Icaco plant

A few days ago, I shared a picture of a cotton plant, along with a story from my own memories—stories my mother told me about how women of that era participated in cotton harvesting and some of its uses, such as obtaining thread for sewing, as well as the rudimentary techniques they employed.

I also shared that this cotton plant is located in a place I use for my morning walks. I had seen it before, but I hadn't taken a close look.

Today I'm sharing a picture of an Icaco plant, its scientific name is Chrysobalanus icaco L. Although this plant grows on sandy beaches, coastal dunes, mangrove edges, and coastal forests, I found one along my daily morning walks. I used to see it every day because it's also used to make sweets. This, of course, brings back memories of my mother and my father bringing home Icaco fruits he'd gathered along the roads on his way home from work in the oil fields.

As mentioned in previous paragraphs, this plant grows on sandy beaches and other places that have nothing to do with the space it occupies along my walk. The wonderful thing is that when they created this small promenade, or boulevard as it was initially called, they designated areas for certain plants that still thrive thanks to the Grace of God. There are no signs of any care being given to them, such as watering them or cleaning their trunks or the area where they grow. It's so bountiful that it's laden with fruit.

Sometimes, when they're ripe, you can see a child or two picking them as they walk to the nearby school. They stop there, enjoying the company of other children, to wait for the fruit to ripen below. Anyone who climbs the small tree is daring, because there aren't many branches suitable for hanging from; the ones you do see are thin, and that's where the leaves and fruit are most prominent.

They have their harvest season, and I'll keep an eye out to pick some of the fruit when the time is right, with permission from one of the caretakers. Although lately, the person who used to clean the area hasn't been seen around.

Most of the time, we don't notice the wonders that surround us. We take for granted that plant that's there, cared for by nature itself, receiving water when it rains, its leaves always vibrant green. I enjoy these stops and paying closer attention to the plants in this small space. Some are important, like the cotton; there are others, but most are ornamental.

The importance lies in the fact that, although it's not a particularly valuable area for others, those of us who usually gather here in the mornings to exercise don't seem to appreciate it either. I like observing nature and what it offers us. One of its main gifts is the clean air and the shade it provides during the hottest part of the day—a bit of shade for those who decide to take a short break beneath it before continuing on their way.