Official data show that there are about 8,000 plant species in the Dominican Republic, of which more than 1,500 are endemic plants found nowhere else on the planet. The total number of plant species is actually three times higher than the number of genera in the whole of Europe.
The beautiful flowers of the coastal islands
The island of Haiti is renowned for its stable late spring weather throughout the year, which is why flowers are constantly blooming and trees are always green. The coastal islands are dominated by cacti and thorny shrubs, as it is dry most of the time. But in the rest of the country, there are enough plants characteristic of temperate latitudes and tropical trees, a very rare phenomenon that is not repeated in any other part of the world. Shrubs, dwarf trees and flowers grow on the flat surface and along every beach, there are coconut palms and mangroves, thanks to which the coast is shielded from hurricanes.
Orchids are the most important plant species in the country
There are about 3000 species of exotic flowers growing in the Dominican Republic. Among this variety of colours and smells, the orchid is in first place. A large number of orchids are grown in the country, including a particular species that is considered to be of national value and thus not allowed to be exported abroad. Agricultural plants, including bananas, coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, chocolate and coffee trees, coconut trees, pineapples and orange groves grow in the Dominican Republic as do many tropical fruits. The felling of trees in the Caribbean state is prohibited by law.
The various trees species
The Caoba, also called Mahogany, is the national tree of the Dominican Republic. Other common species are the Ceiba, the West Indian cedar, the pumpkin (Crescentia cujete) and, of course, a wide variety of other tropical palm trees from Africa that dot the beaches and hills of the country. The coconut palm is found everywhere, while the royal palm, the emblem of the Dominican Republic, appears in the national flag. In summer, you can admire the blossoming of the Flamboyant or Fire Tree, an imported species, which paints the roadsides and fields with deep red. In the high-altitude towns in the central region of the Dominican Republic, the Creole pine, which adapts well to cold climates, is very abundant.
