Escario Botanical Garden

Cut open a ripe passion fruit and it looks like a tiny bowl of gold: glossy pulp, crunchy black seeds, and a sharp tropical scent that can lift a drink, dessert, or sauce in seconds. The plant is just as striking. It climbs fast, flowers dramatically, and can turn a simple fence or trellis into a productive garden feature. Passion fruit is a good fit for many warm-climate gardens, including parts of the Philippines, as long as it gets sun, drainage, support, and regular care. It is not a...

Bamboo grows so naturally in Cebu that it can fade into the background. It lines rural roads, holds soil along slopes, shades streams, frames old houses, and appears in markets as baskets, skewers, trays, and fresh shoots. Yet bamboo is not just one plant. Cebu and nearby Visayas areas have several useful kinds, each with its own form, strength, flavour potential, and best household use. In kitchens, bamboo has two lives. The young shoot becomes labong, a familiar vegetable in coconut milk,...

Cebu is home to a rich variety of native flowers that thrive in its tropical climate. These flowers are more than just beautiful sights; they hold cultural especially in the many churches throughout the island, medicinal, and practical value for the local people. Let’s explore some of the most notable native flowers of Cebu, their unique characteristics, and how they are used in daily life. The Diversity of Native Flowers Cebu’s native flowers range from delicate orchids to hardy wildflowers....