Bermuda's Flora

120 web files on Bermuda for educators, consumers, travel agents, tourists, business visitors and professional newcomers in employment. Bermuda's only digital online library, with some files updated daily. Linked to and by the website of The Royal Gazette, Bermuda's daily newspaper since 1828.

Bermuda's Flora

Flowers, trees, fruits, grasses, herbs, trees, vegetables grow year round

To refer by e-mail to this file use "bermuda-online.org/flowers" as your Subject

Please excuse us while we change from most common names to botanical name, when possible.

Plant protection is taken seriously, to help avoid problems. The Bermuda Government employs a Plant Protection Officer in the Department of Environmental Protection, P. O. Box HM 834, Hamilton HM CX, phone 441-236-4201 extension 204, fax 441 236-4866. Send all enquiries about Bermuda plants there.

Bermuda, in weather zone 11 of the USDA, has a subtropical, not tropical, climate. Only a few of the many species of plants growing in Bermuda are endemic. Most (70%) were introduced and many have become native, meaning they arrived naturally - by natural occurrence without the aid of mankind - but can be found in other places too. Others are naturalized, meaning they were introduced by man and later established on their own. They include hedges of red, white, pink and yellow oleander, Surinam cherry - highly invasive - and hibiscus in different colors. They can grow big and wild, unlike in Britain and parts of North America where they are prized. Some have become invasive, taking over space that endemic and native plants need. Arable land is farmed year round for flowers, fruits, herbs and vegetables.

Plants to avoid include poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and stinging nettles, very similar in size and shape to those in North America. They are on numerous trails, woodlands and roads.

In his March 2003 visit to Bermuda, Colin Chubbe, a botanist with the Royal Botanic Gardens in the United Kingdom, expressed his concern over the huge number of invasive species here, including the familiar Brazilian or Mexican pepper, Chinese Fan Palm, Surinam Cherry, Fiddlewood, Kudzu, and Indian Laurel. He noted the damage they have done has gone on for so long that complete habitats are totally comprised of alien species with complete displacement of native woodland or habitat. Nowhere else in the world has he seen it on such a scale. The proportion of native plants remaining is tiny, with the invasive plants hugely aggressive and very successful. He urged nurseries and gardeners to take more of a role in ensuring the future of Bermuda's endemic plants. He toured the nurseries and found most sold potentially problematic plants without offering gardeners information or warnings on how to protect the environment. In particular, he cited Casuarina and Madagascar Olive as problems and suggested the Bermuda Olivewood instead.

There are no tall trees like dogwood, oak, sycamore or maple, or flowering shrubs like rhododendrons or azaleas. But see many other types common to sub tropical climates. They also grow in less accessible meadows and pastures in coastal or marshy areas where some farms are located. Trees such as apple, breadfruit, mango, do not grown in Bermuda. There are no forests, but some attractive woodland and wetland areas - and coastal areas. Some are national parks. The Bermuda Government levies an extremely import duty on all imported plants (for example, orchids) with roots of 33.35 percent of wholesale invoiced cost and a lower rate of import duty on all imported cut flowers. On agricultural equipment for farmers and those who tend gardens, the rate of duty is 22.25 percent.

Some well-known species, not native to Bermuda but doing well can be planted in February. They include gaillardia, gazania (some flower all year), gerbera, geraniums, gladioli, globe amaranth, globe gilia, godetia, gypsofila, hibiscus (variegated and other, as bushes or hedges), hollyhock, honeysuckle, hydrangeas, Carpobrotus chilensis (ice plant), impatiens, lantana, larkspur, lathyrus, marigold (African and French), match me if you can, narcissus, nasturtium, Natal plum, nicotiana, night blooming cereus, oleander (as hedges or bushes), pansy, petunia, phlox, passion flower, periwinkles, pittosporum, plumbago, poinsettias, portulaca, prickly myrtle, red tassel flower, rose everlasting, rudbeckia, scarlet cordia, salipigossis, salvia, scabiosa, snow plant, snow-on-the-mountain, Spanish bayonet, spider flower (cleome), star-of-the-veldt, statice, stock, sweet pea, sweet William (in Scotland, Stinking Willy), trumpet flower vines, verbena, vinca, viola, Virginia creeper, yucca, zinnia. Observe many of these on roads and Bermuda Railway Trail, also in hotel and guest house gardens and in public parks and woodlands.

When a plant is shown without a description, it is either common or should be looked up in an appropriate horticultural reference file elsewhere.

All the following were originally imported - unless mentioned otherwise - but do well.

Acacia. Very few here. (One is a Golden Mimosa). A native of Australia where they are wattle trees. Thorns are nearly 2 inches long. Fruit is like a pea or bean, but is unheard of here.

Acalypha hispida. Chenille. Or red-hot cattail. Shrub with narrow pendant spikes densely covered in red flowers. Spikes are about one foot in length and shrub can grow 10 feet high.

Adiantum bellum. Maidenhair fern. Endemic. One of the 19 fern species native to Bermuda. The most abundant, found throughout the island in crevices, cliffs, along roadsides, under rock ledges and on hillsides - almost anywhere offering shade and moisture.

Agapanthus. Some splendid specimens have been seen growing in local gardens.

Aleurites moluccana. Candlenut Tree. Native of Southeast Asia, naturalized in the tropics, State tree of Hawaii where it is also known as the kukui tree. See one at Marsh Folly Road near Dutton Avenue and at the Swizzle Inn parking lot. It can grow to 60 feet. Flowers are small, creamy white and in large clusters. Fruit, on the tree in late June, is about 2 inches in diameter, covered with a thick green flesh with one or two nuts inside, rich in unsaturated oil.

Anacardium occidentale. Cashew Nut tree. Not common, some were once planted in a rural area of St. David's known as Cashew City. A few years ago, one was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Annona cherimola. Cherimoya. One of the Annona species. Native of Peru. Produces good fruit.

Anonna muricata. Pineapple custard/Soursop. Not common but one was planted a few years ago in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Annona squamosa. Sugar apple or sweetsop. Native of West Indies and Central America. Several can be seen in Somers Gardens and old Bermuda gardens Produces good fruit.

Antigonon leptopus. Corallita Vine. Native of Mexico. Common, introduced before 1918.

Araucaria heterophylla. Norfolk Island Pine. Tallest tree in Bermuda and can grow 200 feet high. It is called such because it was originally from this island in the Pacific, off New Zealand. The trunk can be seven feet in diameter.

Argemone mexicana. Mexican Poppy, or stinging thistle and queen thistle, it flowers in many Bermuda areas. Weed.

Aristolochia spp. Introduced, not common, various names such as Dutchman's pipe, snakeroot, calico flower and pelican. Fast-growing evergreen vine, unusual flowers.

Arundo donax. Cane grass or cow cane. It grows up to 20 feet high. The canes can be used for stakes.

