St John Plants & Flowers

Exotic tropical plants and radiant flowers.

Radiance and majesty are the only words that can be used to describe the plants and flowers that perpetuate across the the landscape of St John. Bright and flourishing, these flora residents of the Caribbean are what intrigues newcomers and locals alike, as they are enamored by the beauty and prestige that they invoke. From palm trees to plumerias, hibiscus to orchids, and red ginger to heliconia, the island of St John is a wonderful place to see what the Caribbean's plant life has to offer.

Here's some of the flowers you'll see there:

Bougainvillea

Native to South America, the Bougainvillea was discovered in 1768 in Brazil by a French Botanist named Philibert Commerçon. He was accompanying an explorer attempting circumnavigation, named Louis Antoine de Bougainville.

Bougainvillea grow on thorny vines that range from 1 to 12 meters. They come in various colors, including red, orange, and various pinks and purples.

Bougainvillea

Giant Spider Lily

Classified as the Crinum Agustum, the giant spider lily is characterized by its pink and purple colors and expansive sizes, sometimes up to 5 feet tall and wide.

This flower generally blooms April, May, and June.

Giant Spider Lily

Ginger Thomas

Designated the official flower of the Virgin Islands, the Ginger Thomas is known for its amazing fragrance and medical uses. It is in bloom year-round.

Also known as the Yellow Trumpetbush, the "yellow elder", "yellow bells", and esperanza (spanish for "hope").

Ginger Thomas

Hibiscus

A common beauty in tropical places, the hibiscus has both perennial and annual varieties. It is a popular ingredient in herbal teas and can be made into a delicious sweet candy.

Around christmas time, a tea is made using hibiscus flowers and is called "sorrel". It is sometimes mixed with rum.

Hibiscus

Ixora

Commonly known as West Indian Jasmine, these beautiful flowers are in bloom year-round.

It is also known as chann tanea, jarum-jarum, jungle flame, jungle geranium, kheme, pan, ponna, ranga, santan, and techi.

Ixora

Oleander

Primarily ornamental, the Oleander is one of the most poisonous plants on earth. Due to the toxicity, deer tend to stay away from them, so they are a popular decorative flower around the world.

Though there is no scientific consensus, and the FDA has issued warning letters regarding it, Oleander is used as a snake bite remedy and advertised to have other medicinal uses.

Oleander

Plumeria

Commonly known as Frangipani, the plumeria flower ranges from pink to yellow. Like the Oleander, it also produces a poisonous sap.

The flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure in moths for pollination, though they do not produce any nectar. They are named for Charles Plumier, a french botanist.

Plumeria

Red Ginger

Commonly known as Ostrich Plume and Pink Cone Ginger, it is the national flower of Somoa. It is often grown as a houseplant and for property ornament, though it can grow wildly and spread.

It can tolerate full sunlight, though it prefers to grow in moist shade.

Red Ginger




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