The national flowers of selected Caribbean territories

BWA KWAYIB, Dominica’s National Flower, is produced by a small tree from Dominica’s dry forests

 

There is a popular expression, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, and several territories in the wider Caribbean recognize and admire the uniqueness and beauty of their individual National Flowers. Some of these national flowers were declared National Emblems/Symbols through Acts of the respective Parliaments while others are unofficially recognized.

Some of these national flowers are produced by trees, some by shrubs, one is an aquatic plant, two are orchids, while still another is a succulent plant. A few of the plants are endemic (plants that are found nowhere else in the world growing in the wild) to the particular country that declared them as national emblems, while the others originated from outside of the region, from as far as Madagascar off the South-East coast of Africa. However, Dominica proudly joins the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela as Caribbean territories that have declared plants that are endemic to them as the plants that bear their national flower.

So, let us take a quick, zigzag tour of the wider Caribbean, admiring the national flowers of some of our islands/states. We will visit these territories in alphabetical order.

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA: The national flower of the twin-island state that boasts of having “a white sandy beach for every day of the year” is Dagger Log (Agave karatto). This plant and its flower are also known as Antigua Agave, Antigua Black, and century plant, and as Batta Log by Barbudans. This succulent plant flowers only once in its life, in between 10 and 20 years, then dies – hence the common name, century plant. It produces several small plantlets after flowering and while dying. Dagger Log was formally declared the national flower of Antigua & Barbuda in 1985. It is native to the Windward Islands and Antigua & Barbuda and may be the same species that grows along the west and south coasts of Dominica.

Inflorescence of DAGGER LOG / BATTA LOG

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: The British Overseas Territory of the British Virgin Islands– of which there are about 60 islands – has adopted the ornamental plant known as Oleander (Nerium oleander) as their National Flower. The plant is described as highly toxic, with all parts being poisonous. There are nine varieties, with flowers that come in colours of pink, red, light yellow, white, and others; some of those have been cultivated on Dominica as ornamentals. Oleander is native to northwest Africa, the Mediterranean Region to southern Asia, and parts of China.

CAYMAN ISLANDS: The Cayman Islands, a three-island British Overseas Territory where 1 Cayman dollar (KYD) = EC $3.23, formally adopted the Wild Banana Orchid (Myrmecophila thompsoniana) as their national flower in 1986. The plant, with two recognized varieties, is present on all three islands, viz. Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. The Wild Banana Orchid is endemic to the Cayman Islands.

CUBA: Cuba – the Caribbean’s largest island – is an island in the northern Caribbean that produces some of the world’s finest cigars; they [had] adopted the White Mariposa (Hedychium coronarium) as their national flower since 1936, making the Mariposa possibly the first national flower to be so declared in the Caribbean. The plant is a member of the Ginger Family and is also known as White Ginger and Butterfly Jasmine. White Mariposa is endemic to Cuba.

DOMINICA: The Bwa Kwayib (Poitea carinalis, formerly Sabinea carinalis) was formally declared as the national flower of Dominica in October 1978, only a few days before the island gained political Independence. This small tree, which produces scores of scarlet flowers along its slender, whip-like branches during the Dry Season, grows in the wild only along the island’s leeward coast. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental around the island. Bwa Kwayib (name translates to ‘Kalinago wood’) is endemic to Dominica.

GRENADA: The Caribbean’s Isle of Spices has adopted one of the species of Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) as their national flower. This prickly plant, of which there are several varieties, is also known as Paperflower.

BOUGAINVILLEA comes in a range of varieties and colours

The actual flowers of all Bougainvillea varieties are small and often white, while the colourful part of the plants are, in fact modified leaves, called bracts, that come in a wide variety of colours, such as light pink, white, red, purple,and orange, etc. Bougainvillea is native to South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina).

GUADELOUPE: The Kwéyol- and French-speaking French Overseas Department of Guadeloupe has adopted the ornamental Hibiscus plant (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) as their national flower. There are several varieties and colours of Hibiscus, such as yellow, red, orange, white-and-red; cream-and-red, yellow-and-red, etc.

GUYANA: Guyana, formerly British Guiana – the only English-speaking South American country – adopted the world’s second-largest water lily, the Giant Water Lily (Victoria amazonica, formerly Victoria regia) as their national flower in 1966. The flower of this lily is reputed to be the largest flower in the world, and the leaves measure 10ft in diameter on the surface of the water. Flowers open white, but subsequently turn pink. The Giant Water Lily features prominently on the back of the Guyanese $100 bill. The Giant Water Lily was first discovered in Bolivia but the plant is native to the Amazon Regions of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Guyana.

The GIANT WATER LILY – World’s second largest lily bears the world’s largest flower

JAMAICA: The land of Reggae, Bob Marley and Usain Bolt, adopted the flower of the Lignum Vitae tree (Guaiacum officinale) as their national flower. The name of the tree means ‘Wood of Life’. This slow-growing tree produces very durable timber and its resin has medicinal and other properties. For example, the resin is used for flavoring cakes and chewing gum. It is also added to edible oils to prevent acidification. Medicinally, the resin is also used to treat chronic forms of rheumatism, skin diseases, scrofula, dysmenorrhea, toothache, etc. In Jamaica, Lignum Vitae can be found growing in dry areas of the north and south coasts of that island.

In Dominica, Lignum Vitae has been planted as an ornamental at the Botanic Gardens in Roseau, on the grounds of a hotel at Castle Comfort, at the Cabrits National Park, and on the grounds of the University of the West Indies Global Campus, among other locations. Lignum Vitae is native to the Caribbean (including Dominica) and the north coast of
South America.

