Bucket List Trip Fit for a Gardener (Part Two: Iguazu Falls, Argentina - Its vegetation)
There are times in the life of every gardener that you just can't resist peeking into somebody else's backyard to see what grows there. That's how I felt when my daughter suggested a trip to Iguazu Falls, Argentina. With a passion for plants and a love for flowers, I couldn't resist.
In Part One, we looked at Iguazu Falls from the standpoint of its water — without which the flora and fauna in this subtropical rainforest would not survive. Following the rainy season and the intense humidity of January to March, begonias and Impatiens bloom. Flowering vines and trees strut their stuff. In fact, over 2000 plants thrive in this area — varied groupings of vegetation from the semi-deciduous to the tropical. Broadleaf trees and pindo pines. Palms and bamboo. Water plants. Moss.

Although our visit coincided with the tail end of winter in the Southern Hemisphere (July to September), I was confident I would recognize a couple of plants, that something would be blooming somewhere and perhaps even a butterfly or two would flit by. And I wasn't disappointed. In fact, while the winter season meant less foliage, it also equated to fewer tourists on the trails and more opportunities to pause and appreciate more of the view.
Since many of the broadleaf trees had lost their leaves, I was able to observe the forks of their branches where orchids and bromeliads nestled awaiting spring. Tillandsia clusters clung to trunks. In this riverside forest, the intertwining trunks of the Canavalia bonariensia vine twisted toward the sun. Where the understory was open to a leafless canopy of branches, the foliage was dry and sparse compared to areas where spray from a nearby waterfall splashed continually. In these moist spots, plants were lush and numerous.
400 bird species also make this region home, including those gorgeous Toucans with their multi-color feathers. 80 different mammals also reside here. Below are photos of howler monkeys and tapirs, along with several species of plants many of you will recognize from your own backyard.
If you're looking for a must-see destination to put on your bucket list, Iguazu Falls is a trip of a lifetime fit for a gardener. And the best part of all is that 90% of the park is accessible to people with disabilities, including vista points and walkways. To view a map of Iguazu Falls, visit https://www.01argentina.com/sitio/map_iguazu.html