Meet St Kitts and Nevis: our Flower, Bird, and Anthem

2009-02-24 17:41:22 by

The National Flower

The national flower of St. Kitts and Nevis is the Poinciana or flamboyant, named after Monsieur de Poincy, the first French Governor of St. Kitts, who is said to have introduced it to the region . Its scientific name is Delonix Regia, and is said to have originated in Madagascar. The flamboyant is one of the most striking trees of the tropics, with its umbrella-shaped crown and its compound deciduous leaves, and red and yellow scalloped flowers followed by long, black seedpods. It blooms from May to August, and is generally used along roadsides or by itself. A fast-growing tree, it requires a deep soil but tolerates a dry climate.

The National Bird

The national bird of St. Kitts and Nevis is the brown pelican, whose scientific name is Pelecanusoccidentalis. In its youth, the brown pelican is brown on the head, neck, and upper parts of the body, and mostly white below. As it matures, the majority of the body becomes dark brown while the upper part of the head turns white. During the post-nuptial molt the adult's neck turns white. The neck and head are not extended during flight. Brown pelicans are sometimes solitary feeders, but may also be found in small flocks as they feed on schools of fish at the surface of the sea. They can be found throughout the West Indies and in the sub-tropical regions of the Americas.



The National Anthem
Visit SKNVibes.com to read the words to the anthem. Many thanks to their resources for this information.