|THE ORCHID, THE CONDOR, THE NATIONAL TREE, EMERALD, COFFEE
THE COLOMBIAN ORCHID
The Orchid is the national flower of Colombia, specifically the variety called Cattleye Trianae, in honour of the Colombian naturalist, José Jerónimo Triana. It is an epiphyte with fleshy leaves, whose shape and colours are extraordinarily beautiful.
This flower was chosen by the Colombian Academy of History in 1936. Orchids are one of the great treasures of Colombia and are well-known and appreciated worldwide.
They are amongst the most beautiful orchids in the world. They grow widely in the temperate climate of the mountainous regions near Bogota and in the departments of Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, Boyaca, Santander, Huila, Valle, Cauca and Nariño. They flourish particularly during the months of March and April.
The Orchid National Park is located in the department of Antioquia. It is a special privilege for the orchid industry since many of them grow wild in diverse regions in the south-west of Antioquia.
The majestic condor of the Andes symbolizes the sovereignty and freedom of the Colombian people. It was selected in 1834 as an emblem for the national coat of arms and chosen as one of the symbols of the country.
This bird, vultur griphos, inhabits the highest summits of the mountain ranges of the Andes, mainly in Colombia, Peru and Chile and has been called "the eternal bird".
Its strength and power are formidable. It is able to carry animals as heavy as a calf for long distances. In addition, it is able to fly higher than any other bird. Its flying is restricted to sunny days.
The Andean condor is recognized as the largest flying bird on the planet. Adult condors can reach a size of 1.30 metres in length with a 3.30 metres wingspan. In full flight, the bird can extend its wings even further. The weight of an adult male condor can be as much as 12 Kg, with females reaching 10 Kg.
It is said that the condor is able to travel up to 200 leagues (aprox.1,000 Km.) in a day.
Condors have a relatively small, reddish, bald head, although the colour can change according to the mood of the animals. Their hooked beaks have a very sharp edge; the wings are long and wide and their feet have short curved claws, with a high back claw. The plumage of the young birds is brown and this changes to a bluish-black colour with an iridescent sheen, when they reach adulthood.
Their wings have a wide, white band of feathers at the back and the skin of the neck is protected by a white feather necklace, open at the front.
THE NATIONAL TREE
The Wax Palm of Quindio
The national tree is a palm of imposing beauty, extraordinary strength and legendary longevity.
The wax palm of Quindio has become a symbol of the Colombian flora because of its gracefulness, height and singular appearance. For these reasons, some companies in the public sector promote their cultivation, thus complying with the need to preserve the ecological inheritance of Colombians and making a commitment to safeguard and spread the natural wealth of the country.
They are restricted to the Colombian Andes at altitudes from 2,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level, where they reach the greatest height of their family, since they can easily measure more than 70 meters (230 feet).
In Quindio, three species are found on the slopes of the central mountain range, the most important of which is the wax palm (Ceroxylon quindense).
The wax palm of Quindío was adopted as the national tree by Law 61 in 1985 by the Congress of Colombia and this was sanctioned on September 16 by President Belisario Betancur.
| THE EMERALD
Colombian emeralds are the most beautiful and valuable in the world.
Emeralds are weighed in carats, (1 carat = 1/5 of a gram or ¼ of an ounce) By being relatively light (SGE = 2.72), an emerald of one carat is larger than a diamond of equal weight.
The emerald has long been treasured as a symbol of eternal spring and immortality. Its name comes from the Greek word “smaragdos”, meaning green gem. In ancient times, all green gemstones were called emeralds but the particular green colour of the emerald is unique, so much so that there is a colour called “emerald green".
The Colombian emeralds set the standard for colour and quality worldwide. Most of the country’s exported emeralds are cut in Colombia.
| COLOMBIAN COFFEE
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. Although Colombia is one of the biggest coffee producers, it is, at the same time, one of the countries with low consumption.
Dark roasted beans contain little acidity and less caffeine. The light ones have a stronger flavour with greater acidity.