Australian Bottle Brush. So called because the flowers are like those of a bottle brush.

Avicennia nitida, otherwise Black Mangrove, is a gray-foliaged evergreen tree growing up to 40 feet high with numerous air-breathing roots growing upwards to 6 inches from the mud around the base of the trunk. It grows in the mud of salt lagoons and bays. Black mangroves are slightly smaller than the red variety, with breathing roots rising straight from the water. They also supply air to the underwater roots. On the back of their leaves, you may see salt crystals. This is how the tree gets rid of its salt in the water it consumes. It is an excellent tree for bees and birds. See more under Mangroves.

Avocado. A grafted Bermuda one will grow twice as large as the typical variety. Male trees must be planted with female trees to bear fruit. Subject to attack by the Pink Mealybug.

Bambusa Species (Graminae). Bamboo. Different types flourish and can reach quite high. Bambusa multiplex is large, growing to 30-50 feet high. Arundinaria japonica and Arundinaria nitada grow to about 8 to 10 feet high. Pygmy bamboo, sasa pygmea, is a few inches high and can be used as a ground cover.

Barleria cristata. Sometimes referred to as a Philippine violet but a native of India. Imported before 1918. A small shrub with blooms.

Bauhinia punctata. Nasturtium Bauhinia. Spreading, deciduous, woody shrub, up to 10 feet high. Wild. Prolific. Colorful blooms from peach to deep red, about 3 inches across. Good nectar plant for butterflies.

Bauhinia variegata var.candida. Purple-flowered. And Bauhinia monandra. Orchid trees. Introduced from Trinidad in 1874. First two are now common sight along roads. The last is not. One was planted in Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Bay bean. Sprawling vine. Especially in the dunes behind beaches. Native to Bermuda, southeast USA, Caribbean and tropics of America. Confused with but is not the seaside morning glory.

Beaumontia grandiflora. Known as Easter lily vine, Herald's Trumpet and Easter Herald's Trumpet. Not a lily at all. Imported.

Begonia spp. Named after Frenchman Michel Begon. Found in the French West Indies (Antilles) by an English plant collector.

Bermuda Sedge. Endemic and very rare. Unfamiliar to most Bermudians and tourists, similar to a small, long-bladed grass. Once in wooded marshy areas, now mostly in Abbott's Cliff, Paget Marsh and Nonsuch Island. Flowers and sets seeds in spring but rarely propagates, probably because of rats which love it.

Bermuda Shield Fern (Goniopteris bermudiana). One of the 19 fern species native to Bermuda among the 12,000 species in the world. Not common, known only in a handful of places in the Walsingham/Castle Harbour area.

Bixa orellana. Lipstick Tree. Not common. One was planted in Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectablis). Native of Brazil. A strong growing climbing vine with spiny stems and round leaves. Purple flowers are the most usual. Other varieties include red, coral and salmon, blooming at most times of the year. A gorgeous display of them is held every Christmas in one of the buildings of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens. Most nurseries have them then.

Borago officinalis. Borage. Bee plant, or bee bread in UK. Blue flowers, textured leaves.

Brachychiton acerifolius. Australian Flame Tree. From New South Wales. With spectacular scarlet-red flowers in loose clusters. Look for a superb specimen at Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Brassaia actinophylla. Umbrella Tree. Schefflera, a popular ornamental, also known as Australian or Queensland umbrella tree, Octopus tree and starleaf. Native to Queensland, introduced to Bermuda after 1918. Can grow to 40 feet. Specimens are at Botanical Gardens. There is also a dwarf umbrella tree, B. arboricola, newer. Fairly common, with orange-colored fruit.

Buddleia madagascariensis. Madagascar buddleia. A 15 feet high shrub, most common in the Castle Harbour area. Invasive. With hairy leaves and orange tubular flowers. Good nectar plant for butterflies.

Buttonwood (in the Combretaceae, the combretum family). A native of Bermuda, tropical North and South America and West Africa. Also known as sea mulberry or button mangrove. It grows out of Bermuda's coastal rocks and survives harsh conditions. It can be a shrub or a tree 60 feet high. It is deemed a mangrove and locally is often found on the inland side of red and black mangroves, as a tree. It does well in salt spray.

Cacile lanceola. Scurvy grass or Southern sea rocket, edible. Common on beaches, not the European plant of same name. Helps build sand dunes.

Caladium. A native of tropical America, grown for its ornamental foliage, or used as a bedding and pot plant. It likes partial shade and is in several areas of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, along Front Street and elsewhere.

Canna lilies. Cannaceae, the canna family. Several ornamental or hybrids have brilliantly colored flowers in yellow or orange or red or salmon.

Canna indica. Shot Plant. Also known as cane shot or Indian shot. It is most often seen at the edge of fields or uncultivated areas. Native of tropical America, can grow to 4 feet high.

Capiscum sp. Jungle Chile. Not common. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Carica papaya. Pawpaw. Originally from southern Mexico and Costa Rica, widely grown on the tropics and sub tropics. It was first brought here on the immigrant ship Edwin in 1616. It is much smaller than a papaya but a member of the same family. Very common. In old Bermuda, the juice of the green fruit was used at home to treat ringworm and warts, or to make meat more tender (sold under the name of papain). Now it is cooked as a vegetable, or eaten raw when ripe (then a yellow orange color). It is also a good source of vitamin C. Most paw paws grow to less than one pound in weight, but occasionally can be over five pounds. Seeds can be saved and planted as new trees. Some grow wild.

Carpobrotus chilensis. Ice plant or tea fig. Succulent. Very common as ground and wall cover. Introduced, native of Mexico and Chile. Long. fleshy triangular leaves and deep pink, daily-like flowers.

Cassia sp (Golden Shower). A good host plant for caterpillars and their butterflies (Cloudless Sulphur).

Cassine laneana, syn. Elaeodendron labeanum. Bermuda Olivewood. Endemic, an evergreen with leathery, dark green leaves, growing from 25 to 40 feet high. Its formal, perfectly rounded profile in maturity make it an ideal specimen tree for a formal garden. Clusters of attractive small yellowish-white flowers are seen in late winter or spring. It is slow-growing but can live to a great age. It is found growing naturally on rocky hillsides. A source of tannin. It does not do well in salt spray.

Casuarina (Horsetail Tree, Australian Pine, Casuarina equisitfolia). Introduced in the 1940s and 1950s from Australia as windbreaks to replace the Bermuda Cedar. But highly aggressive and invasive, with prickles. Nothing can grow underneath.

Cat's Claw Vine. (Macfadyena unguis-cati). Named after a Scottish botanist. A native of Mexico, West Indies and Argentina. Often looks spectacular, blankets walls or climbs up trees and flowers in April. An evergreen vine with woody stems and large bell-shaped flowers, bright yellow.

Celtis laevigata. Southern Hackberry. Non-endemic, native. An elm-like deciduous tree growing to 35 feet.

