Key West Botanical Forest and Garden
Encyclopedia
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden 11 acres (4.5 hectares) is a frost-free arboretum
and botanical garden
containing a fine collection of trees, shrubs, and palms, including several "champion tree" specimens. It is located at 5210 College Road, Key West, Florida
, USA
. It is open daily, and admission is a $5.00 "donation" for adults, $4.00 for seniors, and children under 12 are free.
The Garden includes seven trees that are either champions or challengers, and one with an honorable mention. (Champions are determined by a point system based on height, circumference of the trunk, crown spread, and physical condition. The best tree in a species is designated Champion; the second best is Challenger. Naming of a National Champion Tree is made by American Forests
; Florida champions are named by the Florida Division of Forestry).
Other native and imported trees and shrubs in the Garden include: Poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum
), Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera
), Black Ironwood (Krugiodendron ferreum
), Spanish Stopper (Eugenia
foetida
), Pigeon Plum (Coccoloba diversifolia), Tamarind
(Tamarindus indica), Milk Bark (Drypetes
diversifolia), Cinnamon Bark (Canella winterana), Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba
), Woman's Tongue (Albizia lebbeck
), Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum sanctum
), Blolly (Guapira
discolor), Purge Nut Thicket (Ximenia americana
), Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis), Senegal Date Palm (Phoenix reclinata
), Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax
radiata), Shortleaf Fig (Ficus citrifolia
), Marlberry (Ardisia
escallonioides), Silver Palm (Coccothrinax argentata
), Red Stopper (Eugenia
rhombea), Key Thatch Palm (Leucothrinax morrisii
), Jamaica Dogwood (Piscidia piscipula
), False Tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum
), Bay Cedar (Suriana maritima), Wild Coffee (Colubrina
arborescens), Cinnecord (Acacia
choriophylla), Pond Apple (Annona glabra), Limber Caper (Capparis
flexuosa), Satin Leaf (Chrysophyllum
oliviforme), Paradise Tree (Simarouba glauca
), Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea), Sabal Palm (Sabal palmetto
), Buccaneer Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii
), Lime Prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum fagara
), Joewood (Jacquinia
keyensis), Lancewood (Nectandra
coriacea), Green Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), Washington Palm (Washingtonia robusta
), and Varnish Leaf (Dodonaea viscosa
).
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden Website
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
and botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
containing a fine collection of trees, shrubs, and palms, including several "champion tree" specimens. It is located at 5210 College Road, Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is open daily, and admission is a $5.00 "donation" for adults, $4.00 for seniors, and children under 12 are free.
The Garden includes seven trees that are either champions or challengers, and one with an honorable mention. (Champions are determined by a point system based on height, circumference of the trunk, crown spread, and physical condition. The best tree in a species is designated Champion; the second best is Challenger. Naming of a National Champion Tree is made by American Forests
American Forests
American Forests is a 501 non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy forest ecosystems. Their stated mission is to "grow a healthier world with trees". The organization was established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association by physician and...
; Florida champions are named by the Florida Division of Forestry).
- Locust-berry (ByrsonimaByrsonimaByrsonima is one of about 75 genera in the Malpighiaceae, a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. In particular in American English, they are known as locustberries...
lucida) - National Champion - Wild Dilly (ManilkaraManilkaraManilkara is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae. Collectively known as manilkara trees, they occur throughout the tropics. A close relative is the genus Pouteria....
bahamensis) - National Champion - Barringtonia (Barringtonia asiaticaBarringtonia asiaticaBarringtonia asiatica is a species of Barringtonia native to mangrove habitats on the tropical coasts and islands of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean from Zanzibar east to Taiwan, the Philippines, Fiji, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia...
) - Florida Champion - Cuban Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinaleGuaiacum officinaleGuaiacum officinale, commonly known as Roughbark Lignum-vitae, is a species of tree in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, that is native to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America.-Description:...
) - Florida Champion - Arjan Almond (Terminalia arjunaTerminalia arjunaTerminalia arjuna is a tree of the genus Terminalia.-Description:...
