A Special Place- Part 2

More pictures of the Azores Islands, as promised! These pictures focus on some of the “special” plants that grow in this special place!

Banana trees are found around the islands. The bananas are smaller than we are used to here in the U.S. but these are so much sweeter! The inflorescence (the dark part) is where the flowers form which in turn form the banana. If you look closely you can see the tip of the white flower with a small banana forming behind it.

These are almost ready to pick! Aren’t they cute!

How do you think pineapples grow? Most people would say a tree. It’s actually a plant, a plant that is in the Bromeliad family, which many of us are familiar with as houseplants, seen below. 
                                                     Image result for common bromeliads 
These pineapples are growing in glass greenhouses in São Miguel (the largest of the 9 Azores Islands). This is the only place in Europe where pineapples grow. So cool!

Elephant ear plants are also seen growing wild around the islands and also in many of the locals’ garden plots. While we use these as ornamental plants, they actually harvest the bulb from the plant. 
The bulb is known as Taro Root (picture below).  Taro root is a common side dish served in the Azores. The root is cooked and mashed (similar to mashed potatoes) but, let’s just say it’s an “acquired” taste!!
                                                    
              Image result for taro root
Another plant that is found in the Azores is Camellia Sinensis, not sure what this is? Stay tuned, it deserves a post all of it’s own! You won’t want to miss this!
In the meantime, I will leave you with this parting shot of São Miguel Island, those are Agapanthus growing in the foreground.  Beautiful!!