The Orchid: National Flower of Colombia

What are orchids?

Orchids are beautiful plants that stand out for the beauty of their flowers, which are characterized by a great variety of colors and their unique shape: they consist of three sepals and three petals, but one of them is different from the other two and is called a labellum.

The orchid has one of the largest families with more than 25,000 different species and several tens of thousands of hybrids created by floriculturists over time. Although orchids can grow in almost any climate, they are especially dominant in tropical climates. They represent almost 7% of the flowering plants in the world.

Orchid care

Orchid care involves light, water, temperature, and other factors. Orchids require special care, as they are plants that generally grow on tree trunks or branches, unlike many others that grow in the soil. This means they do not have direct contact with the earth and require certain special attention to ensure their growth and continuous flowering.

The National Flower of Colombia

According to the Colombian Academy of History, it was in 1936 that the orchid was recognized as the national flower of Colombia, although no law has ever been issued to make this choice official.

The orchid recognized as the emblematic flower of Colombia is specifically the species Cattleya trianae, which was named in tribute to the Colombian botanist José Jerónimo Triana. This species is endemic to the upper Magdalena and is characterized by having the greatest diversity of colors, with more than 70 different shades.

The variety Cattleya trianae is also known as the May flower, and on November 22nd of each year, the National Orchid Day or National Flower Day of Colombia is celebrated.

The 7 Unique Species of Colombia

Cattleya trianae is one of the 7 exclusive orchid species in the country. The other 6 are:

• Cattleya dowiana aurea: characterized by its beautiful yellow color.
• Cattleya Mendelii: considered one of the most beautiful orchids, threatened by the destruction of its habitat.
• Cattleya quadricolor: characterized by having several colors and grows in the upper Cauca.
• Cattleya schroederae: stands out for its pleasant and pronounced fragrance; grows in the piedmont llanero.
• Cattleya violacea: a bifoliate species (with two leaves), grows in the Orinoco basin.
• Cattleya warscewiczii: stands out for its large size; grows in the middle Magdalena.

Many orchid species are threatened by the loss of their natural habitat, pesticides, and indiscriminate collection. Therefore, it is essential to learn to cultivate them correctly to conserve them both in the forests and at home.