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Flora

Several factors play a part in the beauty of St. Croix flora. Lots of sun shine, lots of rain, humidity and particular soil in help the plant life flourish. You would be suprised at the diversity of vegetation on the island. On the arid east end, you'll find prickly cactus, century plants and other varieties that don't require a lot of water. To the west, you'll find giant elephant ears in the thick rain forrest. In between, blooming flowers, trees and bushes to delight all your senses. Remember, if you are not sure what something is, look, but don't eat! Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images.

 

  • In the Caribbean it is believed that laying the leaves of the soursop on a bed below a person with a fever will break the fever by the next morning. Also, boiling the leaves and drinking as a tea helps induce sleep.
  • Put da' lime in da' coconut! Lime bushes are abundant on St. Croix and are used in food dishes as well as drinks.
  • Aloe plants grow well in St. Croix's humid environment. Just break off a piece and apply the extract to sooth your sunburn!
  • Cotton plantations onced reigned on St. Croix over 100 years ago. Today, you can still find blooming cotton plants.
  • You'll find an abundance of these prickly plants on St. Croix's dry & arid east end.
  • The bouganvillea on St. Croix blooms in a variety of colors from white, pink, orange and purple. Becareful when cutting them - they have sharp spines!
  • Commonly known as the "Firecracker Plant", these bright red flowers do an excellent job attracting humming birds.
  • Althought it is named Century Plant, its average life cycle is about 25 years. The Century plant is commonly used in landscaping on St. Croix.
  • Ahhh, the delicate hibiscus. This sensitive flower does very well in our climate, blooming year round. It is estimated to be over 5,000 varieties of this tropical flower.
  • Mangroves are trees and plants that grow in salt water. On St. Croix, the most well known mangroves exist in Salt River. They provide a protective habitat for young marine life.
  • Let's Go Bananas! Although not native to St. Croix, Bananas are abundant on the island and grow year round. You can purchase locally grown bananas as road-side fruit stands and local markets.
  • This purple fruit is a Mango. Mangos come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, but one thing remains constant on St. Croix - July is the best time for mangos!
  • In many people's opinion, the tan tan tree is completely overgrown on St. Croix.
  • This vibrant yellow flower is the Virgin Islands' Official flower. Its name is Ginger Thomas and has a delightful scent.
  • What would St. Croix be without coconut palms? Just look up, but beware of falling coconuts!
  • Local papayas can be used in smoothies, salads, and salsas. When the seeds are dried, they have a peppery flavor.
  • Common names for this bloom include lobster-claw and false bird-of-paradise.
  • Can you see why this tree is known as a "Monkey No Climb" tree? The bark is covered in tiny spikes!
  • Frangi Pangi are trees that bloom tropical blooms in shades of pink, yellow and white.
  • Can you guess what this is? The common name is Star Fruit, but the offical name is Carambola.
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