Plants native to Aruba

We document 213 of the 276 species Kew’s World Checklist records as native to Aruba. Native means native: introduced, extinct and doubtful records are excluded, so this is where these plants are from, not everywhere they now grow.

Documented 213 Native, per Kew 276 Coverage 77% TDWG ARU

Best documented by photographic coverage

Every documented species 213 native to Aruba

SpeciesAuthorityFamily Photographs
Abutilon viscosum (L.) Dorr Malvaceae 8
Acanthocereus tetragonus (L.) Hummelinck Cactaceae 8
Agave vivipara L. Asparagaceae 8
Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze Amaranthaceae 8
Alternanthera halimifolia (Lam.) Standl. ex Pittier Amaranthaceae 8
Amaranthus polygonoides L. Amaranthaceae 8
Amaranthus viridis L. Amaranthaceae 8
Ammannia auriculata Willd. Lythraceae 8
Ammannia coccinea Rottb. Lythraceae 8
Aristida adscensionis L. Poaceae 8
Astraea lobata (L.) Klotzsch Euphorbiaceae 8
Avicennia germinans (L.) L. Acanthaceae 8
Batis maritima L. Bataceae 8
Boerhavia coccinea Mill. Nyctaginaceae 8
Boerhavia erecta L. Nyctaginaceae 8
Boerhavia scandens L. Nyctaginaceae 8
Bourreria succulenta Jacq. Ehretiaceae 8
Bouteloua aristidoides (Kunth) Griseb. Poaceae 8
Bouteloua repens (Kunth) Scribn. & Merr. Poaceae 8
Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. Burseraceae 8
Bursera tomentosa (Jacq.) Triana & Planch. Burseraceae 8
Callisia repens (Jacq.) L. Commelinaceae 8
Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Capraria biflora L. Scrophulariaceae 8
Casearia tremula (Griseb.) Griseb. ex C.Wright Salicaceae 8
Castela erecta Turpin Simaroubaceae 8
Celtis iguanaea (Jacq.) Sarg. Cannabaceae 8
Cenchrus echinatus L. Poaceae 8
Cereus repandus (L.) Mill. Cactaceae 8
Chamaecrista absus (L.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby Fabaceae 8
Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench Fabaceae 8
Chloris virgata Sw. Poaceae 8
Cissampelos pareira L. Menispermaceae 8
Cissus trifoliata (L.) L. Vitaceae 8
Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis Vitaceae 8
Clusia rosea Jacq. Clusiaceae 8
Cnidoscolus urens (L.) Arthur Euphorbiaceae 8
Coccoloba diversifolia Jacq. Polygonaceae 8
Coccoloba uvifera (L.) L. Polygonaceae 8
Commelina erecta L. Commelinaceae 8
Conocarpus erectus L. Combretaceae 8
Corchorus hirsutus L. Malvaceae 8
Cordia dentata Poir. Cordiaceae 8
Crateva tapia L. Capparaceae 8
Crescentia cujete L. Bignoniaceae 8
Crossopetalum rhacoma Crantz Celastraceae 8
Crotalaria incana L. Fabaceae 8
Croton flavens L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Cyperus esculentus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus ligularis L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus odoratus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus oxylepis Nees ex Steud. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus planifolius Rich. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus squarrosus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus subsquarrosus (Muhl.) Bauters Cyperaceae 8
Desmanthus pernambucanus (L.) Thell. Fabaceae 8
Desmanthus virgatus (L.) Willd. Fabaceae 8
Desmodium procumbens (Mill.) C.L.Hitchc. Fabaceae 8
Desmodium scorpiurus (Sw.) Poir. Fabaceae 8
Digitaria californica (Benth.) Henrard Poaceae 8
Digitaria insularis (L.) Mez ex Ekman Poaceae 8
Distimake aegyptius (L.) A.R.Simões & Staples Convolvulaceae 8
Distimake dissectus (Jacq.) A.R.Simões & Staples Convolvulaceae 8
Ditaxis argothamnoides (Bertero ex Spreng.) Radcl.-Sm. & Govaerts Euphorbiaceae 8
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants Chenopodiaceae 8
Egletes prostrata (Sw.) Kuntze Asteraceae 8
Eleocharis atropurpurea (Retz.) J.Presl & C.Presl Cyperaceae 8
Eleocharis geniculata (L.) Roem. & Schult. Cyperaceae 8
Elytraria imbricata (Vahl) Pers. Acanthaceae 8
