Panda Ficus

Panda ficus is not native to Barbados, but it has become very popular because of it’s hardy nature. As a member of the “ficus” group, Panda ficus does not lose it’s leaves, so it looks good year round though the shrub does become more lush during the rainy season. And it is very much a shrub.

Panda ficus thrives in both windy and salty conditions in either a pot or in the ground. During the dry season it will appear to have stopped growing, and one or two leaves might fall off, but the vast majority will stay on the plant. 

Propagation of the plant is also easy - cuttings can go straight into soil with a bit of water to get them started for the first few weeks. The leaves are fleshy and the branches thick and stocky.

I’m about to get my first Panda ficus plant, let’s see if it can survive me!

Pusley (Portulaca oleracea)

Pusley (also known as Puslane or Purslane) grows like a weed all over Barbados, and most people treat it like a weed, ie pull it up. However, there are those who like it for it’s medicinal and health qualities, and will make it into a tea, use it as a herb in cooking or eat it raw in salads.

As can be seen in the photo, Pusley grows just about anywhere, including on rocks. The stem and leaves are quite fleshy, and the plant seems to survive even in the harshest environment. When there is a little rain, these delightful and very dainty little yellow flowers appear that are very appealing to equally dainty moths and butterflies, which will rise in clouds as you walk through the plants.

I’ve never eaten Pusley, I think I shall give it a try.

Crabs

Barbados is home to a variety of both land and sea crabs, some of which are shown here. Only one land crab that I am aware of is edible, Swampy, and they tend to be found close to streams and swamps. Swampies hide in holes during the day and come out to feed at night, so small hunting parties will go out to catch these by hand. They can be very large, with a man’s wrist being easily encircled by a claw. They are also very quick and agile. Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of swampies though I did go on a couple hunting expeditions in my youth.

Soldier Crabs change their shell as they grow, and the one shown here has moved into an empty shell from a Giant African Snail. Again, these tend to come out at night and will forage for any scraps (such as dog food) that may not have been finished off. They are land crabs but tend to live within a few hundred yards of the sea. The Soldier Crab in the photo was hiding from the heat of the day under a plant in a flower pot.

Red Crabs live on the land, but always in close proximity to the sea. They will have holes all over your lawn if given the chance, and which they will vacate at night to hunt or in the event of rain - it’s quite spectacular to see a lovely green lawn littered with bright red crabs after a heavy downpour. These too are very shy and will disappear into their hole at the slightest sound or movement.

Ghost Crabs live on the beach. They seem to disappear into the sand, move very quickly and have more permanent holes above the high water mark. As you can see in the photo, Ghost Crabs are the colour of the sand - very well camoflagued. You can just sit quietly on the beach and they will go about their business ignorning you, but the minute you move or try to get too close, they will be gone.

Last but not least is the Shagga Crab, so well camoflagued that you can barely make it out in the photograph. These live on rocks that get washed constantly by the sea, and they will sit still until a human gets too close or a bigger wave crashes on them. You can see them on craggy rocks at the waterline anywhere around Barbados

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe is a rather delightful plant that grows easily just about anywhere. It puts out these wonderful bunches of lovely red flowers as shown in Photo 2. Being that it is a succulent, it’s easy to propagate by popping off a piece, putting it in some soil (ground or pot) and watering to get it started.

Kalanchoe will survive in a windy environment but definitely not thrive, so a little wind break will be helpful. Otherwise, sun, ideally some rain and it will become a healthy flowering plant in no time at all. Personally, I find Kalanchoe to be at it’s best in a pot, but the ground is fine too. 

In the bottom right hand corner of one photo, the flower buds and some newly opened flowers can be seen, and Photo 1 clearly shows the leaf shape and colour. As with succulents generally, the leaves are quite “meaty”, and the sap is clear and sticky.

This is a great plant for a rocky area too, and as a starter plant for someone trying their hand at gardening. I love them, so bright and lively.

Frangipani Hawkmoth Caterpillar (Pseudosphinx tetrio)

The Frangipani Hawkmoth Caterpillar (Pseudosphinx tetrio) is a very colourful and substantially sized caterpillar that is pretty difficult to miss with their vibrant orange stripes. They will easily grow to 3 or more inches in length before entering the pupal stage.

As the name suggests, these caterpillars feed on the milk of the Frangipani tree and its relatives. The milk of these trees is poisonous to humans and will actually blister one’s skin if not washed off properly, but it seems to provide these caterpillars with the nutrition they need, and protection from predators, as birds do not find them remotely interesting.

The Frangipani Hawkmoth Caterpillar has a voracious appetite, and a colony of them can clean a tree in 48 hours. They don’t seem to harm the tree, as the leaves all grow back and life continues, but the tree becomes quite unsightly with it’s ragged nakedness, a quite different nakedness from when the tree loses it’s leaves naturally prior to flowering.

The photographs give an indication of the number of caterpillars that may infest a tree all at the same time, and the level of damage done to each leaf, though the caterpillars in the photos are not full grown. The actual moth that later emerges is quite nondescript in appearance and blends beautifully with vegetation and tree bark. Unfortunately I do not have any photos of said moths.

The influx of the Frangipani Hawkmoth Caterpillar seems to be a more recent thing in Barbados. I do not remember seeing them as a child, and I would have said that they have made their appearance in a big way over the past 10 years or so, but then again, with so many varieties of the frangipani family of tree now in gardens around the island, there is a lot more for the caterpillars to eat.

Rice Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus)

Rice Fern (as we call it) is also commonly known as Asparagus Fern, and can be found growing all over Barbados, mainly in gardens. It spreads rapidly and can become a very large cluster of plants quite quickly.

Rice Fern is not actually a fern, and it has tiny little slender leaves about half an inch long that are attached to a long frond that gives the plant a slightly soft and frothy appearance. The plant does not have prickles, but as it ages and dries, the remaining stalks become quite hard, so trimming and thinning them can be a delicate process.

As can be seen in the first photo, Rice Fern produces very delicate little white flowers that transform into green berries that turn red as they ripen. When these berries drop off, they rapidly grow into new plants. If you dig down amongst the roots or are re-potting, you will see many of these berries still attached to the roots.

Rice Fern does well in pots, hanging baskets and in the ground. Due to the hanging nature of the fronds, they are popular in baskets and large pots as they can fill a space beautifully with their lush green foliage.

Aloes (Aloe vera)

Aloes (as we call it) grows all over Barbados almost like a weed. It is hardy so is perfect for salty or windswept environments, and will thrive in a pot. Due to the serrated edge of each “leaf”, Aloes needs to be handled with care.

If Aloes is in a location that it likes, it will spread quite quickly (and outgrow it’s pot). Each plant puts out tall flower stalks, some of which are shown here - the stalk with the still growing flower buds and a stalk with flowers that are fully open.

If you come across any Aloe plants on your travels, pull up a chair and get out your camera, as it won’t be long before you see the hummingbirds and banaquits coming to feed on the nectar. 

I am not aware of Aloe vera being grown commercially in Barbados, but you can find locally made products that contain it, and sometimes the raw product can be found selling on the beach as a treatment for sunburn.