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Nicaraguan
Flora
The Much Diversified Flora of
Nicaragua
What you have to know about the Nicaraguan flora is that it is much
diversified. Nicaragua is home to many kinds of forests-dry
tropical, cloud, semi-deciduous, pine, and tropical rainforests.
On the central highlands region you will find extensive forests of
oak and pine on the slopes, but lower valley elevations show damage
from fire and agricultural activities.
The largest pine savanna in the rainy tropics stands on the lowlands
behind the Mosquito Coast. The wet and humid Caribbean coastal plain
has an abundance of tropical forest, with wild rubber, cedar, ebony,
mahogany, tamarind, mahogany, banana, mango-trees and rosewood
attracting some exploitation.
Nicaragua actually has a national tree. It is called madrono (mah-DROH-ynoh)
and it is a 30-foot-tall tree with white flowers, and belongs to the
same family as the coffee plant, one of the country's most important
crops.
On the other hand, Nicaragua also has a national flower, called
frangipani (franj-ih-PAHN-ee) -- el sacuanjoche I(el sah-cwan-
YOH-chay)- more commonly known as West Indian jasmine.
However, there are many astoundingly beautiful flowers thrive in
Nicaragua's sunshine. Hibiscus, bougainvillea (boh-gahn-VEE-yah) and
orchids abound.
You might grow them as houseplants, but In Nicaragua plants such as
aloe, ferns, dieffenbachia (dee-fehn-BOK-ee-ah), hibiscus, ficus,
and rubber plants can be found growing in gardens and along
roadsides.
In the areas with volcano you will probably have a hard time finding
any vegetation, because of the areas of barren, rocky lava flows
nearly devoid of plants, other areas of grasslands with scattered
shrubs, and another with a forest of tall trees. These
vegetation-communities reflect the different ages and types of lava
flows and ash deposits in the park. Together they tell the story of
the colonization of the new-formed land by plants, and the
development of vegetation and soil.
However, you should know that on the youngest lava flows, only a few
plants have been able to gain a foothold on the rough surface.
The first colonizers of the bare rocks are thin mats of lichens.
After many decades or even centuries, the deep cracks in the flow
fill with windblown dust. Shrubs such as sacuanjoche and poro-poro
are able to grow in the small pockets of soil. Often small ferns and
mosses take hold in shaded hollows of the rock where a little soil
accumulates. In places, especially where shrubs provide a bit of
shade, colonies of orchids are established on the rock and grow
larger year by year.
The roots of these earliest pioneer plants penetrate the stony
terrain and, together with the weathering action of wind, sun and
rain, break the rock up into smaller and smaller particles,
preparing the soil for later arrivals. As the rock is disintegrated
and the soil improves with age, more and more plants are able to
grow in the area.
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