Tour the Stous Promenade

review trees found thriving at the Overland Park Arboretum

Each year thousands of visitors pass through the Stous Promenade on the west side of the visitor center at the Overland Park Arboretum. The Stous Promenade was a wonderful gift from John and Irma Stous and is today one of the finest parts of the arboretum. We invite you to come see these beautiful trees of which a few are described below. More then 80 trees of 46 species or varieties make up the Stous Promenade. Markers in front of the trees give the common name, the scientific name, country of origin. Students, homeowners and future homeowners frequently study the trees in Stous Promenade to help with their selection of trees to be planted in their yards. The Overland Park Arboretum is located on 179th Street, about 1/2 mile west of Highway 69 in south Overland Park.

There are three very interesting Korean Mountain Ash growing on the east end of Stous Promenade. Not a member of the ash family but the rose family. Slow to medium growth rate to 40’ tall and 25’ wide. Does not grow well south of Wichita or Tulsa as it does not like hot, humid weather. Four inch wide clumps of creamy white flowers in spring followed by gorgeous pinkish red to red berries in clumps.

The history of our stunning Pacific Sunset Maple goes back to China where one of its parents, the Shantung Maple came from Europe where the other parent, Norway Maple came from. This is a hybrid of Shangtung Maple (Acer truncatum) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides). Four of these trees are growing in Stous Promenade. Yellow spring flowers are very noticeable. The trees are heat and drought tolerant with good green leaves all summer and brilliant reddish-orange fall foliage. Expect 30+’ in height and at least 25’ spread at maturity. Prefers full sun.

The great Kentucky Coffee Tree, Gymnocladus dioicus, is native in Kansas and Missouri as well as most of the Eastern US. Greenish white flowers appear in May and June. The leaves of the Coffee tree are the largest of all of the woodland tree leaves frequently growing to 3’ in length and 2’ wide with dozens of smaller leaflets making up this large area we call a leaf. Coffee tree is very tolerance to pollution and will grow in most soils. Full sun is best but it will grow in dappled shade with less foliage.

Another gorgeous tree in Stous Promenade is the Japanese Pagoda tree. A medium to large tree to 60’ tall and 40’ wide with attractive green foliage all summer. Each leaf is made up of 9 or more smaller leaflets. The leaves stay clean and green all summer. You will be rewarded with large 12” clusters of creamy white to very light yellowish white flowers in July and these flowers will turn into short neckless shaped seed pods. Strange that the Japanese Pagoda is not from Japan but from China and Korea but the Europeans first saw it in Japan hence the common name.

In her book The World of Magnolias, Dorothy Callaway describes Magnolia acuminata as growing to 100’ tall. Commonly called Cucumber Tree or Cucumber Magnolia. It gets this name from the odd shape of the seed pod. We have a nice ten foot tall youngster of a Cucumber

Photos by Ken O’Dell.

Japanese Pagoda tree in bloom in July

Korean Mountain Ash leaves, green fruit, and ripened fruit Seeds, Sweetbay Magnolia

Above, Lacebark Elm ‘Glory’ in June and a closeup of its signature bark below.

KEN O’DELL Expert Plantsman

Ken O’Dell is the Kansas City Regional Leader of the Kansas Native Plant Society, a lifetime member of the Friends of the Arboretum, and long-time volunteer at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Garden. You may reach him via email at Ken@springvalleynursery.com.

Nikko Maple in June

Magnolia growing at the far east end of Stous Promenade. It has flowered in past years and should do so each year with 5” greenishyellow flowers.

Two Sweetbay Magnolias grow in the Stous Promenade. These make lovely multi-trunk trees with 4 to 5” white flowers and great fragrance. Colorful red seed pods and showy red seed add interest in late summer and fall. Will grow to 20 to 25’ here in the Kansas City area. The leaves are shiny dark green on top and silvery beneath. Magnolias were named for the French botanist Piere Magnol. Sweetbay Magnolia is a very popular tree and is frequently used in area landscapes.

In the Stous Promenade we have a superb Persian Hazelnut also known as Turkish Hazel or Turkish Filbert. The scientific name for this jewel is Corylus colurna. Native in southeast Europe and west Asia our tree at the OP Arboretum does well in this Kansas City climate. Karen Kerkhoff, Park Supervisor at the arboretum is growing this specimen as a single trunk tree. Most of the Persian Hazelnuts are grown as very low branched trees with multiple trunks and branches sitting on or near the ground. The nut like fruit is edible. The leaves are a grey-green all summer with little to no autumn colors. This is a slow growing, hardy tree.

Whoever thought we would be interested in a hybrid catalpa tree?! The world already has northern catalpa, southern catalpa and Chinese catalpa. I for one love the catalpa trees. There is a hybrid between the southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) and the Chinese catalpa (Catalpa orientalis). The Morton Arboretum has information about a catalpa hybrid with the scientific name of Catalpa erubescens and most likely the common name of Purple Leaf Catalpa. This is a cross between our native Southern catalpa and the Chinese catalpa. We have a young purple leaf catalpa growing in the Stous Promenade just west of the amphitheater. The new growth this past spring was slightly purple and should increase each year as the tree grows. Large clusters of orchid like white flowers with yellow and purple stripes in the throat and long bean seed pods. This tree should get at least 40 to 50 feet tall in the next 30+ years.

Most of us are familiar with the pink flowering mimosa tree with light green lacy foliage but have you seen the chocolate mimosa tree? The foliage on chocolate or summer chocolate mimosa tree is a deep burgundy color. The fragrant flowers are a brighter pink and have some white in them.

Carl Maximowicz was a botanist who traveled much of the world looking for new trees for Europe. In 1860 he saw an unusual maple tree growing in Nikko, Japan and gave it the scientific name of Acer nikoense which we call Nikko maple. The scientific name has since been changed to Acer maximowiczianum in honor of Carl Maximowicz. This tree grows next to the Haake terrace in Stous. It is a small, multi-stem tree which will grow to 40’ tall and 30’ wide. A three leaflet leaf with reddish coloring on the new growth and frequently brilliant coppery red coloring in the autumn. Full sun or dappled shade.

The 30-foot tall lacebark elm growing on the west end of Stous has very interesting bark as the name implies. A lacy apearance that grows even more beautiful with age. We have a selection of lacebark elm that is called Glory. Small elm shaped leaves and flowers that adorn the tree in late summer and early autumn. A lacebark elm older then Glory is growing on the west end of Margaret’s pond just past Byrd’s Grove. Above: Persian Hazelnut in June; Below: Chocolate Mimosa foliage

Puddle Jumping Water Garden Tour Kick-off

The 28th annual KC Water Garden Society’s “Puddle Jumping Water Garden Tour” kicks off a summer of fun with its first of six Saturdays on June 26th, 9am to 5pm. The first tour takes place in Southern Jackson County and Cass County. With cameras ready, you will be awe-struck to see the extensive garden train displays, majestic waterfalls and ponds brimming with lilies, lotus, and exotic fish.

From 6 to 10pm the fun continues at our new evening garden party, sponsored by Gradex Company in Peculiar, MO, featuring a swim pond with magical night lighting and music. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served while you have plenty of time to ask questions and learn more about this new concept–swim ponds.

Tour tickets are available at local garden centers or follow the link at kcwatergardens.com/tour/.

This event is the only fundraiser for the Greater Kansas City Water Garden Society to continue building and maintenance of water features for schools, nature centers and other non-profits in the Greater KC area.