Papaya is a fruit-bearing plant that originates from Central America. The fruits are edible and sweet and juicy when ripe. An enzyme collected from the milky sap is used as a meat softener, which if ingested may be toxic. Keeping a papaya plant in your garden will welcome many birds to your landscape.

Tree-of-life (Mauritia flexuosa) is an extremely useful plant that is widely used by the indigenous people in the region between Orinoco and Amazonas as a basis for food, clothes, and shelter. The leaves and trunks of the tree are used to create shelters.

A popular tropical fruit tree found in Brazil, the flesh of the theobroma fruit is edible and the flesh is commonly consumed plain or made into ice cream or jam. The seeds are used to make cacao butter and powder. The wood of the tree is also harvested for making cabinets and the internal structure of walls.

Black mulberry (Morus nigra) is a deciduous flowering tree native to southwestern Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Black mulberry has been cultivated for a very long time in Europe and China for its edible fruit. It was imported into Britain in the 17th century with hope it would be useful in cultivating silkworms. However, silkworms prefer the white mulberry.

Key lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) is an evergreen fruit tree famous for its golf-ball-sized green limes, which are used to make key lime pie and cocktails. It has dark green leaves and has sharp thorns. It blooms fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers in spring and produces fruit in summer. Grows in full sun with well-drained soil.

The brazil nut is a large tree, reaching 49 m tall and with a trunk 1.006 to 2 m in diameter, making it among the largest of trees in the Amazon rainforests. The stem is straight and commonly without branches for well over half the tree's height, with a large emergent crown of long branches above the surrounding canopy of other trees. The leaves are dry-season deciduous, alternate, simple, entire or crenate, oblong, 20 to 35 cm long and 10 to 15 cm broad. The flowers are small, greenish-white, in panicles 5 to 10 cm long; each flower has a two-parted, deciduous calyx, six unequal cream-colored petals, and numerous stamens united into a broad, hood-shaped mass.

Mango tree is a large tree native to the Indian subcontinent. It is most well-known for the tropical fruit it produces, and mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Mango tree can also be used for wood after the tree’s fruit production is over. This type of wood is highly prized for making musical instruments.

It may surprise you to know that cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is related to poison ivy, pistachio, and even mango! It is a tropical evergreen native to Brazil and produces a wood used to build shipping crates, boats, and charcoal. The resin in the shells of the fruits are used to make insecticides and plastics, so the nuts must be separated from the shells before being sold as food. Explorers from Portugal are responsible for introducing cashews to the outside world.

Soursop (*Annona muricata*) is a tropical, evergreen tree that can grow up to 9 m tall. It produces the guanabana fruit, which ripens from mid-summer to mid-winter. The fruit is a spiky green pod with an aroma that smells like pineapple and tastes like a combination of strawberries and apples. The sweet yet sour fruit has a texture similar to that of a banana. The fruit can be eaten ripe or used to make juices and smoothies.

Guava (*Psidium guajava*) is a fruit-producing evergreen shrub that grows natively in the Caribbean region and South America. Guava attracts the honey bee and other insects, and guava fruit is edible. Additionally, guava wood is used for smoking meat.

Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) is an evergreen, slow-growing perennial shrub native to tropical Africa. Also, it is a classic houseplant, grown in Europe since the 1800s. Its glossy green foliage that resembles corn leaves grow on top of a thick cane, which is why the plant is sometimes called “false palm tree.”

Autograph tree (Clusia rosea) is indigenous to tropical regions of America. It has a nasty tendency to grow on top of and strangle other plants. Unlike most other plants, it can absorb carbon dioxide during nighttime hours, as pineapples and jade plants do. It’s called the autograph tree because its leaves are so hard, you can carve into them.

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a tree species related to the fig tree native to India and Malaysia. The fruit produced by this tree, the jackfruit is a common component of culinary dishes around the world. The ripe fruit has a sweet taste and is often served raw in cold dishes.

The malay apple (Syzygium malaccense) is a common sight as a shorter-growing tree in tropical rainforests. Although its lumber is prone to warping, it is quite hard and used for handicrafts, beams, and occasionally railroad ties. The bark of the malay apple tree has a rich color and is often used to create brown dye.

Maricao cimun is a valuable tree found in the regions of South America. The fruits are popularly marketed and consumed by the natives. The fruits are also used in carbonated beverages and have a high tannin content utilized for dyeing cotton cloth. Its branches are cast-off into streams to stupefy fish.

While the tree of heaven has a lovely name, it has a bad reputation in many areas of the US. Several states consider it an invasive species because of its aggressive growth, rapid reproduction, and ability to thrive in poor conditions. The root system of this tree routinely damages sidewalks, sewer systems and other structures.

Nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida) is a palm tree species native to New Zealand. Portions of the nikau palm leaves and flowers are edible, raw or cooked. The indigenous Māori people of New Zealand wrap food in its leaves for cooking. The palm leaves can also be utilized in thatching huts and buildings, as well as making floor mats.

Pink trumpet tree (Tabebuia heterophylla) is a species of flowering tree that is native to the Caribbean Islands. It is commonly cultivated as both an ornamental tree and for its use in the timber industry; the wood is relatively strong for its weight and is widely used to build furniture and boats.

Red frangipani (Plumeria rubra) is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to Central and South America. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical climates. All parts of the plant are toxic when ingested due to their high alkaloid content.

True cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum verum) is an evergreen tree that will grow from 9 to 15 m tall. This species produces a superior quality of cinnamon that is highly prized by gourmet chefs and culinarians. Native to Asia, it produces a fruit that is eaten by birds, spreading the seed from one area to another. Blooms from spring to summer, followed by the production of single-seeded fruit. It has become invasive in some areas.