The national flower of Barbados is native to the West Indies and Mexico, the Peacock Flower is an ornamental shrub that thrives in hot dry climates as well as wet environments. Boasting a bushy growth with fern-like foliage, it requires full sun to flourish. The Peacock Flower's beauty earned it the Royal Horticulture Society Award of Garden Merit. However, I feel it is overused in many tropical climates. In traditional medicine, various parts of the plant have been used to alleviate minor injuries, fevers, and gastrointestinal issues, among other ailments. The flowers, in particular, are known for their antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, while a concoction of the leaves, bark, and roots is believed to relieve kidney pain, fever, sore throat, and gastrointestinal disorders. The immature seeds of the Peacock Flower are edible but the mature seeds are toxic. Photographed in Barranquilla.