Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a chain of Caribbean islands shaped by volcanoes and sea, supports a lively mix of native and introduced flowering plants. Walks along coastal roads, village gardens and upland trails reveal a practical snapshot of the islands’ plant life rather than a formal botanical collection.
There are 30 Flowers of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, ranging from Allamanda to Yellow Poui. For each entry the list shows Scientific name,Native status,Habitat / Where found — details you’ll find below.
How can I tell which species are native or introduced on the list?
The “Native status” column flags whether a species is native, endemic, naturalized, or introduced; cross-referencing that with the “Habitat / Where found” notes (e.g., cultivated garden vs. montane forest) helps confirm if a plant is naturally occurring or human-planted. Local guides, herbarium records and conservation sites can provide verification for uncertain cases.
When and where are these flowers easiest to see in the islands?
Many species bloom year-round in this climate, but flowering often peaks during or after the rainy season and in disturbed roadside or garden areas; forest species may be more seasonal. To maximize sightings, visit coastal and lowland gardens for common ornamentals and seek shaded trails or higher elevations for native forest blooms.
Flowers of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
| Name | Scientific name | Native status | Habitat / Where found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soufriere Tree | *Spachea perforata* Juss. | Endemic | Slopes of La Soufrière volcano, montane rainforests of St. Vincent. |
| St. Vincent Begonia | *Begonia vincentina* Griseb. | Endemic | Moist, shaded forest floors, often near streams in upper elevations. |
| Hibiscus | *Hibiscus rosa-sinensis* L. | Introduced | Widely cultivated in gardens, parks, and along roadsides throughout SVG. |
| Flamboyant Tree | *Delonix regia* (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf. | Introduced | Parks, roadsides, and open areas across all the islands. |
| Bougainvillea | *Bougainvillea spectabilis* Willd. | Introduced | Extremely common in gardens, scrambling over walls and fences everywhere. |
| Frangipani | *Plumeria rubra* L. | Introduced | Gardens, cemeteries, and coastal areas; widely planted for its fragrance. |
| Allamanda | *Allamanda cathartica* L. | Introduced | Cultivated as a flowering vine in gardens and on trellises. |
| Bird of Paradise | *Strelitzia reginae* Aiton | Introduced | Ornamental plant in resorts, private gardens, and floral arrangements. |
| Red Ginger Lily | *Alpinia purpurata* (Vieill.) K.Schum. | Introduced | Moist, shaded areas in gardens and naturalized in some forest margins. |
| Lobster Claw | *Heliconia caribaea* Lam. | Native | Rainforests, ravines, and moist, shady areas like the Vermont Nature Trails. |
| Ixora | *Ixora coccinea* L. | Introduced | Extremely common as a hedging plant in gardens and public spaces. |
| Sea Grape | *Coccoloba uvifera* (L.) L. | Native | Dominant on sandy beaches and coastal areas throughout SVG. |
| Beach Morning Glory | *Ipomoea pes-caprae* (L.) R.Br. | Native | Creeping on sandy beaches and coastal dunes of all islands. |
| Coralita | *Antigonon leptopus* Hook. & Arn. | Invasive | Disturbed areas, roadsides, covering fences and other vegetation. |
| Breadfruit | *Artocarpus altilis* (Parkinson) Fosberg | Introduced | Commonly grown in villages, gardens, and farms for its fruit. |
| Yellow Poui | *Handroanthus chrysanthus* (Jacq.) S.O.Grose | Introduced | Planted as a spectacular ornamental tree in parks and along streets. |
| Grenadine Wild Petunia | *Ruellia grenadina* (Urb.) Steyerm. | Endemic (to Grenadines and Grenada) | Dry scrubland and coastal thickets, especially in the Grenadines. |
| Wild Tamarind | *Leucaena leucocephala* (Lam.) de Wit | Invasive | Common in disturbed areas, pastures, roadsides, forming dense thickets. |
| Oleander | *Nerium oleander* L. | Introduced | Widely used as a hardy ornamental hedge along highways and in gardens. |
