Plants of Sal
The plant life of Sal Island is sparse but hardy, shaped by drought and salt, with species that survive through resilience rather than abundance.
Pachamama Eco Park: Beautiful Oasis in the Desert Island
Pachamama Eco Park, also known as Viviero Botanical Garden & Zoo, is a thriving ecosystem that houses over 150 plant species and dozens of rescued animals.
Phoenix Atlantica: The Unique Capeverdean Date Palm
Phoenix atlantica stands as an icon of Cape Verdean natural heritage. It’s a tree that grows wild nowhere else in the entire world.
Sal’s Endemic Flora: Botanical Survival on a Desert Island
On Sal, evolution has operated under constraints so severe that each surviving endemic species represents a masterclass in adaptation.
A Few Words About Sal’s Plant Life
Sal Island’s plant life is shaped by aridity, salt-heavy soils, and long periods without rain, making it one of the most botanically sparse islands in the archipelago. Yet what grows here tells a quiet story of adaptation. Sal’s endemic flora is primarily composed of low shrubs, grasses, and drought-resistant species that dominate the inland plains. The flag endemic tree here is the Cape Verdean date palm, known as tamareira. Many other species were introduced to the island’s climate over time.
One of the island’s most striking native plants is the yellow desert broomrape or yellow desert hyacinth (Cistanche phelypaea). This alien-looking, rare parasitic flower blooms directly from the sand and has become a local curiosity for both botanists and visitors.
Along the coasts, salt-tolerant succulents and ground creepers anchor the dunes, while tamarisks and acacias, planted for shade and erosion control, provide the few patches of green. In cultivated areas around towns, date palms, neem trees, and bougainvillaea thrive with minimal irrigation. Though not lush, the flora of Sal reflects resilience — and the human effort to green an otherwise barren landscape.
Yellow Desert Hyacinth: the Strange and Beautiful Alien
Cistanche phelypaea is a desert plant with stout, flowering stems bearing bright yellow flowers. It can grow up to even 30-50 cm above the ground. Because of its looks, Cistanche phelypaea is commonly called a yellow desert broomrape, but some people call it also a desert hyacinth.