Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum (click on picture for larger image)

Florida is synonymous with Palm trees, right?  When new visitors or new residents come to St. Petersburg, they expect to see Palm trees, and lots of them, just the way visitors to the Smoky Mountains expect to see streams or bears…

Well, we don’t disappoint them.  St. Petersburg has Palm trees all over the place.  Many of our Palms are native to the area, and they thrive here.  Some other varieties have been imported from other warm regions and relocated here.  But whatever their origin, they are certainly one of our local treasures, and when you look up towards the deep blue sky and see the palm fronds swaying with the breeze, it just feels  like it’s supposed to feel in Florida!

But for anyone who just can’t get enough, there is an area in the North Shore Park neighborhood that has been set aside specifically for the purpose of showcasing a wide variety of Palm trees.  It’s the Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum, and it’s located on North Shore Drive, at the end of 10th Avenue North. 

It’s a two acre park that was, a long time ago, a city-owned miniature golf course.  Due to high maintenance costs, the golf course was closed down.  When the idea for a Palm arboretum was proposed by park volunteer  Mrs. Elva Rouse, another city resident who loved palms, Gizella Kopsick, made a significant donation of palm trees to get the park started.  So, in 1976, the arboretum came to life with 60 palms representing 10 species.  Over the years, more and more palms have been added.  Today, there are over 500 palms, representing over 150 species from all around the world.  There are brick walkways throughout the park, and it is completely handicapped-accessible.  There are also benches, so it’s a nice place to sit and read or just watch the world go by.

Peaceful Place to Read (click on picture to view larger image)