The LIGNUM VITAE has a butterfly named after it

MONTSERRAT: Montserrat, the Caribbean island that changed its capital due to volcanic eruptions that began in 1995, has adopted the Red Heliconia (Heliconia caribaea) as its national flower. This is a species of herbaceous plant that grows in the rainforest.

On Dominica, one of our native species of Heliconia, Heliconia bihai (called ‘Balizyé’ locally) was accepted as Dominica’s national flower before the Bwa Kwayib was formally declared in 1978. The leaves of the plant were used to waterproof large Kalinago baskets, and to place rolled-up dough before putting into the oven for baking. Heliconia caribaea is native to Central America and the Caribbean.

PUERTO RICO: This United States Territory in the Northern Caribbean has adopted the Flor de Maga (Thespesia grandiflora) which is also known as Maga, Maga Colorada (Red Maga), and Puerto Rican Hibiscus as their national flower. This plant is a member of the Hibiscus family, and a related species in Dominica is Maho Bòdlanmè or Seaside Mahoe (Thespesia populnea). Flor de Maga was originally native to the humid mountains of limestone in the western
and north-central portions of Puerto Rico, but today it grows everywhere in the archipelago due to its extensive cultivation. Flor de Maga is endemic to Puerto Rico.

ST. LUCIA: Just as Trinidad and Tobago boast two national birds (the Scarlet Ibis and the Cocrico), so too St. Lucia has adopted two flowers, viz. the Marguerite (Argyranthemum frutescens) and the Rose as their national flowers. These flowers were declared national emblems in St. Lucia in 1985, following a national flower competition held in that island. Marguerite and Rose Societies exist in St. Lucia but neither plant is endemic to that country.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS: The Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis, Sugar City, adopted the flower of the Flamboyant tree (Delonix regia) as their national flower which also features on that country’s coat of arms. The tree is also commonly known as Royal Poinciana, and in Dominica, it is known as ‘Kòkstikin’ tree, ‘Kòks’ tree, and ‘Flè Senpyè’
(meaning St. Peter’s Flower, as the trees flower around the time of the Feast of St. Peter’s – the Patron Saint of Fishermen). Three varieties of Flamboyant can be found in Dominica, based on the colours of the flowers which may be red, orange, or yellow. Flamboyant is native to Madagascar – the world’s fourth largest island, but the tree is widely grown as an ornamental in the tropical world.

FLAMBOYANT trees and flowers are associated with the Feast of St. Peter in Dominica

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES: Once considered the whaling capital of the Caribbean, this group of islands in the southern Windwards has adopted a shrub known as the Soufriere Tree (Spachea perforata) as their national flower. This plant was chosen as a national emblem as it is commonly found on the slopes of La Soufriere
Volcano – the main island’s tallest peak. The Soufriere Tree produces small, pink flowers and the plant is described as an untidy brancher. The Soufriere Tree is supposedly endemic to St. Vincent.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The Land of Steelband, Soca, and Calypso in 2019 formally declared the Double Chaconia (Warszewiezia coccinea), a.k.a. Wild Poinsettia and Pride of Trinidad and Tobago (Trinbago) as the national flower of that twin-island republic. Two varieties of that plant exist, viz. the single Chaconia which was originally recognized as the national flower of Trinbago, and the double Chaconia which was recently formally declared as the republic’s National Flower.

The double Chaconia is widely cultivated as an ornamental for its spectacular red blossoms, though the bright red part of the flower are not petals, but actually modified leaves called bracts. The petals are yellow but inconspicuous. The plant is displayed on the 25¢ coin of Trinidad & Tobago. The Chaconia Medal is one of the five categories of National Awards that are bestowed on deserving individuals, groups, and institutions in Trinidad & Tobago. This medal comes in sub-categories of gold, silver, and bronze. The Chaconia is endemic to Trinidad.

The red of the CHACONIA flower is reminiscent of the red on Trinidad & Tobago’s national flag

US VIRGIN ISLANDS: This United States Territory – which consists of three main islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John and several smaller islands – adopted the Ginger Thomas (Tecoma stans) as their national flower. This shrub/small tree with its clusters of bright yellow flowers is also known as Yellow Bell, Golden Star, and Trumpet
Flower in much of its range, and as Flè jòn – translates from Kwéyòl to ‘yellow flower’ – in Dominica. The Ginger Thomas is native to North America (Arizona, California, Southern Florida, Texas, the Sonoran Desert), South America, Central America, the West Indies and Mexico. It can be grown as an ornamental.

VENEZUELA: This country in northern South America, in 1951 declared a stunningly beautiful orchid which is named the Easter Orchid, Flor de Mayo, or May Flower (Cattleya mossiae) as its national flower. The Easter Orchid grows throughout Venezuela’s coastal mountain region and usually blooms from April to May, coinciding with the Easter period; its flowering period gave rise to its local name Flor de Mayo. Flor de Mayo is endemic to Venezuela.

FLOR DE MAYO

REMARKS: Persons who wish to learn more about the 17 national flowers just described as well as national flowers of other Caribbean territories (e.g. Barbados, Bermuda, Turks & Caicos Islands, etc.) are encouraged to do internet searches. You may discover that what we in Dominica know as ‘Flè Jòn’ (Tecoma stans) is the National Flower of two groups of Caribbean islands, viz. US Virgin Islands and the Bahamas. You may also find a few more interesting facts about these botanical national emblems of the Caribbean.

National Flowers were declared in individual Caribbean territories, either officially or unofficially, in 1936, 1951, 1966, 1978, 1985 (x2), 1995, and 2019.

Which plant or flower is next to be officially declared a National Flower of a Caribbean Territory by an Act of Parliament?

 

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