The plants featured in The Park of Burj Khalifa were carefully selected for their ability to grow in Dubai's challenging climate, characterised by very high summer temperatures, scarcity of water, desert winds and poor soil. However, the high percentage of humidity in Dubai allows for plants such as Ficus trees and the Hymenocallis to grow. Certain plants, the Evergreen trees, for example, were chosen for their capacity to provide year-round shade. Other selection criteria for the garden plants are easy maintenance and special interest in texture, shape, form and colour of bloom.
Hymenocallis, Spider Lily
Native to tropical and subtropical America, the name of this plant that bears spectacular white flowers means "beautiful membrane" in Greek. This flower is cultivated in Dubai and throughout the region.
Delonix Regia, Royal Poinciana
Indigenous to Madagascar, the Royal Poinciana is named after an 18th century governor of the French West Indies, M. de Poinci. This tree that bears bright red flowers can tolerate very harsh conditions.
Plumeria Obtusa, Frangipani
Native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Venezuela, this tree bears flowers ranging from yellow to pink. Flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them (flowers have no nectar, but moths pollinate them while searching for nectar).
Agave Filifera, Thread Leaf Agave
There exist many species of Agaves, and most of them grow in a rosette of succulent, spiny, sharply pointed leaves. Their fibres and pulp may be used in products such as rope and soap. The Agave filifera can reach about 1-2 feet in height. It rarely blooms, but when it does, it produces a 6-foot tall spike with greenish flowers that turn maroon with age.
Adenium Obesum, Desert Rose
Native to Eastern Africa and Northern Arabia, the Desert Rose forms more of a bush than a tree. It can be distinguished by its beautiful open-trumpet shaped pink flowers.
Echinocactus Grusonii, Golden Barrel Cactus
Native to central Mexico, this plant is popularly known as Golden Barrel Cactus, Golden Ball or Mother-in-Law's Cushion. It is one of the most popular cactus in cultivation, but endangered in the wild. It grows as large spherical globe with sharp yellow, or occasionally white spines and can reach over 1m in height after many years. Small yellow flowers appear in summer around the crown of mature plants.
Furcraea Gigantea, False Agave
Also called Mauritius hemp or green Aloe, this plant indigenous to Brazil grows in rosettes around 3m in diameter. This plant bears flowers that open a few at a time for several weeks.
Pachypodium Lamerei, Madagascar Palm
Indigenous to Madagascar, this deciduous semitropical succulent grows 2.5 m tall. Although it is often referred to as a Madagascar Palm, it is not a palm at all and it can even lose some of its leaves in very hot climates like Dubai. Pleasant smelling white flowers with yellow centres bloom on mature plants only.
Jasminum Sambac, Arabian Jasmine
Native to south-western and southern Asia (Philippines, India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka), this plant has been cultivated since ancient times for its fragrant, white flowers. The flowers, which open at night and close in the morning, are the main ingredient in Jasmine tea.
Quisqualis Indica, Rangoon Creeper
Also known as the Chinese honeysuckle, this plant bears fragrant flower clusters that vary from white to pink to red. They are mainly used for traditional medicine. Leaves can be used to relieve pain from fever and roots are used to treat rheumatism.