Photography provided by Dr. Kent Kainulainen
From a sandy ocean front garden exposed to; sun, salt and wind to a shady moist ground, there is a native plants well suited for the most difficult environmental conditions.
Salt and drought tolerant plants
Host plants for butterflies (Caterpillar food for butterflies) = H
Nectar plants for butterflies (Butterfly food for butterflies) = N
Bird Attracting = B
Found no where else in the world but the Cayman islands = Endemic
Herbaceous Perennials
Ageratum conyzoides N
Ageratum littorale / Cape Sable Whiteweed N
Aloe vera / Aloe
Ambrosia hispida / Geranium; Running Woodworm 3' (Excellent for manicured borders)
Bacopa monnieri / Water Hyssop H N (Swamps or seasonally flooded grounds)
Batis maritima / Saltwort H (Swamps or seasonally flooded grounds)
Blutaparon vermicularis / Silverhead; Samphire H (Swamps or seasonally flooded grounds)
Capraria biflora / Goatweed
Catharanthus roseus / Perrywinkle
Chromolaena odorata / Jack-in-the-bush N
Crinum amabile / Giant Lily
Cynanchum angustifolium / Gulf Coast Swallowwort H N
Dalbergia brownei / Cacoon; Brown's Indian Rosewood
Eustoma exaltatum / Marsh Gentia (Swamps or seasonally flooded grounds)
Evolvulus convolvuloides
Evolvulus squamosus / Rockyplains Dwarf Morning Glory N
Heliotropium curassavicum / Seaside Heliotropium N
Hymenocallis latifolia / Spider Lily
Limonium companyonis Rare & now extinct
Pectis caymanensis caymanensis / Tea Banker; Mint
Pectis caymanensis robusta / Tea Banker; Mint Endemic
Salicornia bigelovii LC
Salicornia virginica Syn. S. perennis / Glasswort H
Sarcostemma clausum / White Twinevine H N
Sesuvium maritimum / Slender Sea purslane
Sesuvium microphyllum
Sesuvium portulacastrum / Sea-pursley; Shoreline Seapurslane
Spilanthes urens / White Button; Pigeon Coop H N
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis / Porterweed; Vervine H N
Stemodia durantifolia
Stemodia maritima H N
Stylosanthes hamata / Lucy Julia ; Pencil Flower H N
Tephrosia cinerea N
Tribulus cistoides / Buttercup; Jim Carter Weed
Zephyranthes citrina AMARYLLIDACEA Yellow Crocus
Zephyranthes rosea AMARYLLIDACEA Pink Crocus
Zephyranthes tubispatha AMARYLLIDACEA White Crocus
Shrubs
Acacia farnesiana / Sweet Acacia 8' N
Argusia gnaphalodes / Lavender; Sea-lavender 4' - 6' N
Baccharis dioica / False Willow, Saltbush 4' - 5' (Excellent for manicured borders)
Bauhinia divaricata / Bull Hoof 10' N
Borrichia arborescens / Bay Candlewood: Tree Seaside Oxeye 3.5'
Caesalpinia bonduc / Cockspur; Yellow Nickel 6' H N
Capparis flexuosa / Raw Bones; Raw Head; Bloody Head 8' H N
Catesbaea parviflora / Lily Thorn 3' (Fragrant blooms)
Chascotheca neopeltandra Syn. Chascotheca domingensis 5'
Chrysobalanus icaco / Coco-Plum 8'
Cordia brownei / Black Sage 8' N
Cordia bullata var. globosa Syn. Cordia globosa humilis / Black Sage; Butterfly bush 10' N
Cordia laevigata / Clamcherry 8'
Crossopetalum rhacoma / Snake Berry; Tobacco Berry; Wild Tobacco 8' B
Crossopetalum uragoga Syn. C. caymanense / Crossopetalum, Snake Berry 6' Endemic
Croton glabellus / Basket Hoop 6'
Croton linearis / Rosemary 5' H N (Fragrant & Excellent for manicured borders)
Erithalis fruticosa / Black Candlewood
Euploca ternata Syn. Heliotropium ternatum / Bushy Heliotropium 3' (Manicured borders)
Forestieria segregata / Florida Privet 5' (Excellent for manicured borders)
Gossypium hirsutum / Wild Cotton 8'
Guaiacum officinale / Lignum Vitae
Heterosavia erythroxyloides Syn. Savia erythroxyloides / Wild Coco-plum 8'
Iva cheiranthifolia 7'
Iva Imbricata / Seacoast Marshelder
Lantana involucrata / Roundleaf Sage; Bitter Sage 5' N (Sandy shores)
Lantana bahamensis / Wild Sage 6' N (Moist soil)
Rhachicallis americana / Juniper; Bay Cedar 3'
Salmea petrobioides / Shanks, Bushy Salmea 4' N
Scaevola plumieri Scaevola 3' - 5' Rare
Strumpfia maritima / Pride of Big Pine 3'
Suriana maritima / Juniper; Bay Cedar 8' H N
Tecoma stans / Shamerock; Cow-stick; Hemlock 8' -10'
Trema lamarckianum / Trema 8' H N
Turnera triglandulosa 2.5' H N
Turnera ulmifolia / Cat-Bush; Yellow Alder; Ramgoat Dashalong 3' H N