Centipede plant (Homalociadium platycladum). Also known as tape or tapeworm plant and ribbon bush. A native of Solomon Islands. In Bermuda since at least 1883. Can grow to 10-12 feet with tiny white flowers. Has a spicy scent. Only known specimen is at the Botanical Gardens.

Century Plant (Agave spp). Native to tropical America, introduced to Bermuda from Mexico. Popular throughout Bermuda in gardens, on the roadside and in hotel properties. Many types grow here, including Agave americana, A. attenuata and A. sisalana. Known for their form, size and symmetry.

Chicorium intybus. Chicory. Also known as wild succory and blue sailors. Native to Europe. Grows wild. Edible but bitter, a salad green.

Chiococca bermudiana. Endemic. Otherwise known as Bermuda snowberry. Shrub. Outside Bermuda, only at Kew Gardens in south west London.

Citharexylum spinosum. Fiddlewood. Originally from Tropical America to Argentina. Introduced by Archdeacon Spencer and planted in 1830 at Paynter's Vale Castle Harbour). It grows to about 50 feet high. Small, white and fragrant flowers cover the tree periodically. Can be damaged in windstorms.

Cinnamomum camphora. Camphor Tree. Lovely in Bermuda, with a round-headed shape and medium green leaves that when new are red and pretty. A good specimen is in the middle of the Sensory Garden of the Botanical Gardens. But no botanicals are made here from it.

Clematis flammula. Clematis. A vigorous, weedy vine, noticed mainly when it flowers and fruits, generally in September. Flowers are scented.

Clerodendrum. Native of Java. Several of more than 400 species grow, including the bleeding glory bower (C. thompsoniae), scarlet glory (C. splendens), prickly myrtle (C. aculeatum).

Coccolobis uvifera. Bay Grape. Non-endemic, native. A spreading coastal tree growing to 30 feet. Common, growing wild or as a part of hedges. It has large round waxy leaves turning reddish before they fall. Berries ripen from October to December. Edible, made into jams and preserves. Some people clip them to look like a hedge.

Codiaeum variegatum. Croton. Prolific. Can be six feet high, grown for striking colorful foliage. Flowers bloom in spring.

Coffea arabica. Coffee, grown in Bermuda for home use, not commercially. Introduced about 1750.

Coffea canephora. Coffee, grown in Bermuda for home use, not commercially. Introduced about 1750.

Coral Tree (E. crista-galli). Not common but there is a good one at the Aquarium, with dark red flowers. Another variety, E. variegata var. orientalis, also has red flowers and can grow 50 feet high. There are two specimens on the lower Camden lawn of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens.

Crescentia cujete. Calabash Tree. Native of tropical America. Not common but in Bermuda by 1790. See healthy specimens at Camden Lawn in Botanical Gardens, junction of Verdmont and Middle Road, and Somers's Garden in St. George's. Irish poet and writer Thomas Moore is said to have courted in Bermuda under the Walsingham calabash tree (damaged in 2003 in Hurricane Fabian). The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club was founded under it. The calabash gourd was useful for holding water and making lanterns from candles. Pollination thought to be done by bats.

Crinum augustum. Lily. Drought-tolerant, needs almost no maintenance, has clumps up to five feet wide and nearly five feet high. With large bulbs.

Cry Baby Tree (Erythrina lysistemon). Not common, one was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Cryptostegia grandiflora and Cryptostegia madagascariensis. India Rubber vines. Two types. Native to Africa and the second to Madagascar specifically. But quite common. They have lilac-purple flowers held in clusters. Some have seed pods up to 4 inches long.

Cycads. Either male of female (usually female in Bermuda). In the Cycadaceae, or Stangeria and Zamia families. Wild cycads are threatened with extinction.

Datura arbora. Angel's Trumpet. A Native of Peru and Chile. Large shrub growing to 10 feet high, in various colors, with large, hairy leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers. Common in parks and some gardens. Flowers are usually white, 7-8 inches long.

Delonix regia. Royal poinciana. A native of Madagascar, but grows freely in Bermuda as well as in many other countries such as Hawaii, where it is also known as the Flamboyant Tree, Flame Tree, Mohur Tree and Red Flame. It blooms in about July or August usually - and can reach 40-80 feet, spreading out to the side as well as high. One of Bermuda's most splendid trees and one of the top five in the world in beauty. A serious potential problem is the Pink Mealybug.

Delonix regia. Royal poinciana. July 2002 photo by the author exclusively for Bermuda Online.

Diplazium laffanianum. Governor Laffan's Ferns. Endemic, most threatened, one of the 19 fern species native to Bermuda. In Britton's book "Flora of Bermuda" it was first described by J. G. Baker in the Gardener's Chronicle 51:673 of 1882 from a living plant sent by Governor Laffan to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1880 and a dried specimen contributed by Governor Lefroy in 1874. It was found in caves and crevices between Harrington Sound and Castle Harbour up until 1905 and believed to have died out. But five were discovered, first by the former Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens in 1967, then forgotten, then again by Tulo Valley Nursery staff in early 2002 at the old Arrowroot Factory at the Bermuda Botanical Gardens when clearing for Masterworks Foundation.

Dodonaea viscosa. Jamaica dogwood. Native. Hopbush elsewhere. An evergreen shrub. Flowers in spring and summer. Seem mostly on coastal hillsides. Not like the North American dogwood (tree).

Dracaena draco. Dragon Tree. Native of Canary Islands. Also known as the dragon's blood tree. Only a few are known to exist here, such as outside the Crawl Post Office and in the Orchid and Fern Collection of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens.

Eichornia crassipes. Water Hyacinth. A pretty aquatic, native to Tropical America, common in Devonshire and Pembroke marshes.

Elder. Also known as elderberry. In the Caprifoliaceae, or honeysuckle family. A small tree with smooth grey bark or a thornless shrub. The three species here are the American elder (Sambucus cadadensis), native to Eastern North America; Sambucus nigra, a native of Europe; and Sambucus pubens, the American Red elder or Stinking elder. It does not fruit well in Bermuda. Flowers are edible.

Enterlobium cyclocarpum. Elephant's Ear. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Eriobotrya japonica. Loquat. Introduced from Japan by Governor Reid in 1850 as a fruit crop long after it was - and still is - widely cultivated in Southern Europe as a fruit tree and ornamental. Imported to get local birds to stop eating expensive Bermuda citrus. A native of China. It thrives in sheltered areas, so much so it is wild in places. The yellow-orange plum-like fruit 30-66 mm in size ripens in the late winter or early spring. They are edible, tart when yellow, sweet and light orange-colored when ripe, resembling a small apricot. Delicious stewed, fresh or preserved, as a relish or liqueur. Loquat liqueur is a smooth but potent, using gin, vodka or rum as the spirit base. Loquat cake is unusual. Loquat chutney is a condiment for cold meats. Loquat jam and ginger jam are delicious on toast or bread or mingled with peanut butter. Loquat pies make good eating. See Loquat Lane off Harrington Hundreds Road in Smith's Parish.

