My husband and I took a break from gardening and traveled to the Caribbean recently. If you have not seen the wonderful flowers of San Juan Puerto Rico, you are missing spring in the Caribbean. Pink trumpet trees, Tabebuia rosea, bloom along most streets in San Juan, old town Puerto Rico. Their large flowers hang from the ends of branches. The blooms burst open before the leaves do and create a dazzling cloud of pink.
The yellow trumpet tree, Tabebuia chrysotricha, also adds brilliant color along city streets. You will be amazed by the beauty of both pink and yellow trumpet trees when in full bloom.
Walking down old town Puerto Rico, you will see bougainvillea shrubs blooming in a variety of brilliant colors. Planted in large pots, they offer blooms in white, pink, red, purple, orange, and yellow. Did you know there were so many colors of bougainvillea?
You will also see orchids growing on the trunks of palms. I can’t keep an orchid living long enough for a second round of blooms, while these wild orchids are just happily growing on palm trees. Amazing!
Other fascinating plants in bloom are Celosia argentea, desert cassia (Senna ployphylla), spurred butterfly pea, beach morning glory, and sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum).
Last but not least, you will enjoy seeing Flor de Maga trees, Thespesia grandiflora. Since 2019, its red bloom has been the official flower of the Commonwealth of Puerto. Related to the common hibiscus, the blooms resemble those of Rose of Sharon.
By Kelyee Ledesma
Kelyee is a master gardener who has a website and blog at zbestgarden.com
Photo 1 Kelyee Ledsema
Springtime in San Juan Puerto Rico offers endless opportunities for taking photos of local plants in full bloom. From wild orchids to bougainvillea flowers in a variety of colors, springtime is beautiful.
Photo 2 Fast Growing Trees
Pink trumpet tree offers a striking display of pink blooms in spring. It makes a nice shade tree and lives in zones 8-11 where the weather is tropical.
Photo 3 Fast Growing Trees
Yellow trumpet tree displays a dazzling cloud of yellow blooms each spring.
Photo 4 Wikipedia
Since 2019, Flor de Maga has been the official flower of Puerto Rico and is related to the common hibiscus.
