For thousands of years, humans have used plants, not only as a food source but for treating various ailments. This plant is typically found as a shrub but can also grow into a tree up to 30 ft. tall. The inside of the fruit is sweet and sticky, often used for cooking. There are 20 types of plants in total. They begin green and turn red and then finally Neem is a highly medicinal, and anti-fungal plant. White Sage is a native sage plant that is found throughout The Bahamas. A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Many Bahamian adults have . Found in pine forests. In addition to managing cookies through your browser or device, you can change your cookie settings below. Gurney's. . The delicious fruits are round-brown in shape and colour. The Creosote Bush is a drought-tolerant shrub that is native to the deserts of North America. Lignum vitae (Guaiacum sanctum) is also called ironwood, and its wood is so dense it doesn't float. //-->\n. Brand. Great selection of fruit bearing plants that add "flavour" to any project. Bridal bouquet (Plumeria pudica) is an evergreen tropical tree that features unusual spoon-shaped leaves and is known for its flowers. Cultivated as an ornamental ground cover. American Lotus ( Nelumbo lutea) Angelica (Angelica sp.) For over 25 years, Joyce Starr has owned businesses dealing with landscape & design, lawn maintenance, specialty herbs and a garden center. Key points: In 54 years Bruce French has catalogued 31,170 edible plants Native plants' nutritional qualities are often overlooked Information from the vast database is available for free They were sick of being taught about western plants and wanted to learn more about their native produce. Found in pine forests, shrubland, and coasts. It doesnt matter what interesting plants you find in nature around The Bahamas. Colorful flowers composed of four spreading petals. Agave. 20 Edible Plants In The Desert. This plant can be seen all over the bahamas usually growing alng the shoreline. (7.6m) Used in landscaping or as pig food. The lignum vitae is the national tree of the Bahamas. leaves can be used to treat cuts, burns and other skin conditions. The trees produce a fruit that turns ruby red once fully ripen. Their ability to defend themselves, use animals to help them disperse their seeds, and aid them in reproduction and the complex relationship they have. The seagrape is native to tropical coastal areas in America and the Caribbean. 1. The fruit is high in vitamin A and C, and is also a great source of fiber. Agave plants look sort of like aloe and vary in color from almost blue to bright or dark green. 33ft. This local shrub can grow up to 26 feet tall and has a whitish gray or red bark. Frangipani (Plumeria) belongs in the family Apocynaceae and is native to the Caribbean and Central America. You'll want to eat the leaves while the plant is still young, as mature leaves have a bitter taste to them. The tree produces long, thin seed pods that can be roasted and ground into a flour. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The tree is also an important source of food and habitat for wildlife, including birds, small mammals and desert tortoises. The casurina tree is considered an invader because it is not indigenous to the Bahamas and it inhibits other plants from growing. Learn more here. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The peas can be eaten raw or cooked and are a great source of protein and other nutrients. It will also add a burst of colour to your garden. This chili pepper is commonly used for cooking in places such as the Southern U.S. and Central America. Contains more calcium tha Mulberry trees are fruiting plants that produce edible clusters of berries. The flowers are most fragrant during the night. Mesquite is also known for its medicinal properties, the leaves can be used to treat cuts, burns and other skin conditions. As far as its ornamental value, Lignum vitae blooms with purple-blue flowers. Palmate leaf with five leaflets. The available literature has revealed that some wild edible plants also have medicinal properties. Some of these plants are even indigenous to our little country, which means that they are only found in our country and no where else in the world. An Endemic species are species that are only found in one specific geographical area (e.g. Seaweeds are also harvested or cultivated for the extraction of polysaccharides such as alginate, agar and carrageenan, gelatinous substances . A fast growing salt tolerant ground cover that is used for coastal landscaping. The information and photos shown here was sourced from the Bahamas National Trusts Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve website. The fruit is rich in antioxidants and is a good source of dietary fiber. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; The guinep tree or Melicoccus bijugatus is a tree in the soapberry family Sapindaceae is actually native to northern South America. The seeds can be eaten raw or made into flour and can be used to make cakes, bread and other baked goods. This plant is use medicinally for multiple things, such as stabilizing blood pressure, treating intestinal worms, relieving constipation and fevers. The cactus produces small, edible fruit that has a sweet and slightly tart taste. The foliage of the plant consists of round green leaves. You can start by sowing seeds 4 to 8 inches apart in a well-drained soil mix, preferably in a tray container in rows. Joshua Tree is also known for its medicinal properties, the bark can be used to treat skin conditions and can also be used as an antiseptic. Due to its vigorous spreading ability, Ruellia simplex has become widely naturalized outside Mexico. This plant grows as a medium sized shrub, with no main large trunk and many thin branches. These plants are not only an important source of sustenance for desert dwellers, but they also play a crucial role in the desert ecosystem by providing food and habitat for wildlife. The plant produces a sweet sap that can be used to make a fermented beverage called "pulque" or distilled into a spirit called "mezcal". Bougainvillea comes in many colours from white to yellow and orange, to deep pink and purple. These visit the plant during the winter. The Five Finger plant is also known as the Chicken Foot plant and it named for how it looks. A freelancer for more than 20 years, Johnson has had the opportunity to cover topics ranging from construction to music to celebrity interviews. Seagrape plants are one of the most popular edible fruit trees in the Bahamas. The delicate paper-like flowers grow on thorny vines that can become very bushy and thick. The 12 evergreen flowering plants in this list are aContinue reading 12 Evergreen Flowering Plants to Add to Your Garden. food, fruit, plant. The fruits, which really amounts to a thin skin coating on the seeds, are edible raw. Leaves have 3-7 oval leaflets. It is so dense it will not float, even in seawater. See more ideas about edible plants, wild edibles, plants. They attribute bush medicine with keeping them . The Blue Flower is found throughout the Bahamian archipelago as well as throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America and the United States. The tree is also a great source of nectar for bees and hummingbirds. Lignum Vitae The lignum vitae is the national tree of the Bahamas. The berries can be eaten raw or made into jams, jellies and syrups. The plant produces a beautiful purple flower that attracts many nectar-feeding animals. This is a fine shrub or small tree for instant curb appeal. Prop-root system visible above ground and water level. Necessary cookies enable core functionality. Error-corrected OCR . Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! It grows in dry coastal areas in tropical climates. Bark is reddish-brown. The plant shoots out striking purple flowers on top. 1. Tecoma stans is the National Flower of The Bahamas. Invasive species. All of these are, to the best of my knowledge, edible seeds that can be collected in the wild.