Lexington, KY Arboretum

[Palmerr]

Here are some pics that I found at the arboretum that I thought were very cool! I found  bamboo and a trifoliate orange that’s budding (We went on Sat 21st Mar) and other cool plants I sadly didn’t take a picture of an abnormally large little gem magnolia a royal empress tree that was not doing well it was cut back twice they said in 22’ and 25’ and crepe Myrtle’s (No tag but saw the seed heads and smooth bark) Japanese apricot which is not there anymore.. sad. Still cool they tried prob was this winter that killed it. It had a 1-2 in trunk it seems. That was it. It had a lot of cool plants but I might come back during the summer to see their tropical display I saw a bird of paradise there once wonder what else they will have this year! (Thanks for letting me use your phone dad, mine was dead LOL)

[ahosey01]

17 hours ago, Palmerr said:

Here are some pics that I found at the arboretum that I thought were very cool! I found  bamboo and a trifoliate orange that’s budding (We went on Sat 21st Mar) and other cool plants I sadly didn’t take a picture of an abnormally large little gem magnolia a royal empress tree that was not doing well it was cut back twice they said in 22’ and 25’ and crepe Myrtle’s (No tag but saw the seed heads and smooth bark) Japanese apricot which is not there anymore.. sad. Still cool they tried prob was this winter that killed it. It had a 1-2 in trunk it seems. That was it. It had a lot of cool plants but I might come back during the summer to see their tropical display I saw a bird of paradise there once wonder what else they will have this year! (Thanks for letting me use your phone dad, mine was dead LOL)

My family and I are Mormons and when we went to the Nauvoo Visitor's Center the LDS Church maintains, they had a giant red Ensete Banana (huge) growing in their garden.  This in Northern Illinois.  Who knows what lengths they go to in order to protect or re-plant every year, lol....  the bird of paradise thing sounds very similar.

Empress tree is Paulownia tomentosa correct?

[Palmerr]

On 3/25/2025 at 12:09 PM, ahosey01 said:

My family and I are Mormons and when we went to the Nauvoo Visitor's Center the LDS Church maintains, they had a giant red Ensete Banana (huge) growing in their garden.  This in Northern Illinois.  Who knows what lengths they go to in order to protect or re-plant every year, lol....  the bird of paradise thing sounds very similar.

Empress tree is Paulownia tomentosa correct?

Pretty sure but that’s cool northern Il?

[SeanK]

Is the trifoliate a "flying dragon"? I think that's what is used as rooting stock for hybrid citrus. Standard P.trifoliata has horrific spines.

[Palmerr]

Yes you’re correct! People also grow it for Ornamental value in colder areas but now it has become invasive in WV KY VA etc.