60 Common Spanish Flowers from the Tropics

Are you a lover of Spanish flowers? You’ve come to the right place! 

In this blog post, you’ll learn about national, medicinal, edible, and other popular Spanish flowers you’ll find when you visit Central and South America—as well as their descriptions. 

Let’s start! 

Spanish Flowers in Latin America

The following list includes Spanish flowers in Latin America. To help you locate what you might be looking for, I’ve divided them into categories and in alphabetical order within each category.

National Spanish Flowers

We’re starting our list with the national flowers of each Latin American country. 

Central America

1. Orquídea negra – Belice

The black orchid is a species of epiphytic orchid. It’s small in size and prefers a temperate climate. Its stem is upright and wrapped in 2 or 3 pods with a single leaf.

2. Guaria morada – Costa Rica

These types of orchids are found during the months of January to March. It usually produces four to five flowers, each lasting a limited time.

3. Flor de Izote – El Salvador

This flower belongs to a plant whose scientific name is Yucca elephantipes, or as it is popularly known, yucca elephant foot or indoor yucca.

4. La Monja Blanca – Guatemala

Its common name is due to the fact that in the center of the flower, a small stem resembles a nun who is praying, and since its color is white, it was baptized as “White Nun.”

5. Rhyncholaelia digbyana – Honduras

This species of orchid is from Honduras. It has a greenish-white color, exotic beauty, and its fragrance is similar to citrus.

6. Sacuanjoche – Nicaragua

This flower symbolizes immortality for various cultures who use it in marital unions, where it represents strength and spiritual love.

7. Peristeria Elata – Panamá

This flower is considered “the flower of the Holy Spirit.” It belongs to the orchid family, has fleshy leaves, and is a terrestrial or epiphytic plant. 

South America

8. El Ceibo – Argentina

This flower is pentameric with a calyx and a yellowish corolla. It produces a dried fruit of approximately 20 cm in length, which is an inedible monocarpic legume.

9. La Kantuta – Bolivia

This plant blooms in the shape of a bell and terminal clusters throughout the year, producing beautiful petals of intense pink and red tones, although sometimes they also appear white and yellow. It grows in open spaces with a temperate climate.

10. El Patujú – Bolivia

Patujú is a rhizomatous root with approximately 3 meters high that produces elongated greenish leaves and numerous red bracts. It grows throughout the year in the lower Amazon area of ​​Bolivia. 

11. Ipé – Brazil’s national tree

The tree commonly known as “Ipê da Varagem” is the national plant of Brazil. They are of medium height and abound on the mountainous slopes of Rio de Janeiro.

12. El Copihue – Chile

It is an endemic species, you can only see it between February and July in the Chilean sclerophyllous (temperate) forests. It is an icon of the southern indigenous culture, its beautiful foliage adorns the dense vegetation of its jungle.

13. La Orquídea – Colombia

In Colombia, orchids are the family with the largest number of species. There are more than 4,000 species and more than half are exclusive to the country.

14. Chuquiraga jussieui – Ecuador

This is a botanical species of evergreen flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. It is also called “Flower of the walker,” “Flower of the Andes,” chuquiraga, or chuquirahua.

15. La rosa – Ecuador

Ecuadorian roses are known for their large flowers, which have about 60 varieties of different shades of red, pink, yellow, purple and lavender. These roses have deep green stems that are long and straight.

16. La Victoria Amazónica – Guyana

This flower has large circular leaves up to 1 meter in diameter that float on the surface of the water on submerged stems that reach 7 to 8 m in length. They can support up to 40 kg if the weight is well distributed on its surface.

16. Mburucuyá – Paraguay

This climbing plant can be up to 20 meters long and grows mainly in tropical climates. The vine has a rigid stem and smooth evergreen leaves, whose flower has five petals, five sepals, five stamens, and three pistils.

17. La Cantuta – Perú

The Cantuta flower grows in terminal branches throughout the year. In temperate climates it shows a deep pink or red, usually with a tubular crown and a short calyx. It is the “sacred flower of the Incas.” 

18. Popokai Tongo – Surinam

Its flowers are shaped like a parrot beak, formed by sharp alternate bracts and long leaves similar to tubular spikes. They grow throughout the year in tropical climates not exceeding 24° celsius.

19. El Ceibo Blanco Silvestre – Uruguay

This Ceibo is very rare and over the years it has become an exclusive plant for gardens and special greenhouses located in eastern Uruguay.

20. La Orquídea – Venezuela

In Venezuela, this orchid is known as Flor de Mayo, because in the nineteenth century the people used it in traditional celebrations to decorate the Cruz de Mayo.

Medicinal Spanish Flowers in Chile

In the following list are several medicinal Spanish flowers that are native to Chile.

