Hooker’s Lips (Psychotria elata)- A tropical plant

Hooker’s Lips

Hooker’s lip, scientifically known as Psychotria elata, is a tropical plant native to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Ecuador, and other Central and South American countries.

Hooker’s Lips


Source: WEIRD but TRUE

The most eye-catching part of the plant is the pair of beautiful red bracts that look like “berry lips”, from which the tree gets its common name. Its beautiful and distinctive shape helps the plant attract pollinators such as hummingbirds and butterflies.

The plant’s flowers are less noticeable than its bracts, which are white and fragrant and usually emerge from the center of the “red-hot” bracts between December and March.

People in Central America give this plant to their family and friends to show their love, especially on Valentine’s Day. Its bark and leaves are also used by locals to treat a number of ailments including skin irritation.

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