Flora of Nuku Hiva

Our hotel on Nuku Hiva, The Pearl Lodge, is situated on a little plateau above the bay and looks onto the village of Taiohae . This prospect includes the crescent of surrounding craggy mountains rising to two thousand feet. The bungalows are secreted within a beautiful garden planted by an American lady who lives nearby. The original site was covered with Tamarind trees, large and strong with turd like pods that drop to the ground and confuse guests. Judicial felling took place and now one can see a sample of nearly all indigenous species. It reminded me of a tropical version of Dargle Gardens, being a woodland garden with mature flowering trees and shrubs.

The most dramatic trees that appear all over the island at the moment are the 'Flamboyents' or Royal Poinciana (Delonix Regia). They are large trees with fern like leaves and bright scarlet flowers. There is also a side variation with bright yellow flowers. On the top and middle sections of the island are straggly trees a bit like hazelnut bushes with fried egg shaped flowers in lemon yellow, wild Hibiscus. Mango trees, and some very ancient ones, are plentiful and other fruit trees include; Guavas, Nonis, Breadfruit, Papaya, Pamplemousse, Bananas (large plantations), and ginger.

In the gardens are to be seen fountains of Bouganvillea, hibiscus, monettes, Frangipani trees and Ylang Ylang. Also the lovely Oleander.

Higher up we saw some new plantings of Teak and Mohogany. For my first time I saw Balsa wood growing too and also the Pandanus (Terminalis), the fronds of which make the basketwork walls and ceilings of some habitations. There is also some remaining Sandalwood left although most was cut by the French and exported.

This is a gardeners paradise and of course you can achieve very quick results in the tropical climate. We are not far from the Equator.