21. Algarrobo blanco

Consuming an infusion of its fruits can dissolve bladder stones and an infusion of the flower will have diuretic actions (which help remove excess water and detoxify the body). Also, its bark contains antidiarrheal properties. 

22. Algarrobo chileno

Due to its composition of proteins, minerals, natural sugar, fibers, and vitamin B complexes, it is used for the production of energizers.

23. Calafate

The Calafate has anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheals, astringents, and digestive properties, as well as vitamin C and antioxidants. 

24. Canelo

It is used for coughs and colds, intestinal worms, stomach disorders, dysentery (infectious disorder with bloody diarrhea), and rheumatic pains.

25. Chañar

Its bark, leaves and flowers have expectorant properties. Also, the boiled bark of the Chañar has been used as an expectorant and antiasthmatic.

26. Chauchau

It has stimulating and astringent properties.

27. Chilco

The flowers and leaves are used as repairing medicinal infusions for blood, menstrual and kidney ailments. 

28. Maqui

It is a powerful antioxidant, contains vitamin C, and works as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever.

29. Murta

In addition to its antioxidant power, the leaves of the murta have an interesting pharmacological potential as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and healing.

30. Nalca

This plant is used in bleeding, abundant and painful periods, dysentery, diarrhea, to wash wounds, and in vaginal washings. 

31. Pingo Pingo

They use it to treat colds and relieve stomach aches. In the medicinal field, it is used to treat blood impurities.

32. Rica Rica

The Rica Rica, as a medicinal plant, is used for stomach pain, kidney problems, and circulatory disorders. 

Medicinal Spanish Flowers in Other Parts of Latin America 

33. Basil

Basil contains digestive properties as it prevents gastric spasms. It is a digestive stimulant, since the essence of the plant whets the appetite. It also helps to improve blood circulation and serves for intestinal discomfort. Finally, it stimulates milk production in nursing mothers.

34. Garlic

It helps blood circulation and favors the elimination of body fluids, which makes it very suitable for rheumatism, dropsy, edema, and gout. Due to its content of compounds rich in sulfur, it’s one of the best natural remedies for fighting infectious processes of the respiratory system (flu, bronchitis, and pharyngitis, for example).

35. La lechosa

Unclogs arteries, deworms, and deflates.

36. Llantén

It is used to heal wounds, ulcers, hemorrhoids and to soothe pain in the ears. It also cures colds and helps stop diarrhea, and has both astringent and disinfectant properties.

37. Mapurite (or Anamú)

It is recognized for its anticancer properties, its properties to treat diabetes and its medicinal benefits when treating diarrhea and stomach ache.

38. Mático

The Mático is known by the name Hierba del Soldado (soldier’s herb) for its great hemostatic properties. It is used to heal wounds by washing them with a concentrated solution of this plant and then covering them with the same crushed leaves.

39. Epazote

It has antiparasitic (which paralyze intestinal worms), digestive (it can even serve as an aperitif or accompaniment to meals), and anti-inflammatory (useful against certain insect bites or skin irritations) properties.

40. Rosemary

It’s one of the plants with the most antioxidants and can be useful for the treatment of diseases like AIDS, Cancer and Alzheimer’s. It contains stimulating and tonic effects.

Edible Spanish Flowers

Have you ever tried edible Spanish flowers? The ones I’ve tried are delicious! See the following and judge for yourself. 

41. Carnation

Their culinary use is popular in haute and nouvelle cuisine where their peppery taste jazzes up salads or is used as a garnish. Carnations are also candied and used to decorate cakes.

42. Cilantro

It competes with basil as my favorite fresh herb. All parts of the plant are edible and both the delicate white flowers and their predecessor seed heads add a special quality to any dish that calls for coriander.

43. Dahlia

Both decorative petals and tubers are edible, and they have been considered a viable food crop throughout history. 

44. Dandelion

All parts of the dandelion are edible and have medicinal and culinary uses. It has long been used as a liver tonic and diuretic.

45. Fennel 

Fennel is common in Quechua medicinal lore, which traditionally mixes herbs into a hot tea or blends into an elixir. In Peru, locals use the ferny leaves as a breath freshener. The flower can be added to any dish that requires a licorice accent.

46. Flor de Izote 

People consume the young flowers and stems. In some countries the petals and ovary of

the flowers (without the stamens). They are fried with tomato, onion, and egg or simply with salt and lemon.

47. Flor de Jobo 

The fruits and seeds of this plant are what people consume. The flavor of the fruits is soury, so they are usually eaten toasted. 

48. Fuchsia

Tangy and crisp, they can be used for dips, in salads, or a single bloom can turn a simple plate into the epitome of elegance. They are hardy and grow easily in this altitude and climate. 

49. Gladiolus

The blooms are mild tasting, