Itabo in Bloom: A Bitter Flower, a Living Fence, and a Taste of Costa Rica

Written by Katherine Zuñiga Badilla – DIRECTORA GREEN WORLD 

We’ve just wrapped up Semana Santa here in Costa Rica – the hottest days of the year, full of tradition, beach trips, and the slow rhythm of life in the dry season. And while the Easter celebrations may be over, one iconic sign of the season is still very much alive: the blooming flor de Itabo.

Driving through Guanacaste, I spotted one of these trees bursting with creamy white flowers. It’s a sight that always stops me – not just for its beauty, but for everything this plant represents in Costa Rican life. It’s more than a flower; it’s a fence, a flavor, and a piece of cultural memory.

The Itabo is a tough, resilient plant that thrives in the dry season. Its flowers bloom in clusters right around Lent and Holy Week – just when the heat turns up and everything else seems to dry out, this hardy plant comes to life.

In rural areas of Costa Rica, especially in Guanacaste and coffee-growing zones, the Itabo is often planted as a living fence. It’s used to keep people from trespassing into properties full of valuable crops – or to stop cattle from wandering into the road. With its long, sword-like leaves and thick stems, it’s both beautiful and incredibly functional.

But flor de Itabo is not just for looking at – it’s also a traditional food. Its flavor is unique: slightly bitter, earthy, and full of personality. It’s often cooked with eggs, in picadillos, or tossed into salads. To soften the bitterness, the flowers are usually boiled and rinsed before cooking.

For many Costa Ricans, this flower tastes like childhood. Like Sunday meals with grandma. Like the changing of seasons. It’s the kind of flavor that tells a story – one of resilience, community, and tradition.

And for me, seeing it  reminded me of the strength in simplicity, the beauty in the familiar, and how even a humble flower on the side of the road can carry the essence of a whole country.