Hidden Garden will soon be home to a circle of plants which are all of African origin. For many years we have been researching the ethnobotanical experience of the Afro-Latino Diaspora and hearing stories of interdependent survival. Based on years of research here at the garden and the revolutionary book, In The Shadow of Slavery: Africa’s Botanical Legacy in the Atlantic World, we have a growing list of important medicinal, food and spiritual plants that came here from Africa over the past 500 years. These plants will be organized into a ceremonial space, using the Sacred Grove model from West Africa (see Ormsby & Egbeako ) in which plant conservation areas serve as grounds for other wellness and spiritual traditions to take place.

The plants listed below are either of African origin or have been integral to the survival of Africans in the Atlantic Diaspora. The list is a work in progress and features particularly those plants which can potentially grow in lowland Caribbean tropics. Those which have a number are already in our garden and the others are on our wish list (those marked with P are priority). If you or someone you know has access to these plants and/or information about the African ethnobotanical experience in the Americas, please reach out to us.

 

 

#	Patois	Family	Scientific	Espanol	English	Bri Bri	Other Names	Origin
14	Shoe black	MALVACEAE	Hibiscus rosa-sinensis	Amapola	Hibiscus
18	Bissy	MALVACEAE	Cola acuminata	Cola	Cola Nut			Africa
35	Banana	MUSACEAE	Musa acuminata	Banano	Banana			Asia > Africa
36	Yellow Yam		D. cayenensis
37	Bitter Yam		Dioscorea dumetorum
38	African Yam		Dioscorea rotundata					Africa
47	Ginger	ZINGIBERACEAE	Zingiber officinale	Jengibre	Ginger
60	Dasheen, Coco Yam	ARACEAE	Colocasia esculenta	Malanga	Taro			Asia > Africa
65	Plantain	MUSACEAE	Musa paradisiaca	Platano	Plantain			Asia > Africa
81	Tamrin	FABACEAE	Tamarindus indica	Tamarindo	Tamarind			Africa
108	Air Potato Yam	DIOSCORACEAE	Dioscorea bulbifera		Hard Yam			Africa
128	Cerasee	CUCURBITACEAE	Momordica charantia	Sorosi	Bitter Melon		Balsam Pear	Africa
161	Ackee	SAPINDACEAE	Blighia sapida					Africa
P	Black Eyed Peas		Vigna unguiculata
P	Cotton		Gossypium herbaceum
P	Finger Millet	POACEAE	Eleusine coracana
P	Guinea Millet	POACEAE	Brachiaria deflexa
P	Melegueta Pepper		Afromomum melegueta					Africa
P	Oil Palm		Elaeis guineensis
P	Pearl Millet	POACEAE	Pennisetum glaucum					Africa
P	Sesame		Sesamum alatum					Africa
P	Calalou		Amaranthus spp.	Amaranto	African Spinach		Bledo	Africa
	Calaloo Talamanca	PHYTOLACCACEAE	Phytolacca	Jaboncillo	Poke Root			Americas
	Castor Bean		Ricinus communis					Africa
	Gunghu Beans		Cajanus cajan
P 51	Saril	MALVACEAE	Hibiscus sabdariffa	Rosa de Jamaica	Jamaican Sorrel			Africa
P 61	Okro	MALVACEAE	Hibiscus esculentus	Cafe Chiricano	Okra	Ñanjú	Gumbo	Africa
S	African Eggplant		Solanum aethiopicum					Africa
S	African Yam Bean		Sphenostylis stenocarpa					Africa
S	Bottleneck Gourd		Lagenaria siceraria
S	Fingerling Potato		Plectranthus esculentus
S	Fluted Pumpkin		Telfairia occidentalis
S	Groundnut		Kerstingiella geocarpa
S	Hausa Potato		Solenostemon rotundifolius
S	Jute Mallow		Corchorus olitorious					Africa
S	Muskmelon		Cucumis melo					Africa
S	Piper seed		Piper guineense
S	Rice		Digitaria
S	Sorghum		Sorghum bicolor					Africa
S	Tamarind							Africa