South America

The Açaí palm is best known for its fruits, which are called açaí berries.

Aetanthus is a very rare and unusual parasitic plant that produces striking red and yellow flowers.

Because this species grows at heights up to 3.000 meters in the Andes, it can resist low temperatures. The white trumpet flowers are very graceful and numerous.

The bright red dye annatto is in the bristly fruit of this tropical plant from the Amazon and is used for lipstick and soap.

Rare species from north-western Ecuador with yellow, cone-shaped fruits that are edible. Plant which can also fruit in a container.

This Anthurium species stands out because of its bright red, elongated cluster of fruits.

This is a rare and decorative Anthurium species from the rain forests of northern South America.

The leaves of this rare species are first coloured dark purple and only later do they get their final dark green colour.

The special leaves of this Anthurium are heart-shaped and slightly hairy, making them soft to the touch.

This is a rare Anthurium with round leaves that have strikingly wide, light-colored leaf veins.

The main attraction point of this rare Anthurium is its distinctive circular shape of the leaf.

The leaves turn from light green to dark green and have a strikingly puckered surface.

The leaf of this Anthurium species is delicately haired and thus soft to the touch.

The young leaves of this Anthurium species are coloured dark red and later turn dark green.

This is a rare and beautiful Anthurium species from the rainforests of Costa Rica to Nicaragua.

This rare Anthurium comes from southeastern Brazil and grows as an epiphyte in trees and on rocks.

This variety of tobacco is native to Peru and has an interesting and long history. It has been used for hundreds of years by indigenous groups in South America.

Beautiful, annual climber with swollen fruits and seeds with a white heart. Extracts of the plant prove to be inflammatory, pain- and itch inhibiting. 

The elegant pink hanging flowers are followed by tasteful oblong yellow fruits. The species originates in the Andes and can resist lower temperatures up to a minimum of -3 degC.

The big batwing passionflower has striking leaves that resemble batwings with their transverse shape and leathery texture.

A tropical climber with creamy white flowers that hang from long stems, and are pollinated by bats. The seeds can float and are dispersed by the ocean all over the world.

The black mangrove grows along the coasts of tropical America and West Africa, where its unusual roots are striking.

The juicy, darkbrown pulp has a sweet chocolate-like taste. Protect the plant against frost.

With a size of 10-12 mm this is the smallest cactus in the world. Grows between rocks at waterfalls in nature.

An overwhelmingly beautiful plant from Bolivia with blue/purple trusses of flowers, and large pinnate leaves. Keep the plant during winter at a minimum of 5 degC.

The highest occurring palm tree in the world, from the Andes of Bolivia. The fruits are edible and the plant is hardy: without protection op to -8 degC, with protection up to -13 degC.

The brown-purple flowers of this species can grow up to 30 cm! It’s a creeper from Brazil that can grow at a minimum temperature of 5 degC.

This unusual succulent forms a thick, belly-shaped stem and striking red-yellow flowers.

This species is found only on Robinson Crusoe Island: a small island in the Pacific Ocean 670 kilometers west of Chile.

The large, round fruits are green and contain black pulp. Because of the hard, thick skin, they are used for wood carvings. Can withstand light frost. 

The brown-purple (calico) spotted flowers grow on a graceful climber with heart-shaped leaves. Winter hardy up to -5 degrees Celsius.

The orange-yellow fruits have deliciously sweet pulp and that makes them popular in the tropics.

This ornamental species has fairly large, banana-like leaves and produces large red flowers.

The large, round fruits are heavy and fall like a cannon ball of the tree when they’re ripe. Branches and trunk can be completely covered with red-yellow flowers.

An annual plant from the Andes with healthy vitamin-rich orange fruits. They can be eaten fresh from the plant, or can be processed in jams or salads.

The cashew nut is the inside of a cashew seed which hangs on a sweet cashew apple. Can grow at a temperature of at least 5° Celsius.

After rice and corn, the edible root of the cassava plant is the most important food in the world.

The cheese plant grows naturally in Central America as an epiphyte in trees. Seedlings grow towards the dark instead of light as they are looking for a tree to climb up.

The Chilean trumpet flower is the national flower of Chile and produces abundant and graceful red flowers.

Sweet fruits which can be scooped or may be used in salads or smoothies. Species from the Andes that can be cultivated at a minimum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius.

The chupa-chupa is a fruit from the tree of the same name from South America and is also known as the South American sapote.

The coral red flowers grow in clusters of up to 30 cm large. The plant originates from Brazil and grows well as a compact container plant, at a minimum of five degrees Celsius.

Cocoa beans are the main ingredient for chocolate. They grow in a white pulp within the cocoafruit which grows on the stem of the cocoa tree. Can nicely be grown as an indoor plant.

The flowers of the changeling are yellow and change to orange, pink or red after pollination.

A tropical vine with unusual asymmetric curled flowers that produce a good fragrance. Minimum temperature of 10 degC.  

Very remarkable and rare species from Ecuador. Young leaves are first red-purple and white spotted and then change in colour through red-green to fully green.

The cupuaçu belongs to the same genus as the cacao and produces large fruits weighing up to 1.5 kg.

Small, sweet tomatoes that are the ancestors of our well-known tomatoes.

A very graceful species with pinnate leaves that close in the evening and that has red-yellow flowers which are followed by pods with red hairs. Minimum temperature -5 degrees.

The national tree of Costa Rica produces brown, coiled pods with ornate seeds. The seeds are often used for jewellery and the natural way it spreads is as of today still unknown.

