What's "Happening Now" in the Children's Garden

by Erin Wright, Children’s Garden Educator & Horticulturist, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Here is the inside scoop on  what’s “Happening Now” in the Children’s Garden right now!

persimmon

Persimmon fruit in the Children’s Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

The persimmons are still on the tree here in the Children’s Garden. The persimmon is one of my favorite trees because the fruit hangs on the branches longer than even the leaves do! It looks really beautiful, like the tree is decorated with bright orange holiday ornaments. My other favorite thing about the persimmon tree is that you can eat the fruit but not until late in the season, and sometimes not even until after a frost. There is a kind of persimmon native to this area. In fact, the word persimmon is a Powhatan word meaning ‘dry fruit’.

Jujube Fruit in the Children’s Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

jujube

Another one of the coolest trees in the Children’s Garden is the Jujube, or the Chinese Date. The fruit that hang off of this tree also ripens on the branches, and is ready to eat in the fall. The fruit is highly prized for its medicinal benefits, which include soothing sore throats and helping to boost the immune system. The branches of the Jujube have giant thorns on them, which means that its fruit is well protected. See if you can find these amazing trees in the Children’s Garden the next time you are here.

See you in the Garden!