At Copan there are many different species of flora to be found in the park and around the town. Following is a list of some of the species that can be found while at the Copan Valley.

  • Copan was a very full forest at the time of the early explorers since then and due to the presence of men there has been a lot of deforestation, and the most affected have been the forests, at present efforts are being made to return the forests or a part of them to their former splendor, around the site itself a lot of species of trees have been replanted, in order to make Copan look as it did once before… There are many trees that can be found in and around the Copan National Monument, some were very important to the Maya as they are to the modern population of the Valley. I will tell you a little bit about some of the most important trees that can still be seen in Copan :
    • The Ceiba or Yaaxche in Maya (Ceiba Pentandra) is also known as kapok or silk cotton tree. A tall, stately tree that spreads its limbs at the top of the forest canopy, its downy fibers are used to this day to stuff pillows and cushions. The Ceiba's most important role is to provide shade with its leafy, long-reaching branches, often in the Main Square of a town. This tradition goes back many centuries, to the days when the ancient Maya cultivated Ceibas in the plazas of their cities. A Ceiba is an ecosystem in itself, since its clefts and branches (up to 150 feet across) are populated by many species of orchids, ferns, cacti, and bromeliads. Iguanas and other reptiles like to bask in the sun in its highest branches. The fruits of this tree are big, hard, long capsules which contain cotton fibers. The Ceiba has many uses, such as in traditional medicine, kapok fiber, oil and even human feed. The Ceiba grows easily up to 70 mts. tall. It is a cylindrical and straight tree, with leaves that look like fingers. Its bark is grey-rose and smooth. This tree grows in humid and semi humid forest, it thrives at an altitude of 0-500 meters above sea level, and at temperatures between 20ºC to 30ºC. It grows naturally from Mexico throughout all of Central America and Brazil.
    • Rubber tree (Herea brasiliensis) Another very important tree for the Maya, the sap of this tree was collected in specials bins and cooked to form the rubber ball that was used in the Ball Game a very important political, social & religious ceremony performed by the Ancient Maya.
    • Trees, shrubs & creepers. (Please note its common name in Spanish next to its scientific name)
      • Anacardium occidentale L. (Marañón)
      • Spondias purpurea L. (Jobo)
      • Annona purpurea Mociño & Sesse. (Suncuya)
      • Tabebuia spp. (Matilisguate)
      • Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaerth. (Ceiba)
      • Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pavon). ( Laurel )
      • Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. ( Indio desnudo)
      • Delonix regia (Bojer) Raf. (Acacio)
      • Mammea americana L. (Mamey)
      • Persea americana Mill. (Aguacate)
      • Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) HBK. (Nance)
      • Cedrela odorata L. (Cedro)
      • Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb (Guanacaste)
      • Inga spp . (Paterno)
      • Brosium alicastrum Swartz (Masico, Ramon)
      • Pouteria mammosa (L.) Cronquist (Zapote)
      • Simarouba glauca DC. (Negrito, Aceituno)
      • Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Tapaculo, Caulote)
      • Stericulia apetala (Jacq.) Karst (Castaño)
      • Alvaradoa amorphoides (Leibm) (Plumarillo)
      • Crateva tapia L. (Matazanillo)

 

 

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