The green fruits smell like pineapple and taste sweet-sour. They can be eaten fresh or mixed in salads or pies. The white-red flowers are quite graceful.

The leaf of this Anthurium is deeply incised, giving it a finger-like shape.

The beautiful flowers spread a wonderful smell and have been used for perfumes for hundreds of years. It is a special plant for a sunny spot.

The Galápagos tomato (Solanum cheesmaniae) originates, as its name suggests, from the Galápagos Islands.

The giant granadilla is the largest passionflower and can grow 15 meters per year. The flowers are quite large, reaching a diameter of around 10 cm. The sweet and edible fruits can weight up to 4kg.

A very rare species from southern Mexico, with beautiful flowers. The tropical species is extinct in nature, but was saved by a botanist. Suitable as indoor plant.

This climber plant is known for its large yellow trumpet-shaped flowers that can grow up to 15 cm tall.

The grey, graceful seeds are used for jewellery and various mancala board games. The seeds grow in spinose pods on a tropical climber.

The yellow-green guavas taste sweet and sour and resemble a strawberry in taste.

The seeds of this climbing plant have a hard seed wall, to protect them on their journey overseas. The decorative seeds are often used for jewelry.

The white flesh of the pods is very soft and has a sweet taste like vanilla ice cream.

This species has even been grown by the Maya’s for their 5 cm large, orange-yellow edible fruits. The plants can still be found on old Maya temples.

Possibly the bean from the famous fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. The stark white beans can be eaten. Annual plant.

Kapok is like cotton, but it’s the seed fluff of the kapok tree. A tall, topical tree that performs well as a houseplant.

One of the largest and most spectacular Anthurium species.

A biannual plant from the Andes of Peru with thickened belowground parts different kinds of medical implications.

The wood of the mahogany is very strong and has a beautiful, dark brown color.

The Mamey sapote is one of the most popular fruits in Central America due to its delicious flavour and graceful tree.

The maqui is from Chile and has been cultivated for centuries by the Mapuche Indians. The berries are healthy and similar in taste to the blackberry.

Mexican coriander is a well-known herb in the kitchens of Central and South America. It is similar in flavor to the common coriander, but with a stronger taste.

The Mexican flamevine is an ornamental plant prized for its vibrant flowers. The bright orange flowers appear from late spring to early autumn.

A stunningly beautiful plant with bright red flowers in the shape of a monkey’s hand. Originates from the mountain forests of Guatemala. Can withstand temperatures up to 6 degC.

Papaya species which grows at heights up to 3.000 metres in the Andes, which is why a minimum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius should suffice to grown your own papaya’s. 

The Mountain Soursop forms green, 15 cm fruits with pale yellow flesh.

The yellow fruits taste like citrus and can be eaten fresh or can be processed into a refreshing juice.

The peculiar yellow fruits are used in traditional medicine, have a cleansing effect and can be used to wash for example clothes with.

This special and rare conifer has decorative leaves.

A passionflower with purplish white flowers and orange, sweet passion fruits. The species grows originally in Brazil and can endure lower temperatures to a minimum of 4 degC.

A small passionflower white flowers and red, ribbed fruits that burst open upon ripening. Can be grown as an indoor or container plant.

A tropical Amazonian palm with purple fruits that taste like sweet chocolate and contain an oil that resembles olive oil.

Grows quite pretty in a glass jar on the windowsill. Peanuts grow underground on stalks that grow from the flowers. 

The red-orange fruits taste like peanut butter and can be eaten fresh or processed into jam or milkshakes.

This large tropical climbing plant produces spectacular flowers with a total length of up to 60 cm. However, the smell is very unpleasant.

A tropical species with beautiful, red-black colored seeds that are used for all kinds of jewelry in the Amazon.

After the pink bloom, pods grow which burst open when ripe with a clearly audible noise. The plant has pretty, pinnate leaves.

The clusters of pink flowers are a striking sight in the rainforest of Central America.

The queen among the Anthurium species with very long, large leaves.

The spectacular flowers of this climbing cactus only open during one night and are up to 30 cm in size.

The Quindio wax palm makes a striking appearance with a length of up to 60 metres. This makes it the tallest palm in the world.

Quinoa has been cultivated in the Andes for over 6,000 years, but has only recently become popular as a superfood. It is an easy, annual plant for your garden.

The trumpet-shaped flowers of this Brugmansia species are strikingly coloured with a yellow base and a red tip.

The red cinchona tree has been used as a medicine for fever for centuries and is best known to treat and prevent malaria. The species originates from the humid mountain forests of the Andes.

A climbing plant from South America with elegant seeds that resemble a hamburger. The seeds are dispersed by the ocean and can be found on beaches all over the world.

The red mangrove is easy to keep as an aquarium or terrarium plant, but also grows well in a glass vase.

A container plant that remains small and has beautiful clusters of red flowers and pods that hang on the plant for a long time. The seeds rattle in the pods if it’s windy.

The leaf can reach a size of up to 2 metres in the wild and is soft to the touch with velvety hair.

The Rose of Venezuela is a rare tree known for its large clusters of bright red flowers.

The rubber tree has white, latex-like sap in its trunk veins. By carefully making a notch, this sap can be collected as a natural source of rubber.

In Peru, a healthy oil is pressed from the seeds full of omega fatty acids and vitamins A and E. A small climbing plant for the home or as an annual in a greenhouse.