Wayside Trees of Tropical Florida to be discussed

David Lee will be discussing his book, Wayside Trees of Tropical Florida, “the first urban tree book for Miami,” at the next Kampong Lecture, on Thursday, March 15. David, a biologist and botanist is a retired FIU professor and a former Director of The Kampong, he noticed that a comprehensive book with descriptions and photographs of Kampong trees did not exist when he moved to South Florida in 1980. This book documents nearly 100% of all species on site: 501 trees, consisting of 125 natives and 376 exotics, including 68 palms.

But Wayside Trees of Tropical Florida is not a textbook. Lee hopes that native Floridians and newcomers alike will use his book to learn about trees in their neighborhood. The paperback not only provides photos of trees in their habitat and their leaves, fruits, and flowers for easy identification, but also details facts about their origin, cultural and religious significance. As David Lee puts it, “Every city needs an urban tree flora as an aid for residents to learn about the natural history in our cities, as a beginning of their environmental education."

The Kampong (4013 S. Douglas Road) opens at 6:30 pm with a dessert reception, and the lecture begins at 7 pm. Attendance is free to Kampong Fellows and Members; tickets for the public are $10.

Reservations required: 305.442.7169 or email kampong@ntbg.org