Plants & arboretum

This working group supports the preservation of the arboretum, coconut grove, nature trail, mangroves, and ecosystem of Magens and the other Fairchild properties, as well as tree labeling and other efforts to educate beachgoers about the wildlife.

Interested to get involved? Fill out our working group interest form.

Spotlight on manchineel:

The manchineel tree (Hippomane mancinella) holds the Guinness World Record for "most dangerous tree"! The fruits, leaves, bark, and sap are all poisonous. Even standing under a manchineel tree in the rain can result in pain and blisters, and burning manchineel wood can cause temporary blindness. The Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was reported to have been killed in the 1500s by an arrow poisoned with manchineel sap. Manchineel trees can grow to be quite large – 40 feet with spreading crowns and thick trunks– and their fruits look like small yellow or green apples. The shiny oval or lance-shaped leaves are about 2-4 inches long. There are several manchineel trees at Magens.

Manchineel tree with "Do not touch" sign

Manchineel tree - Do not touch! All parts of the tree are very toxic! The fruit is poisonous!

Manchineel tree with sign
Fallen manchineel fruit

Manchineel fruit

A sample of the plants you can find at Magens Bay:

Seagrape, with beach & ocean in background

Seagrape (Caulerpa lentillifera)

Seagrape, detail with fruit

Seagrape (Caulerpa lentillifera)

Maho tree

Beach maho (Portia tree, Thespesia populnea)

Maho tree, detail with flower

Beach maho (Portia tree, Thespesia populnea)

Autograph tree (Pitch apple, Clusia rosea)

Jamaican caper, detail with flower

Jamaican caper (Capparis cynophallophora, Quadrella cynophallophora)

Papaya tree, detail with fruit

Papaya (Carica papaya)

Necklace pod

Necklace pod (Silver bush, Sophora tomentosa)

Tall mahogany tree over a shed

Mahogany (Swietenia)

Pink trumpet tree

Pink trumpet (white cedar, Tabebuia heterophylla)

Mangroves, detail with roots

Red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle)

Mangroves, sign

Sign: Red algae in mangroves

Noni, with sand & ocean in background

Noni (Painkiller, Starvation fruit, Morinda citrifolia)

Noni, detail with fruit

Noni (Painkiller, Starvation fruit, Morinda citrifolia)

Wild cinnamon

Wild cinnamon (Pepper cinnamon, Caneel, Canella winterana)

Wild cinnamon, detail with blossoms

Wild cinnamon (Pepper cinnamon, Caneel, Canella winterana)

Geiger tree, detail with flowers and pods

Geiger tree (Cordia sebestena)

Geiger tree, detail with flowers

Geiger tree (Cordia sebestena)

Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto)

Coconut palms

Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera)

Coconut palm, with beach & ocean in background

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera)

Wide red flamboyant tree in bloom

Flamboyant (Royal poinciana, Delonix regia)

Golden (yellow) flamboyant, detail with flowers

Yellow flamboyant (Yellow flame, Golden flamboyant, Peltophorum pterocarpum)

Yellow flamboyant (Yellow flame, Golden flamboyant, Peltophorum pterocarpum)

Baobab tree

Baobab (Adansonia)

Baobab flower

Baobab (Adansonia)

Baobab blossom

Baobab (Adansonia)

Limeberry, detail with fruit

Limeberry (Sweet lime, Lemondichina, Triphasia trifolia)

More plants!

See some other plants can be found at Magens.

Can you identify these plants?

If so, comment on the individual photo in this album.