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The most common and the most
conspicuous of all local vegetation is the coconut palm, which
grows in abundance throughout the Maldives. They stand the
tallest among the island vegetation and shape the island's tree
line with their swaying palms. The coconut palm is the national
tree of the Maldives and justly so. Maldivians have
traditionally relied on the coconut palm for a variety of needs.
The trunk was used to build dhonis, the fronds to wave cadjan
for houses and the stems of the palm leaves were used to build
fences and other temporary structures. The coconut in all its
stages of growth from part of different recipes that are used
for a variety of local delicacies. The husk is used for the
production of coir rope, the shells for firewood and production
of household utensils.
There are five categories of native vegetation throughout the
archipelago, including 20 different species of grass and sedge
that grow along the shoreline of the islands. Beyond this is an
extensive growth of shrubs and pandanus trees. Here the
Pemphis acidula (kuredhi) and Scaevola serica (magoo)
dominates the vegetation.
In well-drained areas, the Hibiscus tiliaceus (dhiggaa)
and the Cordian subcordata (kaani), which grows to a
height of up to five metres, are found. Many of the larger
islands have thick forests where Hernandia nymphaeifolia
(kandoo) and Terminalia cattappa (midhili) are common.
The tallest of all the trees found in the Maldives is the
Ficus benghalensis or the banyan tree, as it is commonly
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