Since many of the native species take over 200 years to mature, some have been replaced with faster growing trees from other continents. The forests are marked by the variety of species, and are typically located in watershed areas of the mountains and hills. Cooler areas with consistent rainfall, such as Nairobi, support lush evergreen forests. As you climb into the mountains over 6000 feet, some areas are covered with dense groves of bamboo, cedar, and junipers. Bright orchids and flowering creepers coexist among the trees.
Higher elevations reach above the forests, where gladioli and heather grow.
Here one can find groundsel trees and the giant lobelia, reaching over 20 feet in the air. Along the coast mangrove predominate growing in the salty water and sandy soil of the swamps. The mangroves filter the organic materials washed down from the mountains and provide a home for a variety of marine life. The wood from these swamps is used for scaffolding in construction. Although not originally a native species, coconuts have propagated in Kenya for thousands of years.