Trees And Shrubs Of The Maldives Hot Link
The Maldives is home to approximately 583 plant species, including a diverse mix of 260 native or naturalized plants and 323 cultivated varieties. These plants are highly adapted to the harsh tropical conditions of the atolls, including salt spray, high soil salinity, and nutrient-poor, alkaline coral sand. Essential Guide to Trees and Shrubs Iconic Trees
Indian Almond (Terminalia catappa): A common broadleaved tree often used for timber and medicinal purposes. Common Shrubs and Coastal Plants Trees and shrubs of the Maldives - FAO Knowledge Repository trees and shrubs of the maldives hot
- Salinity: Fresh water is scarce; plants must tolerate salt in the soil and air.
- Soil: The soil is highly alkaline (coral sand), limiting the types of plants that can grow without soil amendment.
- Urbanization: On densely populated islands like Male’, space for trees is limited, leading to a shift toward potted ornamental shrubs rather than large canopy trees.
Coconut Palm (Dhivehi Ruh): Often called the "Tree of Life," it is the national tree of the Maldives. Every part is used: fronds for roofing and weaving, the trunk for boat construction (dhonis), and the fruit for culinary staples like coconut milk and oil. The Maldives is home to approximately 583 plant
didn't just grow; it survived through a quiet, specialized defiance. Salinity: Fresh water is scarce; plants must tolerate
The Maldives' Unique Geography and Climate
4. Uses (local, traditional and practical)
- Coastal protection: Beach-crest shrubs and mangroves stabilize shorelines, reduce erosion and act as buffers against storms and wave action.
- Material and construction: Coconut (thatching, rope, timber), Pandanus (weaving), Casuarina (timber, poles), Terminalia catappa (shade and timber).
- Food and economic: Coconut (food, oil), introduced fruit trees (mango, banana, breadfruit).
- Medicinal and cultural uses: Several species used in traditional remedies (e.g., Calophyllum oil, coconut products, herbal uses of Morinda, Hernandia).
- Biodiversity and habitat: Pisonia and other trees support seabird nesting on some islands; mangroves provide nursery habitat for fish.
- Deep root anchoring: Reaches the freshwater table.
- Reflective leaves: Waxy fronds bounce solar radiation.
- Thermal mass: The trunk stores water to buffer temperature spikes. Even at 40°C, a coconut palm continues to fruit, acting as a heat shield for shrubs growing beneath it.