Very imposing, talipot palms can reach up to 25 meters high and own the largest set of flowers of the plant kingdom, making an expanded halo beyond its leaves. Its flowering, a unique event during its lifetime, takes place between the age of 40 and 80 years. Millions of hermaphrodite flowers and thousands of seeds … Continued
Reaching up to 30 meters high, the copaíba’s fruits are edible for birds. The wood can be used in cabinetry, as well as in civil and naval construction. Extracted directly from the trunk, the copaíba’s oil-resin is used as fuel for diesel engines and broadly used in popular medicine. It can also be employed in … Continued
Cultivated in different parts of the world, the species Colocasia esculenta is an important source of food for populations of tropical and subtropical regions. The ‘aquatilis’ variety, popularly known as purple taro, is mostly used for ornamental purposes and one of the most iconic of the Inhotim collection, standing out for its deep-purple hue and … Continued
The Brazilwood or Pau-Brasil is the tree that lends its name to the country. It has several thorns on the youngest branches and usually blooms in spring. It was very used in civil and naval construction, however, its main value lays in the ‘brazilin,’ a dye obtained from the log and very used to dye … Continued
The hand fan-shaped blueish leaves make the Bismarck palm very appreciated for landscape design purposes. The exotic tinge is due to a waxy substance produced in response to sun exposure. Such substance makes the leaves resistant to heat and excessive loss of water. The stem, when voided, can be used as boards, and the leaves … Continued
The ponytail palm is a shrub that can reach up to 5 meters high, of semi-woody texture and sculptural aspect. Although it is similar to a palm tree, it belongs to another botanic family. Native to the desert regions of Texas (USA) and Mexico, the ponytail palm retains a lot of water in its spongy … Continued
Found in the Americas, this palm tree can reach up to 15 meters high. The inflorescence (part of the plant concentrating the set of flowers) is visited by several bees, and the fruits are used to make ice-cream, liqueur, cooking oil, hair moisturizer, and even fuel. Other parts can be used to produce fence posts … Continued
Its name comes from the Tupi term yekïti’bá, ‘stiff trunk tree,’ due to its lasting, hardwood. Considered the biggest tree of the Atlantic Forest (reaching up to 30 meters high and 4 meters diameter), it is often found in the east part of Brazil. It can live up to 500 years, being excellent in preserving … Continued
At the Lago Novo, one can easily admire the Vellozia compacta, known as canela-de-ema (literally shin of rhea). This species lives well in natural fields on top of mountain ranges, under rocky outcrops. Seeing its delicate purple flowers, one can find it hard to imagine that it is used to stand lack of water, continuous … Continued
Also known as pacara earpod tree, the tamboril is an iconic tree at Inhotim. It is located in the central area of the park and has no less than 80 to 100 years. Already a mature tree, with nearly 20 meters high and a broad, bushy crown, it offers great shade during summer for those … Continued