Guayabilla
Acca sellowiana
Edible
Medicinal
Sweet-tart fruits enjoyed fresh or in jams. Fragrant flowers attract birds and insects.
Look for oval green fruits and soft pink-white flowers.
Orchids • Bromeliads • Native trees
Flora
A living field guide to the plants, trees, and botanical life that surround The Cloud Forest Retreat and shape the Chocó Andino ecosystem.
Ecuador's cloud forest is one of the most plant-rich environments on Earth, closely tied to experiences like cloud forest hiking Ecuador where these species are encountered in context. Around the retreat you will find edible fruits, medicinal trees, epiphytes that hold entire micro-ecosystems, all of which also support birdlife explored through birdwatching lodge Ecuador experiences, and flowering species that feed birds, insects, and mammals alike. This connection between forest and stay becomes even clearer when considering where to stay near Quito nature.
Plants and epiphytes
Small but powerful species that feed wildlife and people alike, often seen throughout the Rio Guayllabamba valley landscapes.
Bromeliads
Bromeliaceae family
Wildlife habitat
Pollinators
Rosette-shaped plants that collect rainwater, creating miniature ecosystems for frogs and insects.
Often seen growing on trees or rocks.
Trees of The Cloud Forest Retreat
Foundational species that shape the landscape and climate, also visible across regions like Pululahua and broader ecosystems documented in our cloud forest gallery.
Algarrobo
Prosopis species
Edible pods
Drought-hardy
Produces nutrient-rich pods with a naturally sweet flavor, used by people and wildlife.
Key species for soil health and erosion control.
Cholan
Haematoxylum campechianum
Dye-producing
Medicinal
Fragrant yellow flower clusters adorn twisted branches and provide a vital nectar source for bees.
Famous for its deep purple heartwood dye but not for consumption. Handle with care.