Erithalis fruticosa L. Rubiaceae 8
Euphorbia dioeca Kunth Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia graminea Jacq. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia hirta L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia hypericifolia L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia hyssopifolia L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia mesembryanthemifolia Jacq. Euphorbiaceae 8
Ficus citrifolia Mill. Moraceae 8
Fimbristylis cymosa R.Br. Cyperaceae 8
Geoffroea spinosa Jacq. Fabaceae 8
Gomphrena vermicularis L. Amaranthaceae 8
Gossypium hirsutum L. Malvaceae 8
Guaiacum officinale L. Zygophyllaceae 8
Guaiacum sanctum L. Zygophyllaceae 8
Heliotropium curassavicum L. Heliotropiaceae 8
Hippomane mancinella L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Indigofera suffruticosa Mill. Fabaceae 8
Ipomoea heptaphylla Sweet Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea incarnata (Vahl) Choisy Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea triloba L. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea violacea L. Convolvulaceae 8
Isocarpha oppositifolia (L.) Cass. Asteraceae 8
Jacquemontia nodiflora (Desr.) G.Don Convolvulaceae 8
Jatropha gossypiifolia L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Krugiodendron ferreum (Vahl) Urb. Rhamnaceae 8
Laguncularia racemosa (L.) C.F.Gaertn. Combretaceae 8
Lantana camara L. Verbenaceae 8
Lantana canescens Kunth Verbenaceae 8
Lantana involucrata L. Verbenaceae 8
Lemna aequinoctialis Welw. Araceae 8
Leuenbergeria guamacho (F.A.C.Weber) Lodé Cactaceae 8
Libidibia coriaria (Jacq.) Schltdl. Fabaceae 8
Ludwigia erecta (L.) H.Hara Onagraceae 8
Malachra alceifolia Jacq. Malvaceae 8
Malpighia glabra L. Malpighiaceae 8
Malvastrum americanum (L.) Torr. Malvaceae 8
Marsypianthes chamaedrys (Vahl) Kuntze Lamiaceae 8
Melocactus curvispinus Pfeiff. Cactaceae 8
Melocactus macracanthos (Salm-Dyck) Link & Otto Cactaceae 8
Melochia tomentosa L. Malvaceae 8
Mentzelia aspera L. Loasaceae 8
Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze Lamiaceae 8
Mimosa distachya Cav. Fabaceae 8
Mitracarpus hirtus (L.) DC. Rubiaceae 8
Mollugo verticillata L. Molluginaceae 8
Morinda royoc L. Rubiaceae 8
Morisonia americana L. Capparaceae 8
Morisonia flexuosa L. Capparaceae 8
Morisonia indica (L.) ined. Capparaceae 8
Myriopus volubilis (L.) Small Heliotropiaceae 8
Najas guadalupensis (Spreng.) Magnus Hydrocharitaceae 8
Najas marina L. Hydrocharitaceae 8
Nama jamaicensis L. Namaceae 8
Neltuma juliflora (Sw.) Raf. Fabaceae 8
Neptunia plena (L.) Benth. Fabaceae 8
Opuntia caracassana Salm-Dyck Cactaceae 8
Parkinsonia aculeata L. Fabaceae 8
Parthenium hysterophorus L. Asteraceae 8
Passiflora foetida L. Passifloraceae 8
Passiflora pallida L. Passifloraceae 8
Pectis prostrata Cav. Asteraceae 8
Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene Verbenaceae 8
Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. & Thonn. Phyllanthaceae 8
Phyllanthus pentaphyllus C.Wright ex Griseb. Phyllanthaceae 8
Physalis angulata L. Solanaceae 8
Physalis cordata Mill. Solanaceae 8
Physalis pubescens L. Solanaceae 8
Physalis solanacea (Schltdl.) Axelius Solanaceae 8
Pilosocereus lanuginosus (L.) Byles & G.D.Rowley Cactaceae 8
Pithecellobium unguis-cati (L.) Benth. Fabaceae 8
Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G.Don Asteraceae 8
Pluchea odorata (L.) Cass. Asteraceae 8
Plumbago zeylanica L. Plumbaginaceae 8
Polypremum procumbens L. Tetrachondraceae 8
Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass. Asteraceae 8
Portulaca halimoides L. Portulacaceae 8
Priva lappulacea (L.) Pers. Verbenaceae 8
Rhizophora mangle L. Rhizophoraceae 8
Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Rivina humilis L. Petiveriaceae 8
Ruellia tuberosa L. Acanthaceae 8
Ruppia maritima L. Ruppiaceae 8