Erythrina berteoana. Mother Tree. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Erythrina corallodendrum. Sword tree. Also known as the coral tree or coronation tree, planted for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. It was introduced from Barbados by R. R. Darrell in 1825.

Eucalyptus. Native of Australia or Tasmania or Malaysia. Introduced before 1877. Types growing here include the Murray red gum tree, Australian blue gum tree, swamp mahogany tree, red mahogany tree (king eucalyptus or red Australian gum tree), white gum tree, silver dollar gum tree (red box-tree) and Sidney blue gum tree (narrow-leafed Australian gum). A potential invasive, a cousin of the Surinam Cherry. Many other plants do not do well near them. They have a unique fragrance. Some can grow very tall.

Eugenia uniflora. Suriname Cherry. Native. Technically a tree but most often seen as a hedge, useful but highly invasive. Originally from Surinam, it bears a small fruit like a miniature pumpkin. It has no resemblance in shape or taste to a North American or European cherry. Green at first, it turns yellow, then orange and finally red when ripe. In several varieties, one has almost black fruit. Home-made jams and jellies are made from it. With its density, it can affect light levels and change the nature of an area. Also common in Hawaii.

Eupatorium riparium. A small white in the species, a native of South America. One of several types found in Bermuda.

Euphoria longtan. Known as the latter, a fruit native to India and Southern China, eaten straight from the tree, also good in a liqueur. Could do well here but barely known. Experimental specimens on the Botanical Gardens.

Feijoa sellowiana. Myrtaceae. Myrtle family. Pineapple guava or feijoa. Ornamental but with edible fruit. First imported in about 1925. Grows to about 18 feet. Can flavor ice cream.

Ficus benghalensis. Ban Yan Tree. From India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Also known as Indian fig tree or Indian banyan. There is a huge one in the Botanical Gardens near the road running to the offices from the South Road.

Ficus pumila. Creeping Fig. Also known as Climbing Fig and Creeping rubber plant. Native of eastern Asia. Not edible.

Ficus religiosa. Peepul. Mulberry family. Also bo tree or sacred fig. One of about 800 types of fig trees. Probably introduced after 1918. Only one specimen is known, in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens. Other more common fig trees include the edible fig and creeping fig.

Ficus retusa. Indian Laurel. Invasive and dangerous. It will crack a house, its walls and water tank. Its roots are the prime food source for the invasive starling, which spreads its seeds throughout Bermuda.

Fiscus elastica. Rubber tree, native of India and Far East. First introduced to Bermuda by Governor Turner's wife in 1826. A famous one, planted by Perot in 1847, is at Par-la-Ville, Hamilton, near the Bermuda National Library. Another is outside "Greymoss" on Flatt's Hill, Smith's Parish.

Naturalized, they are absolutely stunning.

Some are large, others are small.

They usually flower in February and continue through until late March and beyond.

Some locals have them in their lawns, growing wild, and will not cut the grass because it will destroy them until next year.

They are so fragrant!

Many gardens have them, in many different colors.

Furcraea foetida. Wild sisal or Mauritius hemp or green aloe. Closely related and similar in appearance to the century plant. With strong scented greenish white flowers.

Galphimia glauca. Cloth of Gold. Sense upright shrub up to 6 feet, small orange flowers in clusters.

Gazania uniflora. Gazania. A groundcover with a nice daisy-like flower that withstands wind and salt very well here. Tolerant of poor soil and excellent ground cover. Native of South Africa.

Ginkgo. (Ginkgo biloba). Chinese for "silver apricot." Introduced to Bermuda before 1914 from eastern China. A tall deciduous tree, with the males popular in North America as a street tree. Several are in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens in the Camden area and one is on the north side of the Cabinet Building in Hamilton.

Gladiola. One type grows wild as Bermuda gladiolus. Others are common as corn flag or sword lily. Imported to Bermuda from Cape of Good Hope in 1874. Many different colors.

Guaiacum officinale. Lignum Vitae. National flower of Jamaica. Native to West Indies. Introduced. Grows but rare in Bermuda.

Hibiscus rosa sinensis. Hibiscus. From China. Considered wrongly by some visitors to be an endemic Bermuda flower. Hugely prolific, seen as a hedge or bush. There are many varieties including red, yellow and white. Some flower all year. See the superb Hibiscus Stud Farm, with its 150 varieties, at the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens. Many have been cross-bred there. Also good for sheltering and pupating butterflies. A serious potential problem here - although not yet - is the Pink Mealybug.

Hymenocallis sp. Spider lily. Thrive in Bermuda, often in salt-exposed locations. Different types are Hymenocallis declinata, native of the West Indies, common in Bermuda and Hymenocallis littoralis, native of tropical America.

Ipomoea sp. Morning Glory. Of eleven species found here, three are native. This rampant vine is wild, will overgrow everything and can be an invasive nuisance. Often known as bluebell (not to be confused with the bluebell of Europe), it blooms all year.

May 2002 photo by the author exclusively for Bermuda Online. Taken just after a shower.

Ixora coccinea. Flame of the Woods. A dense shrub reaching five feet. Flowers are in dense heads for inches across, salmon-red.

Jatropha hastata. Good nectar plant for butterflies. Also for sheltering and pupating butterflies.

Juniperus bermudiana. Bermuda Cedar. Endemic, a species of juniper, with dense, blue-green foliage. The leaves are scale-like, overlapping one another, with berries that turn a dark purple. The wood used for shipbuilding - in the 1700s and 1800s - houses, furniture and fuel. From 1943 (until the late 1950s) scale insects attacked and killed most of them. In 1949, the Bermuda Government constructed a laboratory at the Agricultural Station (now Botanical Gardens) to house experts brought in from the Imperial Institute of Biological Control. The work led to establishment of the Parks division of the Government in 1956.

Justicia brandegeana. Shrimp plant, shrimp bush, false hop. Introduced after 1918. Attracts hummingbirds. Named after Scottish gardener James Justice.

Justica betonica. White shrimp plant. Bushy shrub with upright spikes of snowy white bracts. Can grow to over three feet high.

Kalanchoe pinnata. Floppers. A succulent, common. Introduced either by a Captain Stowe in 1813 or in a letter. Allegedly a "good luck" leaf.

Kigelia pinnata. Sausage tree. Native of tropical West Africa. Several locally. Pollination thought to be done by bats.

Lagerstroemia Indica. Crape myrtle. Known locally as Queen of Shrubs. Good choice for Bermuda. Native of China. believed brought to Bermuda by Captain J. Austin, RN. Summer flowering, showy flowers.

