Page Two
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Jacaranda
mimosifolia Jacaranda, Brazilian rosewood |
Bignoniaceae
|
Introduced
|
Grows to 30' or so. Native to Boliva
and northwest Argentina. Planted worldwide in frost-free zones because of its beautiful flowers. |
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Juniperus
bermudiana Bermuda cedar, Bermuda juniper |
Cupressaceae
|
Endemic
|
Originally covered much of the
island. 95% of the population killed by accidentally introduced juniper scale 1946-1953. Now making a good comeback. |
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Justicia
brandegeana Shrimp plant, False hop bush |
Acanthaceae
|
Introduced
|
Dramatic flowers of reddish-brown
bracts enclosing white-mottled tongue-like flowers. Has weak spindly limbs and oval green leaves. Inflorescences resemble shrimps hence the common name. Native to Mexico. Genus name honors Townsend Stith Brandegee, a well-known American botanist. |
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Justicia
carnea Flamingo flower, Brazilian plume flower |
Acanthaceae
|
Introduced
|
Showy shrub with pink flowers in
dense heads native to Brazil. Genus named after 18th century Scottish gardener James Justice. Carnea means flesh-colored or deep pink. Also called pink tongues. |
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Koelreuteria
paniculata Golden rain tree |
Sapindaceae
|
Introduced
|
Bright yellow flowers and feathery foliage
distinguish this beautiful tree that grows to some 30' tall. It is a native of China and Korea. The fruits are papery in texture and pink to rose in color, and remind one of a little Japanese lantern. |
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Lantana
camara Sagebush, Lantana, Shrub verbena |
Verbenaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to West Indies and tropical
Central and South America. Stems and leaves covered with hairs and give off an unpleasant odor when crushed. Tolerates salt spray well. A favorite for butterflies. |
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Lantana
montevidensis Trailing lantana |
Verbenaceae
|
Introduced
|
Low-growing weakly-stemmed shrub with clusters of lilac flowers. Leaves have an unpleasant odor when crushed. Attractive to butterflies. Native to tropical South America. |
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Lilium
longiflorum Easter lily, Bermuda lily |
Liliaceae
|
Introduced
|
This lily was introduced into Bermuda from
Japan in 1853 and was commercially grown and exported for years. The species name refers to the length of the floral tube. |
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Liriope
muscari Lilyturf |
Liliaceae
|
Introduced
|
Grows in dense clumps of green grass-like leaves with spikes of lavender-purple flowers. Commonly planted as a border, hence its other name, border- grass. Native to China and Japan. |
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Livistona
chinensis Chinese fan palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
Leaves divided into long narrow
segments that droop downwards giving rise to its other name of Chinese fountain palm. Native to southern Japan, Taiwan and several islands in the South China Sea. Normally grows 25-50' tall. |
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Malvaviscus
arboreus Sleeping hibiscus, Turk's cap, Wax Mallow |
Malvaceae
|
Introduced
|
Sometimes called Scotchman's Purse
because the flowers never open fully. Native to Mexico. Grows island wide. |
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Matthiola
incana Wild stock |
Brassicaceae
|
Introduced
|
Valued for fragrant flowers that
come in a variety of colors and can be eaten as a vegetable. The bitter seeds have been used as an aphrodisiac, a diuretic, and an expectorant. Sometimes called ten-weeks stock because it's an annual. Native to Europe. |
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Melia
azedarach Pride of India, Chinaberry |
Meliaceae
|
Introduced
|
Poisonous bright yellow fruits
and bipinnate toothed leaves. Deciduous, to 30' tall. Prone to hurricane damage. Native to China and India. |
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Murraya
paniculata Mock orange, Orange jessamine, China-box |
Rutaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to India, China and Malaya.
Has fragant small white flowers and inedible red to dark orange fruit. Has been used medicinally and for a cosmetic. May grow to 10' tall. |
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Musa X
paradisiaca Banana |
Musaceae
|
Introduced
|
One of several introduced banana species and culti- |
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Neomarica
caerulea Apostle plant, Walking iris |
Iridaceae
|
Introduced
|
Resident of damp shady locations.
