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5 plants worth knowing

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands comprise nearly a thousand volcanic and coral islands with a hot, rainy climate, mostly covered in dense equatorial lowland forest, with cloud forest on the higher peaks of Guadalcanal and Kolombangara. Forests are the basis of islanders’ lives, but they have been heavily logged for decades – round logs were long the country’s main export.

Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.

where it grows

  1. Galip nut 1

    tree

    Galip nut

    Canarium indicum

    Ngali nuts are a Solomon Islands delicacy – the rich, crunchy kernels are eaten raw, roasted over a fire and in traditional puddings.
  2. Metroxylon salomonense 2

    palm

    Metroxylon salomonense

    Metroxylon salomonense

    The leaves of this palm are made into the thatch of traditional “leaf houses”, still home to most rural families.
  3. Areca palm 3

    palm

    Areca palm

    Areca catechu

    Betel is chewed everywhere in the Solomon Islands – the nuts, with pepper leaf and lime, are sold at every market and roadside stall.
  4. Taun 4

    tree

    Taun

    Pometia pinnata

    Taun is one of the most important trees in the Solomon Islands’ forests – a source of valuable timber and sweet, lychee-like fruit.
  5. Coconut palm 5

    palm

    Coconut palm

    Cocos nucifera

    For over a century copra was the Solomon Islands’ main source of cash, and huge coconut plantations were laid out in the Russell Islands.