Lantana camara. Yellow sage or Lantana. Good nectar plant for butterflies. Mainstay of many Bermuda gardens. Colorful display of small flowers one and a half inches across range from creamy white and yellow ro bright orange and vibrant reds. Hairy shrub reaches four feet. Locals once used it to clean their teeth.

Lapelrousia laxa. Pink Bermudiana. Also known as Star of the Veldt. From South Africa. A pretty weed.

Laurus nobilis. Laurel. Also known as bay or sweet bay. An evergreen that can grow to 40 feet. The leaf is used in flavoring.

Ligustrum japonicum. Japanese Privet. Grows well here when conditions are right.

Lilium longiflorum eximum. Bermuda Easter Lily. Originally imported from and a native of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Japan was the first to dominate the market. Its lily-giving was a firm tradition. Now one of Bermuda's most famous flowers. Most common are the fragrant trumpet-shaped lilies in late March or April. When General and Mrs. Russell Hastings and their family lived at "Soncy" in Bermuda in the late 1800s, they prospered from the General’s venture into growing and exporting the bulbs of this distinctive, pure white Easter lily. In the late 1800s lily bulbs were an important agricultural export but disease and other problems halted overseas trade in 1899. In the USA, Louis Houghton, a World War I soldier veteran, began the popularity in the USA of the Bermuda Easter lily. In 1919 he brought a suitcase of hybrid lily bulbs from Bermuda to the southern coast of Oregon and gave them to family and friends to plant. The climate there was ideal for growing the lily and they became hugely popular.

Elsewhere in the USA, there was an attempt to revive the once-flourishing trade from 1922 with the variety "Howardii" - which remained popular in Bermuda but it did not last long in the USA. By 1945, more than 1,200 growers from the west coast of the USA were producing their own bulbs in the thousands, then hundreds of thousands, for the commercial market. Nowadays, Today, a concentrated group of growers, mostly from along the California-Oregon border, have created an area known as the "Easter Lily Capital of the World." There, they produce 95 percent of all bulbs grown in the world for the potted Easter lily market. In 2002, more than 11 million bulbs were shipped to commercial greenhouses throughout the USA and Canada, mostly in the two weeks before Easter.

Lilium longiflorum eximum. Bermuda Easter Lilies. May 2002 photo by author exclusively for Bermuda Online

Logwood tree (Haematoxylum campechianum). Also known as bloodwood tree and campeachy wood. In the Leguminosae family. Only 2 are known in Bermuda, at the Botanical Gardens. A native of Mexico.

Madagascar olive. Noronhia emarginata, after the Spanish naturalist and traveler Fernando de Noronha who died in 1787. A small, attractive evergreen tree widely planted, but highly aggressive and invasive. They can stand wind and salt spray.

Manilkara zapodilla. Chewing Gum Tree. Not common but a few years ago, one was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Mandevilla. Some splendid specimens have been seen growing in local gardens.

Mangroves. Two types in Bermuda, see under Avicennia nitida and Rhizophora mangle. Common in Bermuda in all places where salt water is surrounded by trees. Their aerial roots act as props to give them plenty of stability. They are seldom torn up by storms or gales and are vital to our coastlines because they stop the shores from eroding. They have adapted themselves to living in salt water. Both types of mangroves have waxy leaves to conserve fresh water. For the survival of the species, their seeds start growing on the parent tree to ensure they are not lost in the mud at the foot of the tree. Sprouting seeds fall into the water below and find where they can establish roots of their own. Mangrove areas provide nurseries for fish and crabs including marine and land hermit crabs, land crabs and mangrove crabs, and habitats for a variety of wild fauna. The coffee bean snail is another well-known resident. Young barracuda, snappers and grunts live in these areas, as do adult damselfish, bream, wrasses and parrotfish. The water is calm and less salty than in the ocean and mangrove leaves provide a good supply of food. In Bermuda mangrove areas are nesting birds such as herons and egrets, under their marine forest canopy. Mangroves act as sand and soil traps, keeping waters clear and protecting coastlines during storms.

Magnolia grandiflora. Southern Magnolia. Introduced to Bermuda by 1875 when it was planted at Mount Langton (now Government House). It is a native of from North Carolina to Texas. It flowers in June and the large, fragrant creamy-white flowers are magnificent. Trees can be seen at the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, Bermuda Perfumery and on the left, walking up Sleepy Hollow Drive on Hamilton Parish. They can grow to 100 feet high.

Mahoe. Three types locally, Hibiscus tiliaceus - also sea hibiscus - Thespesia populnea - seaside mahoe or portia tree; and H. elatus - blue mahoe or Cuban bast, the national tree of Jamaica and a good timber tree. Evergreen shrubs or small trees.

Marigold. Good nectar plant for butterflies. Good natural insecticide plant.

Melia azederach. Sacred Lilac. Not common. Often called Pride of India or Chinaberry. Lovely tree. Introduced from South Carolina in 1780.

Milkweed. Good nectar plant for butterflies. Also a good host plant for caterpillars and their butterflies (Monarch).

Mimosa pudica. A shrubby, widespread weed. Leaves close within seconds of being touched.

Mock Orange (Murraya exotica). Ornamental. Although a rampant grower, it does not invade areas outside its domain.

Mora (Murraya paniculata). Also known as Martinique laurel, orange jasmine, satinwood, cosmetic-bark tree, Chinese box and mock orange. Introduced to Bermuda before 1918. Ever-green foliage, fragrant flowers and pretty red fruit.

Mulberry. Three types, Morus rubra; red; Morus nigra, black; and Morus alba, white. Not native and not common but grows well in Bermuda. In the early 17th century, an important experimental collection of seeds was brought to Bermuda by a Frenchman by order of King James VII. In 1627, an Act was passed requiring 50 mulberries to be planted on every share of land for three successive years.

Nerium oleander. Oleander. Introduced to Bermuda in 1790. Now one of Bermuda's most famous flowers but not exclusive to Bermuda by any means. Also common now in places as far north as London. A native of the Orient, an evergreen shrub. It makes excellent hedges or bushes. It has clusters of flowers all year, especially in spring and summer. Pink flowers are the most common but they also come in white and red. But beauty is misleading as they are poisonous. An outbreak of oleander scale in Bermuda in 1917 led to legislation that in 1923 provided for a plant pathology section of the Bermuda Government.

New Caledonia Pine (Araucaria columnaris). A native of New Caledonia and the New Hebrides. Similar to the Norfolk Island Pine until they are at least 25 years old. One of the most primitive living conifers.

Odontonema strictum. Odontonema. In the Acanthaceae family. An evergreen shrub with bright red flowers, growing upright to 6 feet. It has medium green leaves. Each tubular flower is about 1 inch long. Good for attracting hummingbirds.

Oenothera humifusa. Seaside evening primrose. Native coastal. Probably brought by birds.

Oenothera laciniata. Sinuate-leaved evening primrose. Native coastal. Probably brought by birds.

