Discover the National Flower of Guatemala: White Nun Orchid

Written by Rebecca Mathews
Updated: November 16, 2023
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Guatemala is an ecosystem hotspot full of incredible flora and fauna, but do you know which flower takes the number one spot? Discover the national flower of Guatemala, the white nun orchid, and learn why it’s the floral symbol of this beautiful Central American country.

What’s the National Flower of Guatemala?

The white nun orchid is Guatemala’s national flower. Its scientific name is Lycaste skinneri var. alba, but it’s commonly known as la monja blanca, that is, “white nun” in Spanish. In 1997, a white nun orchid appeared on the new 50-cent Guatemalan coin, cementing its status as the national flower.

Guatemalan 50 cent coin

In 1997, a white nun orchid appeared on the new 50-cent Guatemalan coin, cementing its status as the national flower.

©Mirt Alexander/Shutterstock.com

Guatemala’s Stunning Ecosystems

The Republic of Guatemala is in Central America. It’s bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador, with the Pacific Ocean to its south and a small Caribbean sea coastline on the Gulf of Honduras.

The name Guatemala is taken from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word Cuauhtēmallān, which means “a place of many trees,” but “a place of many orchids” may have been a better choice!

At least 17.6 million people live in Guatemala and its capital, Guatemala City. This beautiful country has 14 ecoregions, including mangrove forests, swamps, lagoons, mountain ranges, deserts, dunes, and coastal biomes, which means it’s full of different plants. The white nun orchid prefers cloud forests and damp ecosystems with warm temperatures, like lagoons and swamps.

There’s also some stunning archaeology in Guatemala. In 2018, archaeologists scanned the Maya Biosphere Reserve with lidar. Lidar enabled them to see large Mayan cities, palaces, and defenses beneath the thick tree canopy. Historians estimate 7-11 million people lived there from 650-800 A.D.; that’s more than double the population of medieval England in the same time period.

flag of Guatemala

The Republic of Guatemala is in Central America.

©Diego Grandi/Shutterstock.com

Why Is a White Nun Orchid the National Flower of Guatemala?

Finding out more about Guatemala’s background helps us discover its national flower, the white nun orchid, and understand why it became their chosen floral emblem. It’s not just a pretty native flower; it means much more.

The ancient Mayans once populated Guatemala, but in the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors made it part of Spain’s massive empire. It wasn’t until 1821 that Guatemala gained independence and became part of the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823.

This all came to an end in the late 19th century when successive dictatorships ruled Guatemala, and from 1960 to 1996, a civil war saw violent upheavals and mass genocide of the native Mayan population.

Since 1996, the United Nations-negotiated peace accord has led to general elections and some stability in Guatemala, but unrest still simmers. This background helps us understand why the white nun orchid is the country’s national flower.

There are 1000 species of orchids in Guatemala, so why did they choose the white nun orchid as the national flower?

It’s because the white nun orchid is a rare flower that grows in the Guatemalan Verapaz district. To the Guatemalans, this flower represents peace, beauty, and art after centuries of colonization, dictatorships, wars, and violent upheaval.

The president of the International Exhibition of Flowers suggested that the white nun orchid be adopted as Guatemala’s national flower in 1933. Alongside a panel of botanists, General Jorge Ubico, Guatemala’s president, agreed, and in 1934, the white nun orchid became the country’s floral symbol.

In 1946, a government decree protected the white nun orchid from commercialization, export, and collection.

Guatemala

The ancient Mayans once populated Guatemala, but in the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors made it part of their huge empire.

©Jodie Tursunzade/Shutterstock.com

What Does a White Nun Orchid Look Like?

Lycaste skinneri orchids are usually pink, but the Lycaste skinneri alba is actually an albino variety, so it’s a pretty rare white flower.

White nun orchids’ common name is la monja blanca, which is Spanish for “the white nun.” The name describes a tiny praying white nun figure in the center of each bloom. With apologies for ruining the magic, this figure is actually created by the stamens and the pistils joining together!

The scientific name Lycaste skinneri derives from two sources. The genus name was applied in 1843 after the ancient Greek princess Lycaste, the beautiful daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecate. There are 30 types of Lycaste orchids, which have triangular flower heads and pleated leaves. The second part of its name honors George Ure Skinner, who found the plant in the 1800s. Skinner was an avid Victorian plant collector who introduced hundreds of orchids to Britain during the orchid mania years.

And alba? That’s Latin for “white.”

Overall, white nun orchids reach six to seven inches in width and eight to ten inches in height. They have thick, fleshy green leaves, and blooms grow from their pseudobulbs. Pseudobulbs are swollen areas on the plant’s stem which store water and nutrients. They are common on epiphyte orchids. Unlike many other species of orchid, the lycaste varieties have a light scent. Many people think the scent is clove-like.

Monja Blanca

White nun orchids’ common name is la monja blanca, which is Spanish for the white nun.

©Arielvelasquez0896/Shutterstock.com

Do White Nun Orchids Really Grow on Trees?

White nun orchids are epiphytes, which means they grow on other plants. In Guatemala, this is most often a forest tree.

