Native plants of Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean
These 62 plants belong to Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean. They were here before the gardens were: they know the weather, live on the rain that falls, and feed the insects and birds that grew up alongside them. Plant a few and your yard starts to fit its place.
Signature plant: Chayote, native here and in no other world region on this list.
Fruit trees (2)
- Prickly pear · zones 8–11
- Tejocote (Mexican hawthorn) · zones 8–10
Berries and small fruit (1)
- Highland blackberry (mora) · zones 9–11
Nut trees (2)
- Breadnut (Maya nut) · zones 10–12
- Malabar chestnut (money tree) · zones 10–12
Tropical and subtropical food plants (23)
- Allspice (pimienta gorda) · zones 10–12
- Avocado · zones 9–11
- Barbados cherry · zones 9–11
- Black sapote · zones 10–12
- Canistel (eggfruit) · zones 10–12
- Capulín (highland cherry) · zones 8–11
- Cas (sour Costa Rican guava) · zones 10–12
- Cold-hardy avocado ('Bacon', 'Mexicola') · zones 9–11
- Dragon fruit · zones 10–12
- Guava · zones 9–11
- Ingá (ingá-banana) · zones 10–12
- Jocote · zones 10–12
- Mamey apple · zones 10–12
- Mamey sapote · zones 10–12
- Nance · zones 10–12
- Papaya · zones 10–12
- Sapodilla · zones 10–12
- Soursop · zones 11–12
- Stinking toe (West Indian locust) · zones 10–12
- Sugar apple · zones 10–12
- Sweet granadilla · zones 10–11
- Vanilla · zones 11–12
- White sapote · zones 9–11
Perennial vegetables, greens and herbs (11)
- Achiote (annatto) · zones 10–12
- Arrowroot · zones 9–11
- Chaya (tree spinach) · zones 9–11
- Chayote · zones 8–11
- Culantro · zones 9–12
- Hoja santa · zones 9–11
- Izote (spineless yucca) · zones 9–11
- Malanga (cocoyam) · zones 9–11
- Mexican oregano · zones 9–11
- Pericón (Mexican tarragon) · zones 8–11
- Tacaco · zones 10–12
Annual vegetables, herbs and grains (17)
- Amaranth (grain and greens) · zones 2–11
- Bush bean · zones 2–11
- Chia (Salvia hispanica) · zones 8–11
- Epazote (paico) · zones 6–11
- Flint and flour corn (maize) · zones 3–11
- Hot pepper · zones 2–11
- Huauzontle · zones 3–11
- Jicama · zones 7–11
- Lima bean (butter bean) · zones 5–12
- Pole bean · zones 2–11
- Scarlet runner bean · zones 4–11
- Scotch bonnet pepper · zones 10–12
- Sweet corn · zones 3–11
- Sweet pepper · zones 2–11
- Sweet potato · zones 5–11
- Tomatillo · zones 2–11
- Winter squash and pumpkin · zones 2–11
Native and wild plants (5)
- Aguacatillo (wild avocado) · zones 9–11
- Cocoplum · zones 10–11
- Maguey (pulque agave) · zones 8–11
- Pond apple · zones 10–12
- Sea grape · zones 10–11
Helper plants for soil, wildlife and biomass (1)
- French marigold · zones 2–11
Open the natives of Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean in the planner
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All regions · Plants by hardiness zone
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home