Name refers to genus Marica and the color blue. The genus was originally named Marica in honor of a nymph goddess in Italy by the same name. Changed to Neomarica due to a technical error by the namer. Native to Brazil. |
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Neomoarica
longifolia Yellow walking iris |
Iridaceae
|
Introduced
|
Called Walking Iris because the
weight of the stalk causes it to bend toward the ground, allowing a new plantlet to root away from its parent. Also called Apostle plant because of belief that it wouldn't flower until it had 12 leaves. |
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Nerium
oleander Oleander |
Apocynaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to Mediterranean region
of Europe. Poisonous, if burned smoke can be toxic. Brought to Bermuda in 1790. |
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Odontonema
strictum Red justicia, Firespike, Scarlet flame |
Acanthaceae
|
Introduced
|
Has dramatic panicles of brilliant
red tubular flowers. Blooms in the fall. Attracts butterflies and humming- birds. Native to Central America. Species name means 'upright.' |
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Passiflora
caerulea Blue passion flower |
Passifloraceae
|
Introduced
|
Twining vine that tends to climb
over anything that's available. Flowers are followed by deep orange egg- sized fruits that are edible. Native to southern Brazil and Argentina. |
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Passiflora
vitifolia Red passion flower, Red granadilla |
Passifloraceae
|
Introduced
|
Passion flowers love high humidity
so they do well in Bermuda. Native from Nicaragua to Peru, they are also called grape-leaved passion fruit, although the true passion fruit is P. edulis. The fruits are small- to medium-sized, oblong and greenish yellow. |
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Pelargonium
graveolens Rose geranium |
Geraniaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to the Cape Province of South Africa.
Genus name derives from Greek word for 'stork' and refers to the shape of the fruit, and graveolens means 'very fragrant.' |
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Pentas
lanceolata Egyptian star- cluster, Star flower |
Rubiaceae
|
Introduced
|
Fast-growing shrub with white to
red flowers native to tropical Africa, Arabia and Madagascar. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. |
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Petrea
volubilis Purple wreath, Sandpaper vine |
Verbenaceae
|
Introduced
|
One of the common names refers
to the rough texture of the leaves. Blooms winter through summer. Native to Mexico and Central America. Species name means 'twining.' |
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Phoenix
canariensis Canary Island date palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
With a large thick trunk, long stalks of attractive orange-colored fruits and a graceful crown of feathery fronds, this palm does well in most locations. Native to the Canary Islands. |
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Phoenix
dactylifera Date palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
This is the 'true' date palm from which the
fruits are obtained. Native to North Africa, it has solitary and slender trunks that can grow 40'-50'. In Bermuda the orange fruits do not appear to mature properly to the edible stage. Dactilifera means 'finger-like.' |
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Phoenix
loureiroi Dwarf date palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
A solitary or clustering palm with cream-colored flowers among the leaves. Often planted as a pot ornamental. Native to East Asia. Fruit color is dark maroon to black. Name honors Portuguese botanist, physician and missionary Joäo de Loureiro |
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Phoenix
reclinata Senegal date palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
An African palm, this grows fairly commonly
in Bermuda. Its multiple trunks sometimes form a large clump which can grow to about 25' tall. The foliage is dark green and the flowers are cream-colored. |
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Phoenix
rupicola Cliff date palm, Indian date palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
A native of India, this palm does well in most
soil types and has moderate salt tolerance. Solitary trunk with canopy of 30-50 pinnately-compound leaves that have spines on the petioles. Has white flowers. |
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Pimenta
dioica Allspice, Jamaica pepper |
Myrtaceae
|
Introduced
|
The name allspice comes from the
fact that the fruit and leaves smell like a combination of cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Native to West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America. Only spice whose commercial production is confined to the New World. |
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Pinus
halapensis Aleppo pine |
Pinaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to Turkey, Greece and the Near East,
this pine has needles in clusters of two or three. It is often planted as a windbreak and can grow to 50'. Halapensis means 'of or from Aleppo' which is in northern Syria. |
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Plumbago
auriculata Blue plumbago, Cape leadwort, Skyflower |
Plumbaginaceae
|
Introduced
|
From South Africa. Locally called
the sticker plant because it sticks to clothing and animals. Flowers have sticky hairs at the base. A favorite of butterflies. |
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Plumeria
alba West Indian jasmine, White frangipani |
Apocynaceae
|
Introduced
|
Has poisonous milky sap like its
relative oleander, and is most fragrant at night to attract its sphinx moth pollinator. Genus named for 17th century French botanist Charles Plumier. |
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Plumeria
rubra Common frangipani, Red frangipani |
Apocynaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to Mexico and Central America, plumerias
have spread to all tropical regions of the world. The common name, "frangipani," comes from an Italian noble family, a member of which invented a plumeria-scented perfume. |
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Podocarpus
macrophyllus Japanese yew, Yew pine |
Podocarpaceae
|
Introduced
|
Grows to about 25' with needle-like leaves.
