The benefits of wildflower and pollinator gardens are so huge that farmers have started using strips of wildflowers between conventionally grown crops. The wildflowers don’t just help with pollination, they also attract predatory insects and wildlife that help keep crop-damaging insects under control. Creating a Caribbean wildflower and pollinator garden can be a great way to brighten up your space!
The Importance of Native Plants
While many flowers will attract pollinators, native wildflowers are the most effective for a number of reasons:
- They are recognized as food by the local pollinators and predatory insects.
- They are better suited to your local micro-climate, needing less maintenance, fertilizer, and water compared to introduced plants.
- They are less likely to become weedy and out of control, but:
- They self propagate reliably.
Organic Gardening
Another important part of planting your wildflower and pollinator garden is being mindful of gardening practices which might harm your beneficial insects. Most people know that neonicotinoids and herbicides are a no-no in organic gardening. However, many organic pesticides can also be harmful to bees (and other beneficial insects and wildlife), especially when used incorrectly.
If you need to control mosquito populations or save your prized veggie patch from a white-fly invasion, try to choose a targeted organic insecticide and follow the directions carefully. Definitely don’t spray anything, even organics, in the morning when bees and pollinators are most active.
Permaculture is a great way to create more resilient gardens which are less likely to fall pray to pests and diseases. Gaia’s Garden is a great introduction to permaculture practices that can be used anywhere, even on a small patio garden.
Some of our Favorite Caribbean Plants that Attract Pollinators and Beneficial Insects
Lignum Vitae
This slow growing tree is indigenous to the Caribbean, but was once over harvested for its valuable wood.
Ramgoat Dashalong
Turnera ulmifolia
Native to Mexico and West Indies. Attracts bees and butterflies. Hardy, drought resistant, and grows like a weed!
Petrea
This evergreen vine is native to Mexico and Central America. Attracts bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Drought tolerant.
Some other worthy mentions are wild arugula, basil, Celosia, Asystasia, Mexican petunia (ruellia simplex ). We also love the parakeet flower (heliconia psittacorum ) which is especially suited for damp locations and attracts hummingbirds year round. Galphimia gracilis attracts a beautiful large golden bee (possibly Centris dirrhoda) which we rarely see elsewhere in the garden.
Many palm trees also have flowers which bees love, although they can be messy.
Butterflies can be picky about where they lay their eggs, so it is worth researching plants specific to your favorites. Monarchs in the Caribbean love Calotropis procera, a milkweed well suited to our climate which thrives in depleted soils.
We have a larger running list of Caribbean Flowering Plants HERE.
Go Wild!
If you have the space, consider leaving some of your property’s native plants rather than clearing your entire lot. Many of the trees native to the Caribbean have beautiful and fragrant flowers at different times of the year, and are a sure way to spot some hummingbirds! Some even have edible fruit, if the birds leave enough to share!
Rouge Plant
Rivina humilis
The Rouge Plant grows abundantly in the under-story of our hillside scrub-land after the rainy season and happens to be the place where this Gulf fritillary decided to make its transformation!
Coral Vine Creeper
Antigonon leptopus
Native to Mexico, but considered an invasive exotic in many parts of the world. Bees and butterflies love this vine, but it chokes out native plants which may be better suited to your garden.
Seagrape, scaevola plumieri, jacquinia arborea, Barbados cherry, Jamaican caper, spiny fiddlewood, lignum vitae, goldenshower (Galphimia glauca) and butterfly vine (Stigmaphyllon emarginatum) can all be found throughout the Caribbean. Who knows what treasures your garden already has!
Some Sources of Plants for your Wildflower and Pollinator Garden:
The best place to start is by looking at what grows well in your neighborhood. After you find a plant full of pollinators, it is helpful to ID it using Plant Snap or Picture This. Don’t forget to check whether it is native or potentially invasive! Many people who love plants also love to share plants, so neighbors can be a particularly good resource.
It isn’t as good as choosing local plants, but if buying online, look for flower mixes target to your region. On amazon, we found a Florida wildflower seed mix, from a company who makes different mixes targeted at different geographic regions. There is also a mix called ‘Save the Bees‘ which contains many edible herbs as well as flowers and is well suited to plant near your vegetable garden.
Basil, borage, rosemary, wild arugula, verveine, mint, coriander, and many lettuces all produce attractive and fragrant flowers, nectar for bees, and food for your plate. There is no reason not to include plants that benefit both you and the environment, and many have local varieties.
If you are in the Caribbean or South Florida, Seashore Plants of South Florida and the Caribbean (Amazon) is a great book to help you identify salt and drought tolerant plants. Healing Herbs of Jamaica is also a great resource, as many of the plants featured in the book are also attractive to wildlife.
SXM Wildflower and Pollinator Resources:
In St Maarten, Parotte Ville Bird Park (Bishop Hill Road, Belvedere, #1 on map) has a large selection of native plants. The owner is a wealth of knowledge on all things birds, and many of the plants throughout the park are labeled. There are fruit trees, heritage plants, and flowers galore.
The Amuseum Naturalis (Quatier d’Orleans, #2 on map) also has a growing collection of native trees & heritage plants, as well as heritage tea and kitchen gardens. They also have a free plant stand outside the gate, open to all. Les Fruits de Mer also has a collection of informative publications HERE.
St Maarten / Sint Martin also has many great nurseries which feature a wide selection of plants. Many times they are able to help you choose a suitable plant from the region.
EPIC has done a Biodiversity Restoration Project focusing on native plants. You can read all about it HERE (PDF).
If you are just visiting St Maarten, consider taking a tour with Seagrape Tours who focus on off-the-beaten-track ECO tours.
We have gathered a list of our favorite books and publications HERE.
This website contains affiliate links. We may be compensated (at no cost to you) should you decide to buy online using one of our links. However, for our St Maarten / St Martin visitors we encourage you to shop local, and every effort has been made to provide a local source. Please let us know if you want to be included!
