanging over me, as I was trying to absorb it all at once while taking care not to 'break' the sponge. (A) In one large corner near the current entrance and gift shop, a massive clump of Bamboo reigned as the dominant plant. It is one of the original plants of the property and I was unsure as to the name. It had sub-clumps that were several yards and meters away from each other, separated by open spaces, once occupied by culms long gone. (B) A stately Spindle Palm, Hyophorbe verschaffeltii, welcomed visitors as they exited the gift shop. (C) We headed towards the older, more heavily planted areas of the Zoo. Along one path, an Aiphanes minima puts it armament on display.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- We entered a circular planting area ringed by large shade trees to investigate a grouping of old, established Crotons. One or two had possible names, while others were unidentified. Jeff was put on the spot to try and identify the unknowns. As his reaction dictates, he didn't know all of them. It was decided that one or two may be really old cultivars that may have been named, but have lost their identity to the ages. One here and one there might have been unnamed seedlings that grew on their own during periods of inactivity on the property. Crotons are so variable that it often takes a group of collectors and Croton growers to truly narrow down an ID; more heads the better. (B) Danielle leans in to check out one mostly-red Croton and what may have planted itself nearby.

- The environment around the Zoo is variable when it comes to extremes of cold and wind. Within the property there are significant micro-climates. The Zoo is protected somewhat from severe cold with different factors. The 5-acre lake that sits within the center of the property acts as a warm blanket and the property is located between the windy coast and the colder inland areas. When compared to the Naples Botanical Garden, the nearby Naples Airport and employee residences, the Zoo seems to record the warmer temperatures. The horticulture staff will try to grow anything at least once. One example of zone pushing, is this Cacao or Chocolate Tree, Theobroma cacao, known for being cold sensitive.

- Moving from one area to another, we came across damage caused by Hurricane Irma. In two images of the same two, very tall canopy trees, you can see how thick the nearby plant growth is near the bottom, but as you look up, (B) you can see entire sections and branches missing. Both trees have already started to recover with all that new growth.

- One shady area held a mix of different tropical foliage plants, flowering shrubs, gingers and of course, palms. The eye candy that were the undivided leaves of this Pelagodoxa henryana were hard to ignore. It seems to love this spot. The edge of the lake was not far away, just past that clump of bamboo.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- Planting areas are distributed throughout the Zoo. One area may have a theme based on a locale or environment, while another will be more utilitarian, serving a purpose like shading a playground or seating area. There are pockets of material planted out in the open and others that are more hidden, requiring a bit of exploration to find. Along pathways, an oval or rounded plot of land serving as a median is often planted with unique items of botanical interest. (A) One such area, held a collection of different palms including a very happy and mature Hydriastele dransfieldii. (B) Across the pathway from the H. dransfieldii and in their enclosure, two young male Tigers, brothers I believe, were laying down in the shade under the lower platform. At this point I should mention that it was a very hot day, much hotter than usual for mid-October in South Florida. As we were nearing the peak of the afternoon, the temperature reached 96ºF (36ºC). It was toasty. Many animal species (human and otherwise) were seeking shelter from the heat. This was the best Tiger shot I could get.

- As we entered an open expanse of the Zoo, I immediately noticed this veteran and very tall Royal Palm, Roystonea regia, being flanked on one side by a Solitaire Palm, Ptychosperma elegans, with an equally impressive height. "Those are some old palms." I thought to myself. How old in fact, was not completely known at this point. They probably date from the early 1950's, one time period that included expansion of the property, but they may be older. In the first photo, I was backing up as far as I could get to fit in as much of the palms into the frame as possible, but I couldn't get all of both trunks.

- The collection of massive canopy trees were amazing to see. Not all, but a good portion of them reflect the century-long history of the property. They are so big, it was impossible to photograph them entirely, at any distance and at any angle. If I had a fisheye lens, maybe. Follow the trunks up in the first photo, and connect them to those in the second.

- I kept trying to back up and re-shoot the same angle, but it was hard to capture the magnitude of these trees.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- The tour meandered back and forth, between plant and animal exhibits. As we made our way into the forward areas of the Zoo, we entered the oldest sections of the property, bordering the original Nehrling garden. One part held this group of four, incredibly tall Royal Palms... they were scratching the sky. It is hard to put their size in perspective, but not only was I looking up at them, but I was also standing quite far away when I took the shot. They date from the Nehrling era. The four once numbered five, but Hurricane Irma took out one of them last year. (B) More interested in lunch than anything else, a Radiated Tortoise, Astrochelys radiata, munches away as I took this quick photo before moving on. This tortoise is critically endangered in its Madagascar habitat.

