The Lucayan Archipelago, encompassing both The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, is home to an incredible diversity of plant life, with over 1,400 species of vascular plants. This flora includes native species, as well as naturalized, invasive, horticultural, and agricultural plants that have become part of the landscape.
The Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve and The Bahamas National Trust are committed to achieving Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, which calls for each nation to establish an online database of its flora. Our online flora database currently documents over 800 species — representing approximately 57% of the region’s flora — complete with detailed descriptions and images.
At the Levy Preserve, we have 410 native species in our living collection, including 46 of the 89 endemic species unique to these islands. Originally, 171 species were recorded as naturally occurring on the Preserve, but subsequent studies have revealed even more. Additional specimens from across The Bahamas, including Abaco, Andros, Cat Island, Crooked Island, and beyond, have further enriched our collection. An additional 21 non-native fruiting trees, shrubs, and herbs are also featured in our Edible History section.
All plant images within this database were taken by Ethan Freid. For use of any species images contact: efreid@bnt.bs
Discover the incredible flora of the Lucayan Archipelago. Choose a category below to begin exploring: