Sometimes called chenet, ackee is a fruit native to West Africa, which was introduced and naturalized in the Caribbean in the 1770s. Related to the lychee, ackee is an evergreen tree that grows to 30 feet high with pointed, leathery leaves and fragrant, greenish-white flowers. The pear-shaped fruit of the Ackee turns a brilliant orange-red when ripe. When fully ripe, the fruit splits open to reveal three large, shiny black seeds and spongy white flesh. In Trinidad, ackee is used both as a food and medicinally.
Peewah, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, is a member of the palm family. It is a tall tree, growing to 40 feet in height, with a thin trunk and thorny bark. The fruit, sometimes called gri gri, is small and red when ripe with a tiny, edible seed inside. The flesh of the fruit cannot be eaten raw, but is boiled, often with sugar or spices.
Native to Central America and the Caribbean, sapodilla is a small evergreen tree that is best known as the source of chicle, or chewing gum. Sometimes called mamey, sapodilla fruit is a large, oval-shaped berry with reddish-brown skin. The fruit has a caramel-like flavor, and it is eaten plain or used in ice cream or custard.
Red palulu (Heliconia bihai) is an upright, ornamental plant native to South America and the Caribbean. Sometimes growing to 12 feet high, red palulu has large, pointed leaves and tall bracts of deep red flowers that resemble the heads of birds. The flower is a symbol of the People's National Movement political party in Trinidad and Tobago.
Justicia (Justicia tobagensis) is a rare plant endemic to Trinidad and Tobago. It is a tall, perennial plant with large, lobed leaves and a tall flowering stalk that can grow to 6 feet. The red, tubular flowers grow along either side of the stalk with a large cluster on the tip. Due to its rarity in the wild, justicia is listed in the Conservation of Wildlife Act (1958) as a vulnerable species, and is protected in Trinidad and Tobago.
Sometimes called wild poinsettia, chaconia (Warszewiczia coccinea) is the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago. The plant is well known for its bright red inflorescences (flowering stems with brightly colored leaves) that erupt in late summer, the true flowers of chaconia are inconspicuous, small yellow blossoms hidden among the scarlet bracts. These small, evergreen trees grow in the wild, and are also cultivated throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