- Rare and very unusual, the Fosa had a perfect enclosure, complete with the look and feel of a rainforest. So realistic in fact, that I couldn't see them hiding in the dense cover. The heat was making everyone hide today. (B) Signs of Hurricane Irma's effect could be seen in the background. This Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia, had to get its main branches restrained as part of the tree was lost in the storm. It was done to reduce the weight-related stress on the lower parts of the tree. 

- An interesting Sabal dating from antiquity awaited further discovery, via its identity. We could not get any closer to the palm, but it reminded me of the S. domingensis we saw in the Dominican Republic during the '06 Biennial. (B,C) The tour rounded a big corner of the property and I came face to face with the huge crown of an American Oil Palm, Attalea cohune.

- The big turn in the tour had us heading back towards the rear of the Zoo property. We had a few key palms and other plants to look at along the way including one or two animal habitats. (B) Did I mention the Attalea cohune was mature? Well there was evidence of that fact popping up here and there among the landscaping. This seedling was just outside of one enclosure and would need to be relocated in the near future.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- Along side one of the paved pathways, an isolated planting bed was packed with all sorts of material. There were gingers and Heliconias, small palms, bedding and area fill plants all residing in this one circular plot. At the center of the plot, a Red Highland Betel Nut Palm, Areca macrocalyx var. 'Mariae' was taking up residence. It is one of the largest specimens I have seen in S. Florida, perhaps matching a few others on the east coast and in the Florida Keys. We were told this tall plant has been quite fast growing and bears the large internode rings to prove it. It continues to tolerate the cold, winter after winter, often striving through while donning some browning in the leaves. The newer flush of growth can be seen at the top, as its fast-rate of growth comes in handy to quickly replace any leaves damaged by cold.

- We kept on the move, trying not to slow down for too long in any one spot. The tour came across one tropical themed planting area that incorporated several beds, plots and pathway margins. It was planted full with plants of all kinds and of course, palms were a big part of the design. It took time to see it all. At each step, you could walk right past several plants. The leaves, petioles and brightly colored rachises of this Hydriastele pleurocarpa* caught my eye, along with its personal cage at the bottom. Would you like to guess what it is for? It is for protection against rabbits.

- It is hard to find a large palm collection these days without a Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf'. It has quickly become a symbol of the rare and exotic in the world of palm cultivation. (B) Darryl points out plant after plant before reaching this glowing and vibrant example of Ficus pseudopalma. It is positioned in just the right spot. It is growing out over the pathway reaching for the sun and is leaning away from the other taller plants in the bed. 

- This area had representatives from an assortment of plant families. The large-leafed tree in the center of the frame was one of several different specimens planted around the Zoo. (B) The second photo shows a close-up of a newly emergent leaf on the same tree. The name escaped my notebook as one page was missing. I think the page was torn out at the spur-of-the-moment and used for something else. Post the name if you recognize it. I think some ink transfer on the previous note page shows the genus might have began with the letter "M", but that could have been another plant.

Ryan

[John hovancsek]

Macarenga ganndifolia. I am pretty sure that's what that last plant is

[Palmarum]

Just now, John hovancsek said:

Macarenga ganndifolia. I am pretty sure that's what that last plant is

Thank you, that's it. Macaranga grandifolia with those giant leaves from the Philippines and Sulawesi. It is growing in a section dedicated to plants from SE. Asia and Indonesia.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- Why have one when you can have two. A second Dwarf Betel Nut Palm had been recently added to the collection. It is a short distance from the first one and will hopefully one day provide some excellent cross pollination, while looking truly stellar. (B) A large clump of Arenga hookeriana shows itself off to onlookers with its paddle-shaped leaves. The clump also had to be provided with anti-rabbit defenses. I was surprised to learn how much of a problem rabbits are on the west coast, I barely ever see them anymore on the east coast, not since the old days. Darryl mentioned how they will relish one plant and yet completely ignore another.

- The surprises continued, as I was thrilled to see this Breadfruit Tree, Artocarpus altilis, growing so vibrantly and full. It was the biggest one I had seen outside of the Florida Keys. I was getting the impression that this part of Naples never saw cold at all. In the foreground, the broad pleated leaves of a Ficus dammaropsis can be seen.

