ICONIC TREES OF CENTRAL AMERICA

This month, we continue our special blog chasing the tree on every continent with the iconic trees endemic to the Central America, i.e., Black Ironwood, Christmas Cherry, Guaiac Wood, Divi Divi, and Holywood.

Drought-Tolerant Black Ironwood

Black Ironwood is known as Krugiodendron Ferreum in Latin. The tree can be found in Southern Florida, throughout the Caribbean and from Southern Mexico to Honduras.

Black Ironwood can reach 5-10 meters in height with its small greenish leaves. The Black Ironwood tree has fruits turning purplish red as they mature and can be widely seen in parks and gardens thanks to its drought-tolerant structure.

Self-Sufficient Christmas Cherry

Called as Eugenia Pseudopsidium in Latin and found in the Central America region, the Christmas Cherry is a shrub species belonging to the family Myrtaceae. Native to the countries such as the Americas, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the tree has a self-sufficient growth form.

Having simple and wide leaves, the Christmas Cherry tree can synthesize food using light energy and grow up to 14 meters in height.

Flower of Jamaica Guaiac Wood

A species belonging to the tree family Zygophyllaceae, the Guaiac Wood tree is called as Guaiacum Officinale in Latin. Guiaiac Wood is a tree species native to the Caribbean and northern coasts of South America.

The slow-growing Guaiac Wood that can grow up to 10 meters in height has evergreen leaves. Known as the national flower of Jamaica, the Guiac Wood attracts attention with its bright and beautiful colorful flowers.

In the Shadow of the Trade Winds Divi Divi

Called as Libidibia Coriaria in Latin, Divi Divi is one of the trees native to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. The Divi Divi tree rarely reaches its maximum height of 9 meters. The growth of the tree is contorted by the Trade Winds that it is frequently exposed to.

A well-known species of the genus Libidibia, Divi Divi is the national tree of Curaçao, an island located south of the Caribbean Sea and north of Venezuela. The tree is also very common and popular in Aruba.

A Threatened Tree: Holywood

Holywood belonging to the family Zygophyllaceae. Called as Guaiacum Sanctum in Latin, the tree is native to the region from Mexico through Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

Holywood is a slow-growing tree, reaching about 7 meters in height. The tree is known as an evergreen tree throughout its native range.

Also known as the national tree of the Bahamas, the Holywood tree is threatened by habitat loss in its native region.

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