50c - FRANGIPANI - Plumeria rubra
The Frangipani grows in hot, dry to moderate rainfall areas such as the Aruban climate.
It’s an easy to grow tree which adapts itself to most soil conditions.
It blooms seasonally and is often seen in many Aruban gardens.
Any break of its branches will leak a milky sap.
The flowers grow in a round bouquet shape and the colours range from white, pink, fuchsia and red.
It contains a number of medically active constituents. The sap is used to treat stings of wasps, bees and centipedes.
90c - BONCHI DI CABAY - Erythrina velutina
Bonchi di Cabay is indigenous to South America and has been brought to the Caribbean.
It grows as a large tree with short pines on the stem which flowers in the dry season in large bunches together.
The colors of the flowers come in shades of orange, peach and red.
They need sufficient water to survive, but once a full grown tree they demand less care and can survive dry seasons.
The bark is sometimes used as a medicine.
130c - TUNA - Opuntia wentiana
Tuna is a species of cacti which grows by segments and with large thorns in the areoles.
The segments are authentic stems with the ability to produce new blades of leaves and flowers.
This species grows all over the island on the most barren soil.
Its thorns can cause a very nasty prickly sting which can result in irritation and swelling of the skin.
After a long period of drought, an unexpected shower of rain will cause the Tuna to produce the most beautiful yellow flowers you can imagine.
135c - SHOSHORO – Passiflora foetida
The Latin name “Passiflora foetal” for the Shoshoro literally means “stinking flower”.
This exotic medicinal vine grows wild over almost the entire island. About 500 species of the family passifloraceae exists.
Its flower, which only blooms once a day is fascinating in its appearance, size and complexity and it holds a symbolic meaning in recognition of the crucifixion story.
The colors of the flowers come in all shades of purple till a pale shade of green.
200c - BEYISIMA - Antigonon leptopus
Beyisima is a fast-growing climbing vine that holds via tendrils.
After a rainy season, this vine will overgrow shrubs, trees, even fences, and become a blanket of pink flowers.
The flowers are borne in panicles cluster along the rachis in pink or white.
Beyisima also carries the popular name of “coral vine”.
220c - STREA DI VENEZUELA - Ixora coccinea
Strea di Venezuela originated from the South of India and Sri Lanka and has become almost one of the very common flowering shrubs in Aruba gardens and landscapes.
The small tubular, scarlet flowers grow in dense rounded clusters and bloom almost all year long.
Besides the most common color scarlet, there are also yellow, pink, orange and white flowers.
305c - MATA DI LECHI - Calotropis procera
Mata di lechi originated from North Africa, Palestina and the entire tropical belt. It has adapted itself to the Aruban climate and can be found wherever you turn on the island.
This plant owes its papiamento name to the flesh of the plant containing a toxic milky sap.
“Mata di lechi” means “Milk plant”. It bears fruits, green lobes filled mainly with air and fiber seeds.
In Aruba the caterpillar of the monarch butterfly feeds on the leaves of the Mata di lechi before undergoing its metamorfose.
320c - HUBADA - Acacia tortuosa
The Hubada can be found in tropical and dessert habitats. Therefore, this woody leguminous thorn tree can easily grow in Aruba.
It bears small fluffy globular clusters of yellow to orange flowers;
an evergreen foliage of feathery, small leaves, persisting seed pods;
and brutal thorns in pairs at leaf bases. Even goats ignore the foliage because of the thorns.
The Hubada blooms and bears fruit all year long.