Vernonia arborescens / Christmas Blossom 3' N
Yucca aloifolia / Spanish Bayonet 5' H
Zamia pumila / Bulrush; Bull Rush 5' H
Trees
Allophylus cominia var. caymanensis / Christmas Berry Endemic B
Stenostomun lucidum Syn. Antirhea lucida / Anthirthea 10' (Moist soil)
Avicennia germinans / Black Mangrove 15' H
Bourreria venosa / Bourreria; Strongbark 20' B
Bucida molinetii Syn. Bucida spinosa / Spiny black olive tree
Cestrum diurnum marcianum / Jassemine, Cestrum (Fragrant blooms) 15' N
Clusia rosea / Autograph Tree 15' - 20'
Quadrella cynophallophora Syn. Capparis cynophallophora / Headache Bush 10' - 15' H N
Capparis ferruginea / Devil Head 12' H N
Coccoloba uvifera / Seagrape 20' - 30' H N
Colubrina asiatica / Asia Nakedwood: Latherleaf 10' -15'
Conocarpus erectus / Buttonwood 10' - 20'
Cordia gerascanthus / Spanish Elm 30'
Cordia sebestena var. caymanensis / Broadleaf 20' - 30' N Endemic
Croton nitens / Wild Cinnamon 30' H N B
Ehretia tinifolia / Bastard Cherry 50' B
Erythroxylum areolatum / Smoke Wood 20' (Deciduous thin leaves)
Erythroxylum confusum / Smoke Wood 20' (Deciduous thick leaves)
Erythroxylum rotundifolium / Rat Wood 20'
Eugenia axillaris / Strawberry; White Stopper 20' B
Eugenia biflora 30' B
Eugenia foetida / Spanish Stopper; Box Leaf Eugenia 25' B
Eugenia uniflora / Surinam Cherry 15' B
Exostema caribaeum / Yellow Ironwood; Bastard Ironwood; Caribbean Princewood 50'
Guapira discolor / Cabbage Tree; Blolly; Beefwood 30' B
Gyminda latifolia / Gyminda 30'
Gymnanthes lucida / Narrow-leaf Ironwood; Crab Bush 30'
Hamelia cuprea / [Yellow Trumpet shrub] 15' N
Hibiscus tiliaceus / Mahoe; Sea Hibiscus 20' - 40' H N
Jaquinia keyensis / Wash Wood 8' - 10' (Sandy shores)
Jacquinia proctorii / Wash Wood 7' Endemic (Moist soil & dappled shade)
Jatropha gossypifolia / Bitter Cassava, Wild Cassava 15'
Laguncularia racemosa / White Mangrove 20' - 30' (Seasonally flooded grounds)
Manilkara zapota / Sapodilla; Neesberry 20' H (Sandy shores fruit tree)
Margaritopsis microdon Syn. Psychotria microdon / Wild coffee
Myrcianthes fragrans / Cherry 20'
Morella cerifera Syn. Myrica cerifera / Bayberry; Wax Myrtle 20'
Petitia domingensis / Fiddlewood 25' B
Phyllanthus angustifolius / Duppy Bush; Duppy Basil 15' H
Phyllanthus caymanensis / Endemic H
Phyllanthus nutans
Piscidia piscipula / Dogwood; Fish Poison 30' - 40'
Pithecellobium unguis-cati / Cat's Claw (Invasive) H N
Plumeria obtusa / Jasmine 15' H
Randia aculeata / Lancewood 10'
Rauvolfia nitida / Palo Amargo 25'
Rhizophora mangle / Red Mangrove 15' - 20' H (Saline shores or marches)
Swietenia mahagoni / Mahogany 20' - 40'
Tabebuia heterophylla / Whitewood 15'
Terminalia catappa / Indian Almond 30' - 40'
Thespesia populnea / Popnut; Plopnut 15' - 20'
Trema lamarckiana / Trema 15' H
Zanthoxylum flavum / Yellow Sanders; Satinwood 25' H N
Vines & ground covers
Asystasia gangetica / Bermuda Primrose
Ernodea littoralis / Guana Berry 1'
Jacquemontia havanensis / Havana Clustervine
Jasminum fluminense / Star of Bethlehem; Wild Jasmine N
Ipomoea imperati / Beach Morning Glory H
Ipomoea pes-caprae / Bay Vine N
Merremia quinqefolia / Rock Rosemary Rare
Passiflora cuprea / Devil's Pumpkin H N
Passiflora suberosa / Wild Pumpkin; Corky Stem Vine; Inkvine H N
Rhabdadenia biflora / Mangrove Rubber Vine (Swamps or seasonally flooded land)
Tribulus cistoides / Buttercup; Jim Carter Weed
Urechites lutea / Yellow Nightshade; Wild Alamanda
Palms
Coccothrinax proctorii / Silver Thatch Palm; Thatch H Endemic
Cocos nucifera / Coconut Palm H N (High maintenance)
Thrinax radiata / Bull Thatch; Florida Thatch
Cactus
Consolea macracantha Syn. Opontia millspaughii caymanensis / Prickly Pear Tree
Epiphyllum phyllanthus var. plattsii Endemic (Moist grounds & dappled shade)
Harrisia caymanensis
Nopalea cochenillifer / Cochineal
Opuntia stricta var. dillenii / Prickly Pear
Piloscereus royenii / Dildo
Selenicereus pteranthus CB
Selenicereus grandiflorus / Vine Pear
Bromeliads
Hohenbergia caymanensis / Hohenbergia Endemic
Agaves
Agave caymanense / Corato; Maypole 241Endemic