KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It takes time for the flowers at Family Tree Nursery in Overland Park to grow. That includes the larger-than-life red KC plant, or arborvitae.
"It takes about three to four years to get to this point," said Shawn Raydo, the Family Tree supervisor. "It comes pretty bare. We decided hey, why not for the Chiefs? Let’s go ahead and turn it red."
Since then, it's been the backdrop for shoppers pictures.
The patience it took to see the display's full beauty, is the same patience it took for Chiefs fans who remember the years when the team wasn't making it to the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs.
"It was hard, but I always had faith," said Cathy Lucas, a customer and Chiefs fan. "I just felt like they had the right things going, they just needed the right players."
Now that the Chiefs are in full bloom, new fans and those who have been there since the beginning are taking the time to capture the moment.
"It was really unexpected this time, so it was a delightful surprise," said customer and Chiefs fan Kim Balas. "I’m enjoying it while it lasts and hope it continues here for a while."
Even if it means not being able to see the Chiefs play the 49ers this year in person, these fans, like Lucas, find a way to celebrate with red hair, nails and accessories.
"I figured this was my next best thing, you know, to dress up," Lucas said.
It's worth it to these fans to stick around and cheer, using the backdrop of the KC plant to remember how far we've come.
"Just excited to be, you know, a part of such a time period here for the Kansas City Chiefs," Raydo said.
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