Our Environment

JACARANDA trees are indisputably ideal for urban street and park plantings, and as ornamental trees for landscaping in large and medium-sized gardens.

MANY people behave circumspectly around the silk cotton tree, convinced that it possesses supernatural powers. And that behaviour is not confined only to the many Guyanese believers, but exists among peoples throughout Africa, South America and the Caribbean.

–A tree few would dare harmTHE Silk Cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) is one of the largest trees in the American tropics. It can grow to a height exceeding 200 feet, and towers over the other trees in the rainforest.

WHAT scientists call the Hymenaea courbaril tree Guyanese have been renamed the ‘Stinking Toe’ tree. This West Indian Locust tree produces a fruit with a bad smell but a delicious taste.

The Long John tree shares survival interests with vicious antsTHE Long John tree is scientifically known as the Triplaris Surinamensis. Native to South America, this tree is also known as the Antwood tree or the Mulatto tree.

The Mexican FlameITS botanical name is Senecio confusus, but this plant is popularly known as the Mexican Flame Vine, or the Senecio vine, and it has acquired the reputation of being the nectar bar for hummingbirds and butterflies.

Enjoyable! Cut or uncutTHE heart of the Acai Palm tree, whose botanical name is Euterpe oleracea (EO), is a highly prized dish, often called a “millionaire’s salad” because of its price, especially in European countries.

The African Tulip: Peacock of the tropical forestTHE African Tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) is known variously as the Puri tree, the Fountain tree, Flame-of-the-Forest, Rudra Palash, Pichkari or Nandi Flame.

Petrea volubilis: The Sandpaper VineTHE “Sandpaper Vine”, whose botanical name is Petrea volubilis, is a twining vine with rough green leaves and spectacular clusters of purple flowers borne on short stalks (raceme) reaching over one foot long.

Duranta repens: A magnet for bees, butterflies and birdsDURANTA repens, also known as Geisha Girl, Sky Flower, Golden Dew-drop, Sheena’s Gold, or Sweet Memories, to name a few, is a member of the Duranta family of shrubs, and hails from areas ranging from Southern Florida to Mexico, and from Brazil to the Caribbean.