- The tour reached the original grounds of Dr. Henry Nehrling's residence and plant collection. The original house is long gone, but the paved area represents where the small house and the earliest plant collection once stood. It is a large circular area, and along the outer edge, there are massive living examples of Nehrling's legacy. Forming a ring of giant trees, several different species of Ficus were planted around the edge almost a century ago. They were difficult to photograph as I couldn't get far back enough and they are behemoths, just imagine how big a Ficus species can get in a hundred years. I was walking on hallowed ground.

(B) Not far from the Nehrling residence, we came across one of the major highlights of the Zoo, the enclosure belonging to Athena, the Naples Zoo's resident Florida Panther. She can be seen in the center of the photo, near the back of the enclosure. She didn't seem too interested in us, until some noise was made in the bushes near the corner on my right, then she turned and I took the picture. The noise was made to sound more 'interesting' so Athena entered full cat mode. She went low to the ground, raised her haunches and proceeded to walk slowly and stealthy along the edge of the enclosure towards us. When she got to the fence, she noticed it was Danielle making the noise and then relaxed, flicking her tail; then she continued to walk along the front edge of the enclosure...

- I went to the edge of the walkway to get a closer view through a break in the landscaping. Athena went on to pose for a short while, as I did my best to photograph her through the fence. Look at those paws... One thing that struck me immediately, was the lack of sound made as she moved. Totally silent. Those wide paws and their pads were perfectly engineered to absorb sound. (B) Athena's origin story is unique and was inscribed on a nearby sign:

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- I enjoyed Athena's company as I took photo after photo. I was in a weird position and could not move right or left at all. After a minute or two, she turned and began to walk away, heading past the plexiglass viewing window...

- I transferred to the window as she moved from shade to sun. She headed for the undergrowth of the enclosure...

- ... without a second glance, she slowly disappeared into the foliage cover, with just the tip of her tail showing, before it too, vanished. A great experience. It was the first time for myself seeing a Florida Panther in person.

- 1:14PM - It was time for lunch. We left Athena to patrol her enclosure as we made a straight line back towards the Horticulture buildings. We took a different path back so we could see more of the Zoo. We traced one edge of the lake and I noticed the rough-textured bole of this Araucaria bidwillii, or Bunya-Bunya or even False Monkey Puzzle Tree. The tree was robust and had the markings of great age. I had to stop for photos... then I had to catch up.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- Lions! We reached our last stop before leaving the Zoo proper and entering the service areas via a side gate. We were in the African Plains section of the Zoo and shared a moment with the Lions as they were hanging out in the shade. With the intense heat, they were taking it slow today.

- The tour group headed for the parking area where we unloaded the plants seen earlier and then started the conversations regarding "Where we going for lunch?" and "Whose vehicle are we taking?". They were figured out quickly, as we all piled into one car and headed on out to eat. We found a great spot for lunch, complete with plant and zoo related chat. As we headed home, I thought about all there was to see at the Zoo and how I had fun photographing what I did. Some of the best parts of the tour were not even captured in photos. If you ever have a chance to visit the Naples Zoo you should, as they are adding new and interesting plant material all the time, not to mention the new expansions and animal exhibits. A 'PRA' at the Zoo would be interesting, as Missi mentioned above. There are events at the Zoo that happen throughout the year and there might be one to coordinate with.

 

Ryan

---<

[Missi]

On 12/13/2018, 11:55:24, Palmaceae said:

I don't know, someone could be weeding that day 

I DESERVE THAT  I WILL be at the zoo meetup, whenever it shall be! 

[Missi]

My favorite residents of the zoo are the clouded leopards!  Wow, they've added a LOT of awesome plants since I've been there last! Thanks for the little photo tour!

[otwpalm]

Around 1990 I was collecting seeds and growing as many palm varieties as I could find. I met a very nice older man at the Zoo and due now to my old age I don't recall his name for sure but I think it was Abernathy. He held a PhD and told me that many years earlier he had worked at the Zoo. The owner traveled the world and sent him many many plants with no ID included with them. It was up to him to determine planting sites, either shade or sunny and wet or dry. On several visits at the Zoo with him we traded plants and seeds. I was given many seeds from the Monkey Puzzle(?) and many sprouted and were sold. My largest now is maybe 50'. I gave him a 5' Baobab and in return he gave me a clump of Gigantic(?) bamboo that barely fit in the bed of my truck. The stems were cut about 4' up and it took several years to sprout new growth but is now maybe 50' tall. He was a very nice man but sadly was forced to leave the Zoo.