Abatia parviflora is the only native species of its genus found in Colombia and can be seen growing as a street tree in Bogotá. It thrives at elevations between 6,500 and 11,000 feet. Its yellow-flowered terminal racemes attract bees in abundance. This specimen was photographed in Colombia’s Eastern Andes (Cordillera Oriental).

Colombia is home to extraordinary botanical diversity, with over 130,000 plant species and more endemic species than any other country. Every nature outing brings the chance to discover stunning new flowers. Despite this wealth of native flora, the most widely cultivated garden plants in Colombia are often imported ornamentals. While almost all of Colombia is either tropical or sub-tropical terrain many tropical and sub-tropical plants will have a limited elevation range where they can thrive in Colombia due to the relatively constant year-round temperatures at a given altitude. For example, an area at 5,000 feet may consistently range from about 60°F at night to 80°F during the day throughout the year. Plants requiring slightly warmer or cooler conditions may not germinate or bloom in such zones.

This tree is the first of over 1,300 species featured on our site, photographed primarily in Colombia, with additional selections from Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. Species are listed alphabetically by family, genus, or species—depending on the most accurate level of identification. A complete listing is available via the site map on our website.