Seychelles' Vegetation

The Seychelles did not escape the deforestation that occurred on most of the Indian Ocean islands during early colonisation. Fortunately though, these wounds have healed; island landscapes have recovered and are very lush today.

You will see the colourful plants that are synonymous with the tropics in nearly every Seychelles' garden: magenta bougainvillea, sweet-smelling frangipani and the distinctive hibiscus are easily the most prolific. Of the 1,000 plants species on the island, approximately 80 are endemic.

Lovenuts and Jellyfish Trees

When going on a Seychelles island holiday look out for the coco-de-mer, a particular type of palm that grows only on Praslin and nearby Curieuse islands. Its seed is the largest in the world. The double nut and is commonly called the 'love nut' due to its suggestive shape, which resembles a female pelvis.

Thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in the 1970s, the jellyfish tree is another rare and peculiar plant. It is found only in the higher hills of Mahe. The plant gets it common name from the stamen of the flower which look like the tentacles of a jellyfish.

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