THE ABUNDANT TROPICAL FLORA OF THE ISLANDS

Under a hot sun, these islands have an impressive treasure of forest’s flowers, tree fruits and vegetables.

As with the inhabitants of the East Caribbean, flora in this region is incredible. Some plants here date back to prehistory, other were brought in canoes by the Caribbeans from South America, others come from Africa during the slavery age, and others were brought by the Europeans.

American and European visitors use to contemplate tropical plants in greenhouses, or to see exotic fruits and vegetables in the supermarkets, watch astonished the sight of these magnificent plants growing naturally in these islands.

Market Day  
To go into any local market in some of the most humid and mountainous islands, means witnessing a multicolor spectacle: guanabana, the green color christophene, from the pumpkin family; the small red and green peppers, some very hot. On the islands with dry weather there’s not so much variety, but they have tubercles like name, that has an important place in the islander’s food, And of course, tropical flowers of all colors and forms, from orchids to hibiscus, passing through the anthuriums.

Though you can visit many botanic gardens or the precious gardens from old plantation mansions, don’t forget to admire also, those growing in courtyards of normal houses, where frequently in a small space, a wide range of exotic trees, plants and flowers concentrate.

THE ISLAND’S SPECIES
In the Caribbean you can breathe a sweet air. Romantics say this sweet fragrance comes from the species, and particularly, from the vanilla, a plant from the orchid family, with a flower of exquisite aroma, that opens only during some hours in the morning. Pollination is made by hand, and from the berries is extracted the much wanted vanilla flavor.

Though species like vanilla and nutmegs were for some time important export products of the Caribbean islands, most of them arrived to the islands in the XVIII century from the “island of species” in the Far East- At one time, Grenada produced a fourth of the world’s production of nutmegs. Even now you can see the elaboration process of this species in the Gouyabe warehouses, in the west coast of Grenada. To obtain it, the subtle red shell is separated, and then crushed until being reduced to dust. Visiting local markets, with a great diversity of species is recommended.