Jamaica is richly endowed with flowering plants ranging from the blossoms of hardwood and bird feeding trees to small and unusually shaped orchids. In fact, Jamaica has more flowering species than any other country in the Western Hemisphere.  Jamaica’s horticultural heritage dates back to the 1700’s when the early colonialists brought with them food trees from various corners of the globe. Some of these, like the breadfruit and the ackee that were introduced by Captain Bligh, continue to form a staple diet in many Jamaican households. 

At various times in the island's history, Jamaica's botanic gardens were showpieces of beautiful and exotic plants. Te first botanic garden was located at Spring Garden near Gordon Town in St. Andrew, on the property of Mr. East. For 17 years East personally introduced a large number of plants from his own overseas ventures. East's passion for introducing new plants to the island led him in 1774 to persuade the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Basil Keith, to acquire Enfield, a property next to Spring Garden, in order to establish a government botanical garden. The land was bought for 700 pounds sterling and Enfield became the first official botanic garden in Jamaica. Sometime later Enfield was abandoned and Bath Botanical Gardens were established in 1779.

Bath Botanical Gardens are the second oldest botanical gardens in the Western Hemisphere. Its establishment in the town of Bath in St. Thomas was no doubt connected to the fact that a runaway slave, wounded in flight, promptly healed after he had bathed in the nearby Sulphur River. News of the curative powers of the river spread like wildfire, and a need was born to provide medicinal plants nearby. After a large section of the Bath Botanical Gardens was completely destroyed in 1862 (when the Sulphur River flooded the Gardens for fifth time), a decision was made to establish the Castleton Gardens on 15 acres of land in St. Mary.

Castleton Gardens are set deep in a mountain valley, and the property is also subject to flooding from the Wag Water River which meanders through the gardens. Nonetheless, Castleton soon became the most richly stocked gardens in the Caribbean and one of the truly spectacular gardens of the Western Hemisphere. Plants were transferred from Bath to Castleton, and the Spathodea and the Poinciana were first introduced to Jamaica via Castleton.

The Bombay mango was introduced to Castleton in 1868 and the Navel orange in 1870. By 1897 there were nearly two hundred species of palm in the garden. Trees at Castleton include the Mouse-palm from Brazil, the Asian Beetle-nut tree, the Royal Palm of Cuba, the Camphor tree from China, the Liberian coffee, the African Tulip tree, the Immortelle from India and others from places as far away as Indonesia, Australia and Sikkim.

The Royal Botanical Gardens (Hope Gardens) are one of Jamaica’s historic sites and for many years the Gardens were described as the queen of the botanic gardens on the island. Major Richard Hope originally owned the Gardens. In 1881, the government for the purpose of establishing an experimental garden acquired 200 acres of the original property; 50 acres were devoted to propagation and distribution of new varieties of cane while another 10 acres were devoted to teak cultivation. Liberian coffee, Trinidadian cacao and pineapples were also planted. A tramway line was built from the city of Kingston to Hope and led to the specific development of the Gardens as a place of public recreation.

Today, the eastern section of the Gardens  has many lovely trees  including Eucalyptus from Tasmania, the Red Birch of Jamaica, the Mauve Jacaranda from Brazil and Yoke wood, which is indigenous to Jamaica.

Cinchona Gardens are located 5,000feet above sea level in the parish of St. Andrew at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The source of Cinchona's name is of particular interest. Quinine is one of several valuable alkaloids derived from the Cinchona tree which is native to highland Peru. While the substance had been used from prehistoric times by the Amerindians of Peru, it only came to the notice of Europeans when it cured the ailment of the Countess of Cinchon, wife of the Spanish governor of Peru. Sale of the extract became a lucrative trade, and with an ailing agricultural economy in the late 1800's, the cinchona tree was seen as a viable alternative.

Today, Cinchona Gardens are the home of many beautiful trees and flowering plants. These include the Blue Mountain Juniper Cedar, other conifers, Camphor trees, Cork oak from the Mediterranean, palms, Silver ferns, lilies, geraniums, roses, dahlias and Arum lilies (which are aroids and not real lilies). Nearby, hill farmers grow flowers, vegetables and coffee, some of which are supplies to the Kingston metropolitan area.

The island has a number of smaller, more recently developed gardens which have become outstanding for their sheer abundance of natural splendour. Coyaba River Garden, Cranbrook Flower Estate and the Shaw Park Gardens in Ocho Rios, Atherny Gardens in Port Antonio and Lethe Estate on the outskirts of Montego Bay, are fine examples of this tradition. 

*Source: "Jamaica, Flora and Fauna" , published by The Jamaica Tourist Board. Information provided by the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the OAS.

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Updated: 30 April 2008