Olea europa. Olivewood bark. A native of the Mediterranean, introduced to North America in the 1500s, it was found growing in Bermuda by the first settlers. It is quite common but olive oil is not produced locally.

Orange tree. Two types can grow well here, the sour orange and much larger Washington Naval.

Orchid. There are many different varieties available, all imported. Most will not grow successfully in the ground, only in pots. The Bermuda Government import duty rate on orchids is 33.35 percent of wholesale cost, highest in the world. In the USA, Canada and United Kingdom, there is no import duty. The Bermuda Orchid Society is an affiliate of the American Orchid Society.

Passifloradeae family. Passion Flower. Locally the Passiflora incarnata, Passiflora caerulea, granadilla P. edulis, Passiflora lingularis and Passiflora quadrangularis. None of these varieties are native of Bermuda but the Americas. Naturalized, the name comes from early Spanish and Portuguese priests who associated it with Christ's Passion. They include 10 points in the star shape representing apostles present at the Crucifixion; 72 filaments for the traditional number of thorns in the crown of Christ; 5 anthers corresponding to his wounds; 3 styles with rounded stigmas representing the three nails; and coiling tendrils for the whips. The flowers have a delicate scent and last for one day only. There are several naturalized types, one of which has not been seen for many years. The most familiar one is Passiflora caerulea, used to make perfume. The Passiflora lingularis is not common in Bermuda but one was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens. Care should be taken as it is a good host plant for caterpillars and their butterflies, especially the Gulf Fritillary.

Peach (Prunus Persica). A native of China. Spanish explorers brought it to the New World. It is thought to have been introduced to Bermuda in 1790 by Governor Hamilton. The most important of the deciduous tree fruits of the apple and pear (neither of which grow in Bermuda). Peaches were cultivated in the late 1800s and early 1900s, until the advent of the Mediterranean fruit fly. A number of sheltered gardens have them. They are lovely but small by North American and European standards.

Pereskia aculeata. Barbados gooseberry. In the Cactaceae or cactus family, with leaves. Also known as the lemon vine and leaf cactus. Not common. With creamy white flowers each nearly two inches across, lemon scented. sweet and pungent, attractive to bees. There are spherical orange colored fruit, good for jam, fresh or stewed.

Pineapple. Imported then grown locally in pots by some. Takes about 9 months.

Pink Shower (Tebebuia rosea). Not common. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Pistia stratiotes. Water Lettuce. Also known as shellflower. An aquatic plant often seeing growing in ponds and aquaria. Leaves are shell-shaped. Flowers are inconspicuous.

Pittosporum tobira. Excellent hedge plant and a small but lovely umbrella-shaped specimen tree if pruned carefully. A native of China and Japan. There are several different types, such as the Victorian box, P. undulatum with wavy-edged leaves and one with variegated leaves.

Plaintain. (Not the coarse banana). Native of Europe, where there are more than 200 types. Two grow in Bermuda, Plantago lanceolata, known as cat's cradle or rib-wort or rib-grass; and Plantago major, the larger and less common. In America, called "Englishman's foot." A good host plant for caterpillars and their butterflies (Bermuda Buckeye).

Platanaceae. Platinus. Deciduous tree with peeling bark. Native of North America.

Platanus X acerifolia. London Plane Tree. Not common, not suitable for most Bermuda gardens but some at Botanical Gardens and south side of Victoria Park.

Plumeria apocynaceae. Known locally as Frangipani. Small tree. Originally imported. Native of Hawaii where they make leis out of the petals, also Asia, West Indies 1000 miles to the south of Bermuda , Mexico and Panama. Naturalized now in many Bermuda gardens too, grows by planting a branch. The best-known species locally is P. alba, mostly creamy white with an orange yellow center. There is also P. rubra, little smaller, with flowers from pale pink to deep rose.

Pointsettia. (Pointsettia pulcherrima). Part of the Euphorbiaceae family. The common red variety can grow wild naturally. A native of Mexico but 90 percent come from the USA. The Aztecs called it Cuetlayochitl. Chile and Peru refer to it as the "Crown of the Andes." The outer leaves form the large red or white flower heads. A fresh poinsettia is one on which little or no yellow pollen is showing on the flower clusters in the center of the bracts. Not poisonous but oozing a milky sap. Every December, there is a beautiful selection on display in one of the outbuildings of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens. In Bermuda, it grows readily from cuttings and blooms but house plants should be placed in a sunny window away from warm or cold drafts from radiators, air registers or open doors and windows, in a temperature of 60 to 70F. High temperatures will shorten life. Water when soil is dry. Apply a house plant fertilizer once a month.

Pothos (Epipremnun aureum). Climbs into trees and hedgerows. When young, the leaves are small. When mature, the leaves are elephant's ear-size. Leaves are variegated and become a blanket of green and white foliage. But not invasive.

Pouteria campechiana. Canistel. Evergreen, rare locally, common in Florida, Cuba and elsewhere in Caribbean. Small, fragrant cream flowers with orange-yellow fruit, edible.

Pride of India (Melia azederach). From South Asia. Introduced. A majestic tree in the landscape. The bark, flowers and foliage are nice.

Pueraria lobata. Kudzi. Extremely aggressive invasive that has grown in Bermuda for over 30 years and has spread alarmingly An eradication program began in March 2004 from public areas such as the Railway Trail.

Punica granatum. Pomegranate. From Spain, introduced very early from the UK and sent from Bermuda to Virginia with other fruits in 1621. Once prized as a fruit and to cure ailments. Fruits are sphere-shaped, red-brown and with a thick skin. Popular ornamental. Now naturalized.

Rain Forest Lilac. (Gliricidia sepium). Not common. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Rhizophora mangle, or Red Mangrove, is a non-endemic native evergreen tree reaching up to 25 feet via numerous aerial roots from lower branches. It grows only in mud at the edge of salt lagoons and bays. It has pendulous fruits. With lots of aerial roots and root systems resembling eggs of gigantic spiders. Have air-breathing organs on their prop roots, which carry air to the roots in the salty mangrove swamps where the sediment is poor in oxygen. The prop roots excrete some of the salt the tree brings in. See more under Mangroves.

Rosewood Tree (Dalbergia retusa). Not common. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Russelia equisetiformia. Heath. Also known as the coral plant or fountain plant of fountain bush or honeysuckle. Neither a true heath nor true honeysuckle. In the figwort family. Native of Florida and West Indies. Grows all over Bermuda.

Sage. Also known as Lantana. (Not the edible herb). Believed to have been introduced to Bermuda by Colonel Spofforth from the Bahamas before 1800 as firewood for poor people who could not afford cedar. The most common is the red sage, Lantana camara, with red and yellow flowers or other color varieties. A prickly sage is L. camera aculeata. It grows to several feet high and may be prickly. The flowers are clusters of florets in round-topped heads on strong stems. The fruit turns from green to black, looks like a blackberry but is poisonous. Leaves can cause a skin rash.