| Anthurium | *Anthurium andraeanum* Linden ex André | Introduced | Cultivated in shaded gardens and as a houseplant; grown commercially for export. |
| Nutmeg | *Myristica fragrans* Houtt. | Introduced | Cultivated in spice groves, especially in wetter, elevated inland areas. |
| Passion Fruit | *Passiflora edulis* Sims | Introduced | Cultivated on trellises and fences in home gardens and small farms. |
| Canna Lily | *Canna indica* L. | Naturalized | Moist areas, along roadsides, and at garden edges, often growing wild. |
| Pipe Organ Cactus | *Pilosocereus royenii* (L.) Byles & G.D.Rowley | Native | Dry, rocky coastal areas and scrublands, particularly in the Grenadines. |
| Desert Rose | *Adenium obesum* (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. | Introduced | Popular as a potted plant and in sunny, well-drained rock gardens. |
| Angel’s Trumpet | *Brugmansia* x *candida* Pers. | Introduced | Cultivated in gardens and yards for its dramatic, fragrant flowers. |
| Christmas Bush | *Chromolaena odorata* (L.) R.M.King & H.Rob. | Invasive | Widespread in disturbed land, pastures, and agricultural clearings. |
| White Frangipani | *Plumeria alba* L. | Introduced | Gardens, coastal areas, and public parks; less common than *P. rubra*. |
| Madagascar Periwinkle | *Catharanthus roseus* (L.) G.Don | Naturalized | Common in coastal areas, roadsides, and as a garden groundcover. |
| Shower of Gold | *Galphimia gracilis* Bartl. | Introduced | Commonly planted as an ornamental shrub in sunny gardens and borders. |
Images and Descriptions
Soufriere Tree
The rare and spectacular national flower of SVG, this tree produces magnificent pyramidal clusters of bright pink to red flowers. It is a powerful symbol of the nation’s unique biodiversity, found only in the high-elevation volcanic rainforests.
St. Vincent Begonia
A delicate herb found only on Saint Vincent, noted for its attractive foliage and small, pale pink or white flowers. It is a true forest gem, thriving in the humid understory of the island’s lush, undisturbed rainforests.
Hibiscus
A quintessential tropical flower, hibiscus is a common sight in SVG gardens. Its large, showy blooms come in a dazzling array of colors including red, pink, yellow, and orange, adding vibrant, year-round color to the landscape.
Flamboyant Tree
Also known as the flame tree, this massive ornamental tree creates a breathtaking canopy of fiery scarlet-orange flowers, usually during the dry season. Its wide, umbrella-like shape provides both stunning beauty and welcome shade.
Bougainvillea
This hardy, drought-tolerant vine is famous for its vibrant, paper-like bracts (modified leaves) in shades of magenta, purple, and orange that surround its small, inconspicuous white flowers. It provides a massive splash of color to any sunny spot.
Frangipani
Known for its iconic, intoxicatingly fragrant flowers, frangipani is a staple of tropical landscapes. The waxy, pinwheel-shaped blooms, in shades of white, yellow, pink, and red, are strongly associated with the Caribbean islands.
Allamanda
Often called the golden trumpet, this climbing shrub is beloved for its large, bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom profusely. It is a cheerful, fast-growing plant that thrives in the sunny climate of SVG.
Bird of Paradise
This unique flower perfectly resembles a colorful crested bird in profile. Its combination of brilliant orange sepals and vivid blue petals creates a dramatic, architectural display, making it a favorite for high-end tropical landscaping.
Red Ginger Lily
This plant produces stunning cone-like columns of waxy, bright red or pink bracts, from which tiny true white flowers emerge. It grows in dense clumps, adding a lush, exotic, and truly tropical feel to gardens.
Lobster Claw
This striking native plant features large, boat-shaped bracts arranged on the stem, resembling a lobster’s claw. The brilliant red bracts, often tipped with yellow or green, are a major food source for hummingbirds.
Ixora
Also called jungle geranium, this dense shrub produces large, globe-like clusters of tiny, star-shaped flowers. Blooming year-round in shades of red, orange, and yellow, it is one of the most popular and reliable hedge plants in SVG.
