Monkey Trails - San Diego Zoo

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