GARDENER'S CORNER
Do You Have a Favorite Plant or Garden? By Anthony Lopez, Horticulture Technician 2
Over the years, our Members have observed its transformation into the place we know and love today. We all enjoy seeing animals, but perhaps the plants are what you love too, visit after visit. From the sea breeze bamboo (Bambusa malingensis) that tower over the path approaching Asian Bamboo Garden, to the Madagascar palm (Pachypodiun lamerei) overlooking the lily pool at Savanna Blooms Garden, our Members love many of our botanical spaces.
16
WILD MAGAZINE • FALL 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS
The next time you walk through the gardens, take a moment to see if you can spot a few of my own favorite plants. Stroll down Main Path toward the Gardens at Trout River Plaza. Along the front of Trout River Grill, caranday wax palms (Copernicia alba) boast bluish-green leaves with hook-like spines. Native to a few South American countries, this is known to many as the 'tree of life' in honor of its many uses—including wax produced on the leaves used to make candles, and a hardy trunk that is commonly used as fence posts.
PHOTOS: JOHN REED