Spring: why choose flowers native to Brazil

Planting this season? Sixteen native species to consider and what the choice means for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Spring has arrived to color the forests. If you are planting this season, start by looking at what already belongs here.

Who benefits

Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds feed on flowers. When a planting prioritizes native species, it strengthens that relationship. Exotic species, on the other hand, can cause imbalance.

Sixteen native species to consider

Trees: yellow ipê, pink ipê, quaresmeira, manacá-da-serra, pata-de-vaca, brazilwood and angico
Shrubs and vines: passion fruit, calliandra and allamanda
Orchids, bromeliads and cacti: Cattleya labiata, imperial bromeliad, Christmas cactus and mandacaru
Others: heliconia and giant water lily

Before choosing, check the region and biome: a plant native to Brazil is not always native to your area.

So there it is: this spring, go native.