Solanum rantonnetii. Blue Potato Bush. Open shrub with colorful show of blue-purple flowers about one inch across. Can grow to six feet high.

Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans). Do not stand underneath this tree to admire it, as the sap is caustic. There is one in the Somers Garden in St. George's.

Scarlet cordia. (Cordia sebestina). Many different types of Cordia but only two are grown in Bermuda. Vibrantly colored small flowering and ornamental tree. Can be seen on Reid Street near the House of Assembly and in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens. Apparently first planted by the now defunct Pembroke Arbour Society and found to a satisfactory street tree. With edible fruit.

Sea Island cotton. (Gossypium barbadense). Imported to Bermuda in the early 1600s and once planted extensively, once woven and dyed at Ireland Island, now purely an ornamental. None of its many products are harvested in Bermuda commercially. Specimens can be seen in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens east of the former Arrowroot Factory and near the St. George's Historical Society. Nice flowers.

Seaside goldenrod. (Solidago sempervirens). Flowers every summer in coastal areas and is conspicuous with large bright yellow flower heads. It is the only one of 130 different types of goldenrod to grow in Bermuda. Good nectar plant for butterflies.

Seagrasses. Very important to the marine ecosystem. They link mangrove communities to coral reefs. The four species in Bermuda are Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass); Syringodium (manatee grass); Halodule wrightii (shoal grass, common) and Halophila decipiens (rare).

Schinus terebinthifolius. Brazilian or Mexican Red Pepper Tree. Bermuda gardeners view it as Public Enemy #1. Introduced as an ornamental, it has light green leaves and red stem. Birds love it and spread it easily but it is one of the most aggressive and invasive plants, often growing wild, with thousands of bright red seeds that take root anywhere. Their only use is as a decoration for Christmas instead of the now-rare Bermuda holly. It is extremely difficult to purge. Hurricane Fabian did so to some extent in late 2003. But it is extremely popular with local bees as a source of nectar in locally-produced honey.

Screw Pine. Also known as screw palm. Pandanus utilis. The edible fruit resembles a pineapple. Common in Bermuda but a native of Madagascar. It has a trunk with many branches.

Sisyrinchium iridioides. Bermudiana. A member of the iris family first recognized by Carolus Linnaeus as different from the American blue-eyed iris. This was confirmed in 1884. In the USA and UK, known as Sisyrinchium. In Bermuda, USA and UK, the sisyrinchium is happy in poor to moderately fertile alkaline soil and is common in clumps in gravel gardens, rock gardens, trails and sunny borders. Referred to as endemic, but this is wrong. The official national flower. A small herbaceous plant with leaves six to eight inches long. The flowers - usually in April, for weeks - have six purple petals that are yellow at the base. They give the center its distinctive yellow color. In the USA (mostly found in US Zones 7-8) and United Kingdom, it is a semi-evergreen rhizomatous perennial with slender, sword-shaped leaves arranged in fans. Leaves are about 10 inches long, same length as the upright flower stalks that appear for weeks in Bermuda in spring and in the USA and UK in summer.

Snowberry. Endemic. How it got the name of snow is a mystery as there is none in Bermuda.

Sophora tomentosa. Coast sophora. Known elsewhere as silverbush. A tall shrub or small tree growing from 3-9 feet elsewhere but here as a shrub, with medium yellow flowers.

Spanish Moss. (Tillansia usneiodes), also Old Man's Beard and Grey beard, used in the floral trade. A native from Florida to Texas, in Bermuda since at least 1918. This particular variety of Tillansia is the only one with no roots, nor do the leaves form rosettes. Its gray and very slender stems and narrow leaves form strands that reach several feet in length.

Spathiphyllum (Spathiphyllum sp). An attractive herbaceous evergreen best known as an indoor plant but does well outside in shaded areas. There are nearly 30 types. Natives of tropical America and Malaysia. Flowers are in a white spike.

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. Jamaica vervain. Also known as Blue Flower. Weed.

Stenotaphrum secundatum. St. Augustine grass, referred to locally as Bermuda crabgrass or buffalo grass. Most common lawn grass in Bermuda.

Stinging nettles. Very similar in size and shape to those in North America. Keep well clear of them.

Sugar cane. (Graminae). First brought here on the ship Edwin in 1616. Once, a great deal of sugar cane grown and sugar made, but this is not done commercially any longer. It is grown in only a few gardens with no industry involved. Here, it takes from 8 to 16 months to ripen. Unlike in Barbados and much of Caribbean 1,000 miles to the south, no rum from sugar cane is manufactured in Bermuda.

Sunflower (Hellanthus sp). With large, cheerful, yellow, flat flowers on a hairy stem 3-15 feet high. Common in many Bermuda gardens as H. annuus. Native of USA and New World.

Swan River Daisy (Brachycome iberidifolia). An annual from Australia, growing more than 12 inches tall.

Tabebuia chrysantha. Golden Goddess. Not common. One was planted in Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Tabebula pallida. Misleadingly called white cedar but not a cedar at all. Or otherwise a Cuban pink trumpet tree. Can grow to 60 feet. Introduced by the 1870s, native of Caribbean. Best-known examples are at the Botanical Gardens and Bermuda Perfumery.

Tamarix gallica. Tamarisk. Originally from Southern Europe and Canary Islands. Seafaring and trade, an economic mainstay from mid 1600s to mid 1800s, facilitated widespread importation, planted to protect coastal roads from gales.

Taraxacum officinale. Dandelion. An all too hardy perennial found on lawns and golf courses throughout Bermuda, first recorded here in 1806.

Terminalia catappa or Terminalia muelleri. West Indian almond. Native to Malaysia. Two types are found, can grow to 80 feet. Leaves turn red before they fall. Small white flowers. Green fruit, almond-shaped, yellow when ripe.

Thevetia peruviana. Spanish oleander. Introduced from Tropical America. An evergreen tree that can grow to 30 feet.

Tithonia (Tithonia rotundifolia). Tall Mexican sunflower. Also good for sheltering and pupating butterflies.

Thunbergia grandiflora. Also known as blue trumpet vine, clock vine, Bengal trumpet and skyflower. Native of India. Introduced.

Thunbergia mysorensis. A vine with a lovely flower, also introduced, native of India.

Toxicodendron radicans. Poison ivy. Very prevalent and all should avoid it.

Turnera ulmifolia. Native to tropical America and Bermuda. Brought here by birds or wind. Has a showy flower.

Vigna Caracalla. Snail vine. Also known as Snail Flower or Corkscrew Flower. Introduced to Bermuda recently. But well-known since the 1700s in Europe and North America.