Sea Grape
A rugged coastal shrub with large, round, leathery leaves. It produces long chains of small, fragrant white flowers that are followed by hanging clusters of edible, purplish fruits, playing a key role in stabilizing sand dunes.
Beach Morning Glory
A vital sand-stabilizing vine with long runners and hoof-shaped leaves. It produces beautiful, trumpet-shaped pink to purple flowers that open in the morning, adding a touch of delicate color to the harsh beach environment.
Coralita
A fast-growing, aggressive vine that can smother other plants. Despite its invasive nature, it produces beautiful, lacy sprays of delicate bright pink flowers that are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Breadfruit
A historically important food tree, breadfruit produces separate male and female inflorescences. The male flower is a large, club-shaped spike, while the small female flowers are clustered in a prickly ball that develops into the starchy fruit.
Yellow Poui
For a brief period in the dry season, this deciduous tree drops its leaves and erupts in a breathtaking profusion of brilliant, golden-yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. Its blooming is a highly anticipated event, blanketing the ground in gold.
Grenadine Wild Petunia
A small, resilient shrub endemic to the dry southern islands of the Grenadines and Grenada. It produces beautiful, funnel-shaped purple or violet flowers that provide a welcome splash of color in the harsh, dry coastal landscape.
Wild Tamarind
An aggressive, fast-growing shrub or small tree now considered a troublesome invasive. It produces fluffy, cream-colored, puffball-like flower heads which are followed by distinctive long, flat brown seed pods that hang in clusters.
Oleander
A tough, drought-tolerant shrub known for its beautiful clusters of showy, often fragrant flowers in shades of pink, white, and red. It thrives on neglect, but all parts of the plant are highly poisonous and should be handled with care.
Anthurium
Often called the flamingo flower, it is prized for its glossy, heart-shaped spathe (a modified leaf) in vivid red, pink, or white, with a central fleshy spike (spadix). It is an important part of SVG’s cut flower industry.
Nutmeg
An economically vital spice tree, nutmeg produces small, fragrant, bell-shaped, pale yellow flowers. The inconspicuous female flowers, once pollinated, develop into the apricot-like fruit that yields both nutmeg and mace.
Passion Fruit
This vigorous vine produces one of the most exotic and complex flowers in the plant world. The intricate bloom has a fringe-like corona of purple and white filaments, and its unique structure is perfectly adapted for bee pollination.
Canna Lily
With large, banana-like leaves and showy, asymmetrical flowers in bright red or yellow, the Canna Lily is a common and robust plant. Its hard, black, bead-like seeds give it the common name ‘Indian Shot’.
Pipe Organ Cactus
A native columnar cactus that can form large, multi-stemmed clumps. It produces large, funnel-shaped, pinkish-white flowers that impressively open at night to attract bat and moth pollinators, closing by mid-morning.
Desert Rose
A striking succulent shrub with a thick, swollen trunk (caudex) used for water storage. It is highly prized for its vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of pink and red that bloom profusely, even in very dry conditions.
Angel’s Trumpet
A shrub or small tree that produces enormous, pendulous, trumpet-shaped flowers. The spectacular white, yellow, or pink blooms release a powerful, sweet fragrance in the evening to attract moth pollinators. All parts are highly toxic.
Christmas Bush
A very successful invasive shrub that quickly colonizes open land, outcompeting native species. It produces dense clusters of small, tassel-like, pale lavender to white flowers, which are most prolific during the drier winter months.
White Frangipani
Distinguished from the common frangipani by its elongated, slender leaves and pure white flowers with a small yellow center. The fragrance is often described as more citrus-like and is particularly strong at night.
Madagascar Periwinkle
A hardy, low-growing plant with glossy green leaves and simple, five-petaled flowers that are typically pink, magenta, or white. While pretty, it is often weedy but is also the source of important medicinal alkaloids.
Shower of Gold
A cheerful, small to medium-sized shrub that is almost constantly covered in sprays of small, star-shaped, bright yellow flowers. It is a favorite for gardeners because it is easy to grow, drought-tolerant, and attracts pollinators.
