Pyramid Flower
Melochia pyramidata
Pyramid Flower
Melochia pyramidata
Melochia pyramidata, commonly called Pyramid Flower, is a tough, sun-loving tropical plant found across the Caribbean. It grows easily in dry, disturbed places—roadsides, old fields, scrublands, and sandy or limestone soils—making it both a hardy wildflower and, at times, a persistent weed. The plant can grow as an annual or perennial shrub up to about 6 feet tall, with slender, lance-shaped leaves and a light, open growth habit.
Its most recognizable feature is its flowering clusters: small pink, purple, or white blossoms with yellow centers arranged in loose pyramidal shapes, which gives the species its common name. After flowering, the plant forms a distinctive five-angled fruit capsule, another trait that sets it apart in the field.
Sometimes considered a minor agricultural weed—especially in crops like sugarcane—the plant also has traditional value. In folk medicine, it’s been used to soothe skin irritation and inflammation, and in gardens, people grow it simply for its pretty, delicate blooms.
Melochia pyramidata
Melochia pyramidata, commonly called Pyramid Flower, is a tough, sun-loving tropical plant found across the Caribbean. It grows easily in dry, disturbed places—roadsides, old fields, scrublands, and sandy or limestone soils—making it both a hardy wildflower and, at times, a persistent weed. The plant can grow as an annual or perennial shrub up to about 6 feet tall, with slender, lance-shaped leaves and a light, open growth habit.
Its most recognizable feature is its flowering clusters: small pink, purple, or white blossoms with yellow centers arranged in loose pyramidal shapes, which gives the species its common name. After flowering, the plant forms a distinctive five-angled fruit capsule, another trait that sets it apart in the field.
Sometimes considered a minor agricultural weed—especially in crops like sugarcane—the plant also has traditional value. In folk medicine, it’s been used to soothe skin irritation and inflammation, and in gardens, people grow it simply for its pretty, delicate blooms.
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