HINTS For The Arboretum Scavenger Hunt

If you have found yourself struggling to find a clue along the Arboretum Scavenger Hunt, scroll through this hint document. Each page has one hint for each clue, to help you find your way! Have fun!

Clue #1: Way up high, prominently placed, near and far, you can see what I represent in green and blue! My purpose is not to advertise but to store something essential for life hidden from sight. Hint: Look at this picture. Can you see me? I bet people from the neighborhoods all around can see me too!

Clue # 2: I’m said to live for 100 years, but people like to exaggerate. It’s too cold for me to live outdoors year-round here at The Arboretum, so every fall staff dig me up and keep me in a heated greenhouse, so I don’t get frostbite! Head toward the Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center to find me! Give it a google if you don’t know what plant I am. Hint: You could call me the 100-year plant. What is another name for 100 years? I am right outside of the Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center. I am a very large succulent plant.

Clue # 3: Can you find a group of these planted in The Arboretum? Hint: Head northwest from the Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center.

Hint:

Clue #4: Our 2-mile paved path weaves through the Walk Across Kentucky Native Plant Collection. Each area of this collection has wild-collected plants from one of the seven physiographic regions of Kentucky. Head to the region in which The Arboretum is physically located and look for a welcome sign. For a map, scan the QR code to see our Visitor’s Guide to The Arboretum brochure, or go to our website https://arboretum.ca.uky.edu/visit under the Plan Your Visit tab. Hint: head west along the paved path. Extra Hint:

Clue # 5: Kentucky was covered by a shallow sea 450 million years ago. That sea was home to trilobites, mollusks, and corals. The shells and bones of those ancient sea creatures fell to the bottom of the sea and were compressed over a long period of time under great pressure. That is how I was formed! You won’t have to go far to find me, just look around. Hint: Limestone is made up of calcium carbonate which is essentially bones and shells. Do you see a large rock close by?

Clue # 6: Continue down the mulch path toward The Arboretum Woods and you will find me; Hint: I am a tree! I grew during the last ice age and in order to defend my leaves from megafauna, such as giant sloths and mastodons, I developed a good defense mechanism! Mastodons no longer try to eat my leaves, but I still grow thorns that are up to 3 inches long, so, if you spy me, look--but don’t touch! Hint: I will be on your left and I look like this.

Clue # 7: I am a field of gold at the edge of The Arboretum Woods. Hint: Goldenrod grows at the southern edge of The Arboretum Woods along the path.

Go here

Clue # 8: My top does not match my bottom! A horticulturist grafted the stem of a Persian walnut tree onto a rootstock or root system of a different species of walnut to make me. The horticulturist did this so I would produce nuts in a shorter amount of time. Continue southeast along the paved path to find me, a “Frankentree.” Hint: There are two that look like me; you might have to search us both for the next clue.

Clue # 9: I am a tree that will make you see stars. Hint: I will be on your left as you continue down the path towards the Mississippi Embayment region. I will be on your left shortly after entering the Shawnee Hills region. Hint: This is the tree

The leaves look like this

Clue # 10: I am a tree that grows cones, also known as a conifer, but I also shed my needles each fall. I am along the boardwalk farther down the paved path. Hint: My branches look like this....

Clue #11: I am a sedimentary rock that formed when sand was under immense pressure for a very, very, very long time. This type of rock is commonly found in the Shawnee Hills region of Kentucky. Follow the path north-northeast toward the Pennyrile region of The Arboretum. Hint: Sandstone is one of the most common rocks found in Kentucky. It is easily eroded because it is made of sand and often has a grainy feel.

Clue #12: If I had another name, would I smell as good as I do? Can you find a whole garden of this flower? Hint: Roses are red, violets are blue. Who cares about the violets? Can you find any roses? We have a whole garden of them. The rose garden is enclosed by a stone fence.

Clue # 13: You have almost completed the scavenger hunt! The last clue is to find a pergola. At the pergola, take a selfie with the sign and send it to us!

Send us your picture by tagging us on Instagram @UKArboretum or Message us on Facebook (The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky) or

email us at Arboretum@uky.edu You will be entered to win a selection of Kentucky native perennial plants grown by our Native Plants Curator. Hint: A pergola is built structure in a garden that provides shade.