Male plants have pollen-bearing catkins and female plants produce small blue berries that are mildly toxic. It is native to Japan and southern China. |
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Psidium
guajava Guava |
Myrtaceae
|
Introduced
|
Became naturalized in Bermuda in
the 1970's but had been cultivated for decades. Fruits used in making jelly. The genus name derives from a Greek word for pomegranate. Native to tropical America. |
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Quisqualis
indica Rangoon creeper |
Combretaceae
|
Introduced
|
Fragrant viney species with flowers
that change from pink to red as they age. Native to tropical Asia, the Phillipines and New Guinea. |
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Rhapis |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
This palm grows with multiple slender stems
forming a dense rounded cluster with shiny green leaves. In Bermuda often grown as a container plant. Native to southeast China where it has been grown as an ornamental for centuries. |
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Rondeletia
odorata Fragrant rondeletia, Panama rose |
Rubiaceae
|
Introduced
|
Evergreen shrub 6-10' tall native
to Panama and Cuba. Has orange tubular flowers with yellow throats and ovate leaves. The genus name honors Guillaume Rondelet, a 16th century French historian, physician, and botany instructor. Odorata means 'fragrant.' |
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Rosa
bracteata Macartney rose |
Rosaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to warm parts of China,
this is locally called the Fried Egg and is often seen scrambling on old walls. Discovered by Lord Macartney in 1765. |
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Russelia
equisetiformis Bermuda heath, Firecracker plant |
Scrophulariaceae
|
Introduced
|
Blooms all year. Attracts butterflies
and humming- birds. Native to Mexico. The species name means 'having the form of Equisetum.' Genus named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Russell. |
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Sabal
bermudana Bermuda palmetto |
Arecaceae
|
Native, Endemic
|
Confined to the few remaining patches
of lowland dry or marshy scrub. Largest population at Paget Marsh. Has a stout trunk, grows to 75' or so. Also called Bermuda fan palm. Greatly affected by the introduction of non-native plants such as the Chinese fan palm, which created competition for space that it usually lost. |
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Sabal
minor Dwarf palmetto, Blue palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
This is a small fan palm with no real trunk
that is native to the southeastern U.S. One of the hardiest palms in the world, it prefers moist soils. |
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Salix
babylonica Weeping willow |
Salicaceae
|
Introduced
|
Believed to be native to western China, the
weeping willow spread to the Middle Eastern area near the site of Babylon, which gives it its species name. Likes moist soil and has grown along the edges of marshes in Bermuda. |
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Scaevola
plumieri Beach lobelia, Inkberry, Fanflower |
Goodeniaceae
|
Native
|
Uncommon. Colonizes dunes. Large
dark purple berries. Originally from Australia, drift seeds reached Pacific Islands, Africa, and the Caribbean. |
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Schotia
brachypetala African walnut, Tree fuchsia, Weeping boer-bean |
Fabaceae
|
Introduced
|
Handsome tree native to South Africa
with a dense rounded crown. The fruit is a hard flattened woody dark brown pod. Genus honors Richard van der Schot, an 18th century Dutch visitor to SA and chief gardener of the Imperial Garden at Schönbrun in Austria. |
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Sophora
tomentosa Coastal sophora, Silverbush, Necklace pod |
Fabaceae
|
Native
|
Has velvety silver-hued vegetation and typical
pea- like yellow flowers. The name 'necklace pod' refers to the seed pods which are restricted at intervals. Has good salt tolerance and is native to coastal areas of south Florida and the Caribbean. Seeds are toxic. |