Salicornia perennis Mill. Chenopodiaceae 8
Schoepfia schreberi J.F.Gmel. Schoepfiaceae 8
Scoparia dulcis L. Plantaginaceae 8
Scoparia montevidensis (Spreng.) R.E.Fr. Plantaginaceae 8
Senna atomaria (L.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby Fabaceae 8
Senna bicapsularis (L.) Roxb. Fabaceae 8
Senna occidentalis (L.) Link Fabaceae 8
Senna sophera (L.) Roxb. Fabaceae 8
Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L. Aizoaceae 8
Sida acuta Burm.f. Malvaceae 8
Sida ciliaris L. Malvaceae 8
Sida spinosa L. Malvaceae 8
Solanum americanum Mill. Solanaceae 8
Sophora tomentosa L. Fabaceae 8
Spermacoce confusa Rendle Rubiaceae 8
Spermacoce ocymifolia Willd. Rubiaceae 8
Spigelia anthelmia L. Loganiaceae 8
Spondias mombin L. Anacardiaceae 8
Sporobolus pyramidatus (Lam.) Hitchc. Poaceae 8
Stemodia maritima L. Plantaginaceae 8
Stenocereus griseus (Haw.) Buxb. Cactaceae 8
Strumpfia maritima Jacq. Rubiaceae 8
Stylosanthes hamata (L.) Taub. Fabaceae 8
Suriana maritima L. Surianaceae 8
Tephrosia cinerea (L.) Pers. Fabaceae 8
Thalassia testudinum Banks & Sol. ex K.D.Koenig Hydrocharitaceae 8
Tillandsia flexuosa Sw. Bromeliaceae 8
Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. Bromeliaceae 8
Tournefortia gnaphalodes (L.) Roem. & Schult. Heliotropiaceae 8
Trianthema portulacastrum L. Aizoaceae 8
Tridax procumbens L. Asteraceae 8
Trixis inula Crantz Asteraceae 8
Turnera pumilea L. Passifloraceae 8
Vachellia tortuosa (L.) Seigler & Ebinger Fabaceae 8
Varronia curassavica Jacq. Cordiaceae 8
Evolvulus convolvuloides (Willd.) Stearn Convolvulaceae 7
Morisonia linearis (Jacq.) Christenh. & Byng Capparaceae 7
Stenostomum acutatum DC. Rubiaceae 7
Agave karatto Mill. Asparagaceae 6
Anthephora hermaphrodita (L.) Kuntze Poaceae 6
Atriplex cristata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. Chenopodiaceae 6
Bontia daphnoides L. Scrophulariaceae 6
Cyperus amabilis Vahl Cyperaceae 6
Euploca fruticosa (L.) J.I.M.Melo & Semir Heliotropiaceae 6
Macroptilium gracile (Poepp. ex Benth.) Urb. Fabaceae 6
Varronia bullata L. Cordiaceae 6
Asemeia violacea (Aubl.) J.F.B.Pastore & J.R.Abbott Polygalaceae 5
Coccoloba swartzii Meisn. Polygonaceae 5
Pseudabutilon umbellatum (L.) Fryxell Malvaceae 5
Bursera karsteniana Engl. Burseraceae 4
Corchorus orinocensis Kunth Malvaceae 4
Cuscuta americana L. Convolvulaceae 4
Erythrina velutina Willd. Fabaceae 4
Manihot carthagenensis (Jacq.) Müll.Arg. Euphorbiaceae 4
Phyllanthus botryanthus Müll.Arg. Phyllanthaceae 4
Spermacoce tenuior L. Rubiaceae 4
Amaranthus crassipes Schltdl. Amaranthaceae 3
Euploca humilis (L.) Feuillet Heliotropiaceae 3
Ibatia rubra (H.Karst.) Morillo Apocynaceae 3
Jacquinia arborea Vahl Primulaceae 3

What this page does not tell you

Kew records 63 more species as native to Aruba that we do not document. They are real, accepted plants. They have no page here because we could not find three photographs of them licensed for commercial use, and this site publishes no species it cannot show you. That gap is the honest measure of what we are missing, and it is why we print both numbers rather than the flattering one.

This is a checklist of what is native, not a guide to what will grow in your garden, and it carries no care advice and no toxicity claim, because we do not have those from a source we can cite.

Sourcesevery claim on this page

  1. Kew, World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP v16). Native distribution by TDWG level-3 botanical country (ARU). Introduced, extinct and doubtful records excluded. CC BY 3.0. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  2. World Flora Online Plant List. Accepted names, authorities, classification. CC0. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  3. iNaturalist. Photographs, restricted to CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-SA. Retrieved 2026-06-27.