Poplar tulip

Today a friend and I visited an arboretum that I just found out was here.  It was located behind a funeral home in the area very close to my son's home near downtown Columbia.  Why did I not know this?

Anyway, 10 acres fenced off but surrounded by older homes that is set up with different natural habitats that are maintained by the University of South Carolina.  Some of the plants are endangered so they are trying to dedicate this area to preserving those plants. It is not a formal garden but a path winding through the trees with small areas that may have certain flowers or trees.  They are doing a great job with keeping the names of the plants where we could see what was what and also signs telling the viewer how this certain habitant worked with the other areas around it.     

I love tulip poplars and this little flower just happened to be sitting on the picnic table at the outdoor classroom area.