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Spathodea
campanulata African tulip tree, Coronation tree |
Bignoniaceae
|
Introduced
|
Blooms in the summer with scarlet tulip-like
flowers. One of the common names refers to the fact that it was planted to commemorate the coronation of King George VI. Native to tropical Africa. |
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Sprekelia
formosissima Aztec lily, Jacobean lily |
Amaryllidaceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to rock outcroppings in
the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. Sometimes called orchid lily or St. James lily. The species name means 'very handsome, very beautiful.' |
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Syagrus
romanzoffiana Queen palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
Grows to 60' tall with a smooth gray trunk
and a large canopy of lacy glossy-green fronds. Widely planted as a landscape tree. Native to Brazil, Para- guay and northern Argentina. Species name honors Nicholas Romanzoff, a Russian minister of state and financial supporter of scientific exploration |
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Tabebuia
pallida Pink trumpet tree, White cedar |
Bignoniaceae
|
Introduced
|
Naturalized in Bermuda from tropical
North and South America and West Indies. Grows to 60' tall. Showy flowers, leathery leaves, long cylindrical fruit pods. |
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Tabernaemontana
divaricata Pinwheel flower, Butterfly gardenia, Crepe jasmine |
Apocynaceae
|
Introduced
|
Named for German herbalist Theodor
Jakob von Bergzaben who Latinized his name as Tabernaemon- tanus which means 'tavern in the mountains.' Also referred to locally as Bermuda gardenia. Native to India. |
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Tecomaria
capensis Cape honeysuckle |
Bignoniaceae
|
Introduced
|
Widely planted in Bermuda usually
as a sprawling hedge and sometimes called trumpet flower. Native to the Cape region of South Africa, hence the name. Tolerant of salt spray and attracts hummingbirds. |
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Thevetia
peruviana Yellow oleander, Lucky nut |
Apocynaceae
|
Introduced
|
Large shrub or small tree to 20'.
Poisonous. Native to South America. Named for André Thévet, French missionary who collected plants in South America. |
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Thunbergia
alata Black-eyed Susan, Orange clock vine |
Acanthaceae
|
Introduced
|
A slender viney species often found
growing wild in Bermuda. Can bloom all year round. The genus name honors Carl Peter Thunberg (1743–1828), a Swedish botanist, doctor, explorer and author, and one of the greatest pupils of Linnaeus. |
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Thunbergia
erecta King's mantle, Bush clock vine |
Acanthaceae
|
Introduced
|
Vigorous woody shrub from tropical
Africa. Flowers are large and have a slight fragrance. |
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Tillandsia
usneoides Spanish moss |
Bromeliaceae
|
Introduced
|
Name refers to its likeness to
the lichen genus Usnea. Is epiphytic, has no roots, tiny, inconspicuous flowers, and drapes from tree branches so thickly that it can reduce their rate of growth. Ranges from SE U.S. to Argentina. |
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Washingtonia
robusta Mexican fan palm |
Arecaceae
|
Introduced
|
Fast growing palm introduced from Mexico. Grows |
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Wedelia
trilobata Wedelia, Creeping daisy |
Asteraceae
|
Introduced
|
Native to northern South America
and West Indies. Very aggressive ground cover plant. Crushed leaves used as a poultice and to make a tea to alleviate cold and flu symptoms. |
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Yucca
aloifolia Spanish bayonet, Dagger plant |
Liliaceae
|
Native
|
Ranges from North Carolina to Florida
and Mexico, West Indies and Bermuda in coastal areas. Often planted as a "security plant" beneath windows and other home access points. |
© 2007-2021 Michael Charters
Photographs may not be used without express permission of the author.
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