Vitaceae family. Grapes. First introduced in 1616, some time after Martha's Vineyard in MA, USA was so-named from the grapes growing there. Officially encouraged in the 1700s. But only a few grow well, usually thick-skinned.

Vitex agnus-castus. First mentioned in 1772. Not common. Sometimes known as chaste tree, hemp tree, monk's pepper tree, sage tree, Indian spice and wild pepper.

Water Lily (Nymphaea spp). Also called the pond lily or Egyptian lily. Named after water nymphs in Greek mythology who lived in ponds and secluded lakes. Samples can be seen in the City Hall fountain.

Wedelia trilobata. Native of Southern Florida to South America. Introduced after 1918. An evergreen creeping herb. Good ground cover but invasive and as such, discouraged.

White Beggar's Tick. (Bidens pilosa). Also called Shepherd's Needle and Spanish Needle. In the sunflower family. A pretty weed, native to tropical America, Africa and Asia. A loosely-branched annual with white and yellow daisy-like flowers.

White stopper (Eugenia axillaris). Similar to and sometimes mistaken for Surinam Cherry but is different, although related. A native of Bermuda, southern Florida and West Indies.

Wild radish (Rafhanus). Also known as jointed or white charlock. Can be seen flowing on roadsides. A native of Europe and Asia, it is a weed, but pretty. Two types are here. On one, the flowers are pale yellow, fading to white. On the other, they are pink or white.

Wild Stock. (Matthiola incana). Also known as Gilliflower. A wild version of the ornamental stock many people grow as an annual. Not common but seen on a path or in a nature reserve.

Yellow Candle (Cassia spectabilis). Not common. One was planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens.

Yellow cordia. (Cordia dentata). Vibrantly colored small flowering and ornamental tree. Not as popular as the Scarlet cordia. With edible fruit.

Yellow Poinciana (Peltophorum pterocarpum). A native of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the Malay Archipelago and northern Australia. Not common, easily recognized by their deep yellow fragrant flowers in numerous erect clusters.

Zanthoxylum flavum. Yellow Wood. Non-endemic, native. A smooth gray barked compound-leaved spreading evergreen growing to 30 feet. It flowers profusely with heavily scented yellow blossoms. Dried seed germinates in about 100 days.

Fruits

Following the introduction of all fruit from England, figs, pomegranates, lemons, shaddocks and more once grew here in abundance and were exported to England and America, but no more. Locally, many rents were once paid in fruit. They are grown in sheltered orchards and usually not visible. Local fruits are so much more tasty than the imported varieties, but are much more expensive. The list includes the following not mentioned by name elsewhere in this website.

A few locals have grown small private quantities of mango, pear, plum and pineapple, but the soil is not suited for them. If you look in May, note wild raspberry plants with fruit, in woodland areas!

Introduced in about 1616. It is believed it originated in Asia and came from Indonesia to Madagascar in about the fifth century AD. The Portuguese found it in West Africa in the 15th century and took it to the Canary Islands. They introduced it to Haiti in the Caribbean in 1516. The first bunch of bananas displayed in London in 1633 came from Bermuda. Locally, banana leaves once stuffed mattresses. Today, of the up to 300 varieties, the most common growing locally is the Dwarf Cavendish, imported from the Canary Islands. In addition, there are the fig banana, Grande Neine - originally brought to Bermuda as tissue-cultured cells, not as plants, then distributed by the Bermuda Government-owned Tulo Valley nursery to interested farmers and homeowners - and strawberry banana. These two are commercially grown, with the Flowering Banana (Musa coccinea) and Jungle Banana (Musa ensete). Neither of the last two are common but a few years ago, several were planted in the Bermuda Perfumery Gardens. All Bermuda-grown bananas were hugely affected by Hurricane Fabian in late 2003. They sell locally for the same price as imported bananas but most Bermudians prefer the smaller home-grown for eating, including with cod fish and potatoes - part of the traditional Bermudian Sunday breakfast - banana bread, muffins, ice cream and peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Banana leaf dolls are also made.

Herbs

These include arugula, basil, chives, coriander, cumin, dill and fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare), aromatic, which grows wild in just about every corner of Bermuda but is not at all gathered for commercial reasons. It is a native of Southern Europe and is naturalized in Britain and North America. It was one of the plants introduced to Bermuda in 1616. Traditionally, it was grown in Bermuda to eat with fish, in particular salt fish. Also common are garlic, marjorum, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage (the edible herb, not the bush), and thyme.

Vegetables

Bermuda imports 99% of everything, including the original seeds used to plant all vegetables, which is why, unlike flowers, no prominence to vegetables is given here. But fresh carrots - Daucus carrota sativa - are in exception. They must be locally grown, are on permanent embargo to help prevent the introduction of the carrot rust fly. No organic vegetables are grown - but one is planned - and there is no organic vegetable certification authority. The only organic vegetables seen in supermarkets are imported. Local production of non-organic vegetables is concentrated mostly on Luke's Farm in Southampton Parish, owned by Tom Wadson. His output is very good but insufficient to satisfy the needs of locals and visitors. Another farm is Percy's Farm, Devonshire, owned by Percy Powell. His output includes cassava plants.

Bermuda has three seasons, but some put in a fourth crop for potatoes, okra, tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupes. Locally grown vegetables are artichokes, beans (bush and pole, runner, string, snap, broad), beets, Bermuda Onion (Allium cepa), Bermuda cassava, broccoli (a good host plant for caterpillars and their butterflies (Cabbage White), Brussels sprouts, cabbage (Chinese and regular), cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, chicory, chives, christophene, collards, corn, cowpeas, cucumbers, dasheen, eddoe, eggplant, endive, escarole, Florence fennel, garlic, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes (H. tuberosa), kale in all varieties, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, leeks, mustard greens, okra, onions, papaya, parsnips, parsley (Petroselinum crispum, grows wild on some coastal hillsides, introduced to Bermuda from the UK in 1612), peas, peppers, potatoes and sweet potatoes, pumpkin, radish, rutabaga, salsify, scorzonera, shallots, snap beans, spinach, summer squash, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, Swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes (Lycopersicon Lycopersicum) grown all year in Bermuda, introduced from England after England got them from Spain, first recorded in Bermuda in 1851 when 10 boxes were exported, regularly sent by ship to New York in the late 1870s and early 1880s in 10-pound crates or palmetto baskets), turnips, upland cress, watercress and zucchini.

Vegetation island wide

Ground cover keeps the soil cool, weeds down, and allows flower beds to look nice even when annuals are not in bloom.

Aguja, lily turf, ruellia, tea plant, and wandering jew are just a few of the common ground coverings.

The overall floral effect, without heavy manufacturing and polluted air, has given Bermuda a green thumb charm.

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Bermuda's Flora

Flowers, trees, fruits, grasses, herbs, trees, vegetables grow year round

Fruits

Herbs

Vegetables

Vegetation island wide

120 files on other aspects of Bermuda

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