) - Florida Challenger - Black Olive (BucidaBucidaBucida is a genus of flowering plants in the Indian almond family, Combretaceae. It contains the following species :* Bucida angustifolia * Bucida buceras L...
buceras) - Florida Challenger - Pongam (Pongamia pinnataPongamia pinnataMilletia pinnata is a species of tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, native in tropical and temperate Asia including parts of India, China, Japan, Malesia, Australia and Pacific islands. It is often known by the synonym Pongamia pinnata as it was moved to the genus Millettia only recently...
) - Florida Challenger - Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) - Honorable Mention
Other native and imported trees and shrubs in the Garden include: Poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum
Metopium toxiferum
Metopium toxiferum is a species of flowering tree in the cashew or sumac family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to the American neotropics...
), Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae, that is native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean, including southern Florida, the Bahamas, Barbados and Bermuda...
), Black Ironwood (Krugiodendron ferreum
Krugiodendron ferreum
Krugiodendron ferreum, commonly known as the Black Ironwood or Leadwood, is a species of tree in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. It is found in southern Florida, throughout the Caribbean and from southern Mexico to Honduras...
), Spanish Stopper (Eugenia
Eugenia
Eugenia is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It has a worldwide, although highly uneven, distribution in tropical and subtropical regions. The bulk of the approximately 1,000 species occur in the New World tropics, especially in the northern Andes, the Caribbean, and the...
foetida
Eugenia foetida
Eugenia foetida is a member of the family Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, and is colloquially referred to as "Spanish Stopper" or "Boxleaf Stopper."...
), Pigeon Plum (Coccoloba diversifolia), Tamarind
Tamarind
Tamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
(Tamarindus indica), Milk Bark (Drypetes
Drypetes
Drypetes is a plant genus of the family Putranjivaceae. It was previously put in family Euphorbiaceae, tribe Drypeteae and was the sole pantropical zoochorous genus of the family...
diversifolia), Cinnamon Bark (Canella winterana), Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as the Gumbo-limbo, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from the southeasternmost United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil and Venezuela...
), Woman's Tongue (Albizia lebbeck
Albizia lebbeck
Albizia lebbeck is a species of Albizia, native to tropical southern Asia, and widely cultivated and naturalised in other tropical and subtropical regions. English names for it include Lebbeck, Lebbek Tree, Flea Tree, Frywood, Koko and Woman's tongues Tree...
), Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum sanctum
Guaiacum sanctum
Guaiacum sanctum, commonly known as Holywood or Holywood Lignum-vitae, is a species of flowering plant in the creosote bush family, Zygophyllaceae. It ranges from southern Florida in the United States and the Bahamas south to Central America and the Greater Antilles...
), Blolly (Guapira
Guapira
Guapira is a genus of plant in family Nyctaginaceae. It contains the following species :* Guapira myrtiflora, Little* Guapira rotundifolia, Lundell...
discolor), Purge Nut Thicket (Ximenia americana
Ximenia americana
Ximenia americana, commonly known as Yellow Plum or Sea Lemon, is a small sprawling tree of woodlands native to Australia and Asia....
), Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis), Senegal Date Palm (Phoenix reclinata
Phoenix reclinata
Phoenix reclinata or Senegal Date Palm is a species of flowering plant in the palm family native to tropical Africa, Madagascar, and the Comoro Islands. The plants are found from sea level to 3000 m, in rain forest clearings, monsoonal forests and rocky mountainsides.-Description:P...
), Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax
Thrinax
Thrinax is a genus in the palm family, native to the wider Caribbean. It is closely related to the genera Coccothrinax, Hemithrinax and Zombia. Flowers are small and bisexual, and are borne on small stalks....
radiata), Shortleaf Fig (Ficus citrifolia
Ficus citrifolia
Ficus citrifolia, also known as the Shortleaf Fig, Giant Bearded Fig or Wild Banyantree, is a species of banyan native to southern Florida, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America south to Paraguay...
), Marlberry (Ardisia
Ardisia
Ardisia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrsinaceae , native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas, Asia, and Australasia...
escallonioides), Silver Palm (Coccothrinax argentata
Coccothrinax argentata
Coccothrinax argentata is a palm which is native to Bahamas, south Florida southeast Mexico and San Andrés Island. It is a small , slow-growing fan palm with leaves that are dark blue-green above and silver-coloured below. Flowers are white and small on light orange branches. The fruits rae...
