Cape Verderava Cape Verderava
Cape Verde Dorfrava 2 Cape Verde Dorfrava 2
Nova Sintrarava Cape Verde Nova Sintrarava Cape Verde
Faja Daguarava Cape Verde Islands 2 Faja Daguarava Cape Verde Islands 2
Cape Verdeaio Beach Cape Verdeaio Beach
Maio Cape Verde Fischer Maio Cape Verde Fischer
Tarrafal Sao Nicolau 2 Tarrafal Sao Nicolau 2
Sao Nicolau Cape Verde Islands Sao Nicolau Cape Verde Islands2
Sao Nicolau Landscape 2 Sao Nicolau Landscape 2
Cape Verde Islands Sao Nicolau Cape Verde Islands Sao Nicolau
Cape Verde Fogo Pico 2 Cape Verde Fogo Pico 2
Cape Verde View Onrava Cape Verde View Onrava
Steep Coast Fogo Cape Verde Steep Coast Fogo Cape Verde
Sao Filipe Fogo Sao Filipe Fogo
Sao Filipe Fogo Cape Verde Sao Filipe Fogo Cape Verde
Pico Fogo Cape Verde 1 Pico Fogo Cape Verde
Lavab Beach Island Fogo 2 Lavab Beach Island Fogo 2
Fogo Caldeira Fogo Caldeira
Coast Fogo Cape Verde Islands Coast Fogo Cape Verde Islands
Fogo Funku Pico Fogo Funku Pico
Santo Antao Cape Verde 1 Santo Antao Cape Verde
Santao Antao Fishermen Cape Verde 2 Santao Antao Fishermen Cape Verde 2
Cape Verde Santo Antao Paul Cape Verde Santo Antao Paul2
Paul Santo Antao2 Paul Santo Antao2
Tarrafal Santo Antao4 Tarrafal Santo Antao4
Mountains Santo Antao 2 Mountains Santo Antao 2 1
Mountains Santo Antao2 Mountains Santo Antao2 1
Sport Fishing Sao Vicente Cape Verde Sport Fishing Sao Vicente Cape Verde
Sao Vicente Sao Pedro Sao Vicente Sao Pedro
Baia Das Gatas 3 Baia Das Gatas 3
Norteaia 2 Norteaia 2
B Beach Tarrafal Island Santiago B Beach Tarrafal Island Santiago
Serraalagueta Santiago Cape Verde Serraalagueta Santiago Cape Verde2
Praia Santiago Cape Verde Islands Praia Santiago Cape Verde Islands
Island Boavista Chaves Beach Island Boavista Chaves Beach
Chaves Beach Island Boa Vista Chaves Beach Island Boa Vista
Dunes Cape Verde Islandsoavista 1 Dunes Cape Verde Islandsoavista
Islandoavista Desert Oase 2 Islandoavista Desert Oase 2
Dunesoa Vista Cape Verde Sonnenuntergang 2 Dunesoa Vista Cape Verde Sonnenuntergang 2
Wreckoa Vista Wreckoa Vista
B Beachoa Vista Cape Verde Islands B Beachoa Vista Cape Verde Islands
B Beach Djeu Cape Verde 2 B Beach Djeu Cape Verde 2
B Beach Onoa Vista 2 B Beach Onoa Vista 2
B Beach Palmsoa Vista B Beach Palmsoa Vista
Saluracona Cape Verde 2 Saluracona Cape Verde 2
Cape Verde Windsurfer 2 Cape Verde Windsurfer 2
Cape Verde Surfer 2 Cape Verde Surfer 2
Cape Verde Sal Santaria Beachoot 2 Cape Verde Sal Santaria Beachoot 2
Cape Verde Sal Espargos 2 Cape Verde Sal Espargos 2
Salines Sal Cape Verde Salines Sal Cape Verde
Salines Cape Verde Salines Cape Verde
Sal Beach Areal View Sal Beach Areal View
Areal View Santaaria Sal Areal View Santaaria Salobile
Buracona Sal Cape Verde Buracona Sal Cape Verde
B Beach Santaaria Island Sal B Beach Santaaria Sal Island 1
Street Santaaria Cape Verde Street Santaaria Cape Verde
Santaaria Sal Beach 2 Santaaria Sal Beach 2
Insal Sal Santaaria Hotels Beach Island Sal Santaaria Hotels Beach2
Tamarinde Cape Verde Tamarinde Cape Verde
B Beach Welle Cape Verde B Beach Welle Cape Verde
Sonnenuntergang Cape Verde Islands Sonnenuntergang Cape Verde Islands
Sonnenuntergang Cape Verde 2 Sonnenuntergang Cape Verde 2
Cape Verde Yacht Cape Verde Yacht
Cape Verde Beach Cape Verde Beach
Cape Verde Beach Schirme Cape Verde Beach Schirme
Cape Verde Steinformationen Cape Verde Steinformationen
Gesteinsformationen Cape Verde Gesteinsformationen Cape Verde
Fischerboote Cape Verde 2 Fischerboote Cape Verde 2
Duenen Sand Cape Verde Duenen Sand Cape Verde
Abendstimmung Beach Cape Verde Islands Abendstimmung Beach Cape Verde Islands
Arial View Santaaria Sal Arial View Santaaria Salobile
Monte Cara2 Monte Cara2

The Cape Verde Islands were initially without any vegetation after their formation by volcanic activity. Many seeds were introduced from West Africa, Latin America, the Mediterranean region and the other Macaronesian islands (Azores, Canaries and Madeira) through the ocean current, by birds, human beings and the wind. Experts estimate that there were about 250 species present when Cape Verde was discovered. Due in part to the efforts of the state forestation programs, which aimed to mitigate soil erosion and regulate the water balance, about 850 species have been counted today.

Pictures of endemic plants of the Cape Verde Islands – click here

Cape Verde Flora
Dragon tree in the Cape Verde Islands

Because of the different types of soil and climatic conditions on Cape Verde, the flora is quite rich in species. The very dry eastern islands, where palm trees and acacias can sometimes also be found on the coasts strips, have many species of grass growing on them. For example, the bush of the purgeira, the purging nut, is considered extremely resistant. In earlier days, they were grown on large plantations in order to use the oil extracted from the nuts for soap, candles or as lubricant for engines.

Agave Cape Verde
Agave in the Cape Verde Islands

The scene is somewhat more colourful on the mountainous islands. For example, bananas, mango and citrus trees, sugar cane, the red flowers of the cana and the blue jacaranda-tree blossom, agaves and yellow-red types of roses grow on the steep mountain faces. But you can also find rosemary, lavender and the Cape Verdes houseleek, which blossoms with bright yellow flowers from April to June.

Many plants adapted through the centuries to the conditions on Cape Verde so that completely new species have developed from them, some of which only exist on the archipelago (endemic species). These include the Cape Verde spurge, which can only be found on Santo Antão and São Nicolau, the bitterbrush at the volcano of Fogo, the viper’s bugloss on the southern islands and a species of palm called phoenix atlantica.

In addition, there are various species of trees such as cypress, acacia, mimosa, Canary Island pine and the eucalyptus. Wild aloe vera, which has been used through the years as a natural remedy, grows on the street in many places.

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