An orchid’s roots will fan out to grip a tree’s branches and absorb nutrients from them, plus drink the rainwater that runs down their trunk and branches. If you plant orchids in soil like regular yard plants, they simply die.

One of its more unusual traits is its hermaphrodite capabilities. White nun orchids don’t need a pollinator because they produce self-fertilizing seeds. However, these self-fertilized seeds need a particular fungus to germinate, so it’s not all easygoing!

Once grown, this orchid will take 15 years to flower, but it’s worth the wait.

White nun orchids grow in Guatemala’s humid forests at around 1650 feet above sea level. They enjoy warmth without the scorching sun and can’t cope with low temperatures.

Guatemala’s National Symbols

Like many countries, Guatemala has a national flower, the white nun orchid, alongside other national symbols that highlight its culture.

National Animal

Resplendent quetzal. This stunning bird has long iridescent green-blue plumes and a red belly. Its plumage was used in ancient Mayan rituals. Today, it’s considered a symbol of freedom by Guatemalans because, in captivity, it refuses to eat and dies of hunger. The quetzal appears on Guatemala’s flag.
National TreeCeiba. This tree has been Guatemala’s national tree since 1955. It was a symbol of connection between humans and the gods in ancient Mayan religion. One individual is called La Ceiba de Palín Escuintla, and it’s over 400 years old.
National Musical InstrumentMarimba. The marimba is considered Guatemala’s national instrument due to its deep cultural and historical significance, rooted in Mayan traditions and enhanced by African and European influences, symbolizing the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Other Incredible Flowers Native to Guatemala

Guatemala has an incredible biological ecosystem, and so many other stunning plants exist. We’ve discovered the national flower, the white nun orchid, but here are a few more beautiful Guatemalan native plants for your viewing pleasure.

Flat-Leaved Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)

This beauty is a species of vanilla orchid that grows natively in Central America. As its name suggests, it has flat, fleshy leaves. Its warm yellow flowers self-pollinate and turn into nine-inch-long pods. The pods have a strong and delicious vanilla flavor. However, due to overharvesting, this plant is now threatened by habitat destruction, and the IUCN has declared it endangered.

Flat-Leaved Vanilla

The pods have a strong and delicious vanilla flavor.

©Pradeep Thomas Thundiyil/Shutterstock.com

Ilama Fruit Tree (Annona diversifolia)

This 25-foot-tall tropical fruit tree is native to Guatemala and Central America. It produces large, six-inch, two-pound ilama fruits that can be scooped out and eaten with sugar.

Ilama fruit

One can scoop out the fruit and eat it with sugar.

©2,472 × 3,296 pixels, file size: 1.05 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg – License

Root Spine Palm (Cryosophila stauracantha)

These incredible palms get their name from their spine-covered trunks that protect them from grazing animals! They are native to central America and usually reach around 30 feet tall. In Guatemala, they thrive in lowland rainforests. Its silver-green fan palm leaves were used for roofing and animal shelters, and the inflorescence of creamy white flowers attracts lots of pollinators, including beetles, bats, birds, and butterflies.

Root Spine Palm

These incredible palms get their name from their spine-covered trunks that protect them from grazing animals!

©Anna LoFi/Shutterstock.com

Hand Begonia (Begonia Carolineifolia)

This begonia is native to Central America, including Guatemala. It grows against trees and rocks, anchoring its roots to establish a good foothold on steep rocky slopes. It’s a perennial evergreen, so it keeps its palm-tree-like leaves all year round. It has a thick stem, light pink-yellow flowers, and a central yellow blob that pollinators adore.

Hand begonia

This begonia is native to Central America, including Guatemala.

©Antoniya Kadiyska/Shutterstock.com

Dickinson’s Lady Slipper (Cypripedium dickinsonianum)

To finish off, we have another beautiful orchid, Dickinson’s Lady Slipper. This glorious little orchid has bright yellow flowers and is notoriously difficult to grow. It was named after the American orchid hunter Stirling Dickinson, who found it in the grassy slopes of mountainous Guatemala.

Dickinson’s Lady Slipper

This glorious little orchid has bright yellow flowers and is notoriously difficult to grow.

©709 × 531 pixels, file size: 108 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg – License

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Arielvelasquez0896/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Rebecca is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on plants and geography. Rebecca has been writing and researching the environment for over 10 years and holds a Master’s Degree from Reading University in Archaeology, which she earned in 2005. A resident of England’s south coast, Rebecca enjoys rehabilitating injured wildlife and visiting Greek islands to support the stray cat population.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

What is the national flower of Guatemala?

The white nun orchid is Guatemala’s national flower. It’s scientifically called Lycaste skinneri var. alba but it’s also commonly known as la monja blanca.

How long have humans lived in Guatemala?

There’s also some stunning archaeology in Guatemala too. In 2018 archaeologists scanned the Maya Biosphere Reserve with lidar. Lidar enabled them to see large Mayan cities, palaces, and defenses beneath the thick tree canopy. Historians estimate 7-11 million people lived there from 650-800 A.D, that’s more than double the population of medieval England in the same time period.

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