), Red Stopper (Eugenia
Eugenia
Eugenia is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It has a worldwide, although highly uneven, distribution in tropical and subtropical regions. The bulk of the approximately 1,000 species occur in the New World tropics, especially in the northern Andes, the Caribbean, and the...
rhombea), Key Thatch Palm (Leucothrinax morrisii
Leucothrinax
Leucothrinax morrisii, the Key thatch palm, is a small palm which is native to the Greater Antilles, northern Lesser Antilles, The Bahamas and the Florida Keys. Until 2008 it was known as Thrinax morrisii. It was split from the genus Thrinax after phylogenetic studies showed that its inclusion in...
), Jamaica Dogwood (Piscidia piscipula
Piscidia piscipula
Piscidia piscipula, commonly named Florida fishpoison tree, Jamaican dogwood or Fishfuddle, is a medium-sized, deciduous, tropical tree endemic to southern Florida, the Florida Keys, Texas, Caribbean, and Latin America. Native Americans of the West Indies discovered extracts from the tree could...
), False Tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum
Lysiloma latisiliquum
Lysiloma latisiliquum, commonly known as False Tamarind, is a species of tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to southern Florida in the United States, The Bahamas, the Caribbean, southern Mexico, and northern Central America....
), Bay Cedar (Suriana maritima), Wild Coffee (Colubrina
Colubrina
Colubrina is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of Africa, the Americas, southern Asia, northern Australia, and the Indian Ocean islands. Common names include nakedwood, snakewood, greenheart and hogplum...
arborescens), Cinnecord (Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
choriophylla), Pond Apple (Annona glabra), Limber Caper (Capparis
Capparis
Capparis is a flowering plant genus in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes...
flexuosa), Satin Leaf (Chrysophyllum
Chrysophyllum
Chrysophyllum is a genus of about 70-80 species of tropical trees, growing rapidly to 10–20 m or more in height. The genus is native to tropical regions throughout the world, with the greatest number of species in northern South America. One species, C...
oliviforme), Paradise Tree (Simarouba glauca
Simarouba glauca
Simarouba glauca is a species of flowering tree that is native to Florida in the United States, southern Mexico, Central America, and the Greater Antilles. Common names include Paradise Tree, Aceituno, and Bitterwood. Its seeds produce an edible oil. The tree is well suited for warm, humid,...
), Coral Bean (Erythrina herbacea), Sabal Palm (Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, palmetto palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm . It is native to the southeastern United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas...
), Buccaneer Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii
Pseudophoenix sargentii
Pseudophoenix sargentii is a medium-sized palm found in the northern Caribbean, south to Dominica and adjacent parts of the mainland -Description:Pseudophoenix sargentii is usually near the sea...
), Lime Prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum fagara
Zanthoxylum fagara
Zanthoxylum fagara is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae that is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay...
), Joewood (Jacquinia
Jacquinia
Jacquinia is a genus of evergreen shrubs and trees in the family Theophrastaceae, native to Central America and the Caribbean.The genus was established by Linnaeus in 1760 and named by him in honor of Jacquin.There are about 86 species. ....
keyensis), Lancewood (Nectandra
Nectandra
Nectandra is a genus of plant in family Lauraceae.-Overview:Plants from this genus have been used in the treatment of several clinical disorders in humans. It has been demonstrated that Nectandra plants have potential analgesic, antiinflammatory, febrifuge, energetic and hypotensive activities...
coriacea), Green Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), Washington Palm (Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta is a palm tree native to western Sonora and Baja California Sur in northwestern Mexico. It grows to tall, rarely up to . The leaves have a petiole up to long, and a palmate fan of leaflets up to 1 m long. The inflorescence is up to long, with numerous small pale orange-pink...
), and Varnish Leaf (Dodonaea viscosa
Dodonaea viscosa
Dodonaea viscosa is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, that has a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of Africa, the Americas, southern Asia and Australasia.-Description:...
).
See also
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden Website