Other important cities are Ciudad Juarez, Mazatlan, Mexicali, Monterrey, Puebla Merida, San Luis Potosi , Tampico, Torreon and Veracruz. The huge differences in climate mean that Mexico has a wide variety of flora. Valuable hardwoods such as mahogany, ebony, walnut and rosewood grow in Mexico as well as oak, pine, fir and the cacao tree whose nuts provide the base for chocolate. Mexico has over thirty thousand flowering plants including frangipani, magnolia, bougainvillea and orchids. The cactus is the plant which most people associate with Mexico.
Marine life is also varied.
Whales, mackerel, sardine, barracuda, swordfish, shark and turtles are a few of the creatures which live in the surrounding seas. On land animal life includes wolves, lynx, bears, jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, monkeys, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, iguanas and the axolotl. Mexico is home to over one thousand species of birds such as parrots, macaws, toucans, flamingoes and humming birds. The quetzal was prized for its beautiful feathers used in Indian ceremonial dress. Nowadays the quetzal is rare.