Pati
Syagrus pseudococos
Family: Arecaceae
Biome: Atlantic Forest
Pati is a palm tree endemic to Brazil that marks the landscape of the Vale do Café. The word originates from the ancient Tupi language and means “palm tree” or “tree that rises”. Its fruits can feed animals, like macaws and parrots. The origin of the name of the city Paty do Alferes — town where Vassouras was once a district — lies in the remarkable presence of this plant in the territory.
Vassoura
Sida spp.
Family: Malvaceae
Biome: Cerrado and Atlantic Forest
Vassoura lives under the shade of trees in the forest. Along with deforestation, an ecological imbalance takes place, and the species becomes characterized as a pasture pest. In the past, it was used in the manufacture of handmade brooms. Its presence in the landscaping of the Museu Vassouras (Vasouras Museum) has a symbolic meaning, since this plant gave the city its name.
Arabian coffee and Robusta coffee
Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora
Family: Rubiaceae
Origin: Ehtiopia
These ones are the main species of coffee naturalized in Brazilian soil. A symbol of the Vale do Café, coffee growing pushed up the local economy, but caused deforestation and was sustained by the slave labor of African people and Afro-descendants. This process left deep marks in the social and cultural formation of the territory.
Jaboticabeira (Brazilian grapetree)
Plinia cauliflora
Family: Myrtaceae
Biome: Atlantic Forest
The jaboticaba tree is part of the affectionate and landscape memory of the backyards and orchards of 19th century Brazilian homes, including those in the Vale do Café. Its sweet fruits sprout directly from the trunk — a phenomenon known as cauliflory —, which makes manual harvesting easier and has delighted generations. In addition to being eaten fresh, jaboticaba is traditionally used in the manufacturing of artisanal jams, liqueur, and wine in multiple regions in Brazil.
Maracujá (Passion fruit)
Passiflora spp.
Family: Passifloraceae
Biome: Atlantic Forest
Known in many countries as “passion fruit”, maracujá has strong symbolic value. During the colonial period, Jesuits used the passionflower in the process of evangelizing Indigenous peoples, associating its shapes to the symbols of the Passion of Christ. This colonization strategy represented a form of acculturation, bringing native peoples closer to Christian concepts through nature.
Pau-ferro (Brazilian Ironwood)
Libidibia ferrea
Family: Fabaceae
Biome: Atlantic Forest and Caatinga
Pau-ferro is a native tree that stands out for its smooth bark trunk, streaked with shades of gray, white, and brown. With thick and resistant wood, it was widely used in civil and naval construction in the past centuries. Beyond the historical value, the species also presents ornamental value in landscaping and urban forestry.
Climbing Fig
Ficus pumila
Family: Moraceae
Origin: Asia
Climbing fig is a vine native to tropical forests, widely used to cover walls. In Vassouras, it was utilized as ornament at Museu Casa da Hera (House of Ivy Museum), whose facades are entirely covered by it.
Walking Iris
Neomarica candida
Family: Iridaceae
Biome: Atlantic Forest
Walking Iris is a perennial herbaceous plant with long leaves and delicate, expressive flowers which bloom at dawn and fade at dusk. Native to Atlantic Forest, it is adapted to shaded areas, being widely used in tropical gardens.
Flame Vine
Pyrostegia venusta
Family: Bignoniaceae
Biome: occurrence in all National biomes
Flame Vine is a vigorous, rustic, and easy-to-grow vine, with intense orangey flowers that generally bloom in winter season, coloring fences, walls, and pergolas. Its common name is associated with June festivities, when its flowering reaches its peak. In the context of the Vale do Café, it evokes the living elements that celebrate popular festivities.
Guaimbê-ondulado
Thaumatophyllum undulatum
Family: Araceae
Origin: naturalized
Guaimbê-ondulado, with its large, cut, sculptural leaves, is a plant native to the Alantic Forest. Resistant and expressive, it is widely used alongside Philodendron and Monsteras, from the same family, in tropical gardens.
Cypress Tree
Cupressus sempervirens
Family: Cupressaceae
Origin: Mediterranean
These Cypress Trees are slender trees with ancestral symbolism, associated with eternity, silence, and memory. The species was incorporated into landscaping for its aesthetic and symbolic value, specifically in spaces for contemplation and homage. At the Memorial Judaico (Jewish Memorial), the cypress trees reinforce the solemn and thoughtful character of the composition, uniting shape and meaning. Its vertical presence leads the eyes to the sky.
Lilyturf
Liriope muscari
Family: Asparagaceae
Origin: Asia
Lilyturf is an herbaceous plant with dense foliage and delicate purple flowers, often utilized as ground cover in landscaping projects. It is well adapted to tropical climates and is valued for its resistance. At the Memorial Judaico (Jewish Memorial), its use composes a continuous and serene foundation around cypress trees, reinforcing the idea of unity, permanence, and respect.
Hera-roxa
Hemigraphis repens
Family: Commelinaceae
Origin: Tropical Asia
Hera-roxa is a creeping plant with large and purplish leaves, widely used as ornamental lining in shadowed areas. Its remarkable visual effect, with its dense texture, contributes to the creation of chromatic contrasts. At Memorial Judaico (Jewish Memorial), the utilization of Hera-roxa reinforces its aesthetic expressiveness and the balance between light and shadow, form and color. Its continuous presence on the ground dialogues with the silence of space and symbolizes the living foundation of collective memory.