Bonaire's Kibrahacha trees in bloom

Have you ever seen a flowering Kibrahacha tree? That is very special! In fact, this beautiful tree blooms only once a year. The flowering lasts only a few days. And at the time of writing this blog, the time has come. The Kibrahacha trees on Bonaire have turned into a brilliant sea of yellow flowers. And according to Bonaireans, this brings good luck.

The Kibrahacha (or Tabebuia Billbergii as it is officially called) grows on Bonaire, among other places. It is a native tree species, which means the tree occurs naturally on the island. Actually, it is a tree that does not really stand out during the year. During the dry season, the tree loses its leaves and may seem doomed. But when rain falls again after a long dry period, this tree comes into bloom. And once in bloom, the Kibrahacha cannot be missed.

The Kibrahacha has a hard trunk. That is also where this tree gets its name from. Kibra means breaking and hacha means axe in Papiamentu. In short, you can break your axe on this tree. When the tree will bloom depends on the weather conditions. When there is finally some rain after a long dry period, that is the time for the Kibrahacha to start flowering. The flowering period is only three days. 

Where are Kibrahacha trees found on Bonaire?

On Bonaire you can find the tree in several places. On the new asphalt road to Seru Largu there are two close together. But also on surrounding hills you can see them from far away with their beautiful yellow flowers. On the hill near the Bona Bista neighborhood, for example, they are easy to see. Also in the Washington Slagbaai National Park, on the hills surrounding the route you can also admire several specimens of this magnificent tree. So if you still want to see these beautiful trees in bloom, take a good look around the next few days when you are on Bonaire.