The Orchid Garden

Orchids as "National Flowers"

Question:

Speaking of which order, it always amazes me that "orchid" is considered a color.  There’s an orchid in just about every color. Who the heck decided which orchid would be the official color? "2. A pale to light purple, from grayish to purplish pink to strong reddish purple." – AHD 4th Ed. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – seems many South American countries list as their national flower: "the orchid" without distinguishing WHICH orchid.

Response:

I’m guessing it’s Brazil since it seems that every top award winner is such. I believe Laelia purpurata is the national flower of a South American country, but I forget which one. Howard

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Response:

Encyclia cochleata – Belize Lycaste skinneri – Guatemala Peristeria elata – Panama Cattleya trianae – Colombia Cattleya skinneri – Costa Rica Cattleya mossiae – Venezuela – used to be Catasetum pileatum until 1921, some websites still have this as the national flower. I found a website with all of the national flowers of the Western Hemisphere. http://www.oas.org/oer/nameindex.htm — Matthew Swift Swift’s Orchids Phone/Fax 909-483-5590 http://www.swiftsorchids.com

Response:

Clare, It is right.  L. purpurata is our national flower. Raul Sudre Rio de Janeiro – BRAZIL – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I’m guessing it’s Brazil since it seems that every top award winner is such. I believe Laelia purpurata is the national flower of a South American country, but I forget which one. Howard — Click here for Free Video!! http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/

Response:

I know its a little off topic, but just for reference, Queensland Australia have Dendrobium biggibum var supurbum as their state flower. Just in case you were interested. Shamedly Kye.

Response:

National Flower. The Black Orchid (Encyclia Cochleatum) is the National Flower of Belize. This orchid grows on trees in damp areas, and flowers nearly all year round. Its clustered bulblike stems vary in size up to six inches long and carry two or three leaves. The black orchid flower has greenish-yellow petals and sepals with purple blotches near the base. The "lip" (one petal of special construction, which is the flower’s showiest) is shaped like a valve of a clam shell (hence the name Encyclia Cochleatum) and is deep purple-brown, almost black, with conspicuous radiating purple veins. Taken from http://www.belize.gov.bz/belize/national.html Kye.

Response:

It is also Singapore’s national flower

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Clare, It is right.  L. purpurata is our national flower. Raul Sudre Rio de Janeiro – BRAZIL I’m guessing it’s Brazil since it seems that every top award winner is such. I believe Laelia purpurata is the national flower of a South American country, but I forget which one. Howard — Click here for Free Video!! http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/

Response:

Anybody out there know the orchids (by name) that are used as the national flowers of central and south american countries (including mexico).  This seems to be a very difficult list to find! Thanks … David.

Response:

David, Two plants I can give you are as follows: Lycaste skinneri—–Guatemala Peristeria elata——-Panama Sorry I can’t think of any others right now Regards, Stephen

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anybody out there know the orchids (by name) that are used as the national flowers of central and south american countries (including mexico).  This seems to be a very difficult list to find! Thanks … David.

Response:

Anybody out there know the orchids (by name) that are used as the national flowers of central and south american countries (including mexico).  This seems to be a very difficult list to find! Thanks … David.

I believe Laelia purpurata is the national flower of a South American country, but I forget which one. Howard

Response:

A search of the internet on this topic was very frustrating indeed.  :-)  It seems many South American countries list as their national flower: "the orchid" without distinguishing WHICH orchid.  Of course that might have something to do with the way I searched.  Most of the countries which actually identified a species have already been listed here. Singapore, on the other hand,  seems to have named a specific hybrid as the national flower: Vanda Miss Joaquim and publicized this fact so deliberately that it shows up as 50% of the 11,500 hits of the term "National Flower Orchid".

Response:

Al, It’s not surprising about the number of hits that show up for Singapore.  The Singapore National Orchid Garden is one of the country’s main attractions.  The national flower is a major cut flower crop, a top commodity to the country. There are other orchid gardens in Singapore, too — the Sentosa Orchid Garden is a part of the Disneyland-like theme park on Sentosa Island in Singapore.  Anyone visiting Singapore, who loves orchids, should visit these places. Some time ago I visited Costa Rica, too, and found that they have a passion for orchids.  Their rain forest is another "must see" for orchid lovers.  I did mention that Cattleya skinneri is their national flower. . . . Pam Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A search of the internet on this topic was very frustrating indeed.  :-)  It seems many South American countries list as their national flower: "the orchid" without distinguishing WHICH orchid.  Of course that might have something to do with the way I searched.  Most of the countries which actually identified a species have already been listed here. Singapore, on the other hand,  seems to have named a specific hybrid as the national flower: Vanda Miss Joaquim and publicized this fact so deliberately that it shows up as 50% of the 11,500 hits of the term "National Flower Orchid".

Response:

David, The Black Orchid (Encyclia Cochleatum) is the National Flower of Belize. Whereas most counties have national flowers, many of them are not orchids. . . . Pam Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html October bloomers http://www.pe.net/~profpam/orchid3.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anybody out there know the orchids (by name) that are used as the national flowers of central and south american countries (including mexico).  This seems to be a very difficult list to find! Thanks … David.

Response:

David, Just remembered that Cattleya trianaei is the national flower of Colombia and the national flower of Costa Rica is the Cattleya skinneri.  Bolivia, Argentina, Peru and some of the others have other types of flowers. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The Black Orchid (Encyclia Cochleatum) is the National Flower of Belize. Whereas most counties have national flowers, many of them are not orchids. . . . Pam Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html October bloomers http://www.pe.net/~profpam/orchid3.html Anybody out there know the orchids (by name) that are used as the national flowers of central and south american countries (including mexico).  This seems to be a very difficult list to find! Thanks … David.

Response:

Filed under: National Orchid Garden

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