5 plants worth knowing
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic with a dry, Sahelian climate and scarce, irregular rainfall. The flat eastern islands, such as Sal and Boa Vista, are almost desert, while the high, mountainous western islands – Santo Antão, Santiago, Fogo and Brava – have moister valleys with terraced fields and endemic vegetation.
Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.
where it grows
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1
Dragon tree
Dracaena draco
The islands have their own subspecies of dragon tree – its red resin, known as dragon’s blood, was once a prized dye and medicine.
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2
Cape Verde date palm
Phoenix atlantica
The archipelago’s endemic date palm forms green oases on the sandy, dry islands of Boa Vista, Sal and Maio.
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3
Euphorbia tuckeyana
Euphorbia tuckeyana
The endemic, fleshy tortolho spurge clothes dry mountain slopes – it is the islands’ commonest native shrub.
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4
Sugarcane
Saccharum officinarum
Sugarcane from the valleys of Santo Antão is made into grogue – a strong rum whose traditional production is part of the islands’ identity.
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5
Arabica coffee
Coffea arabica
Coffee from Fogo volcano grows in the Chã das Caldeiras crater and on the island’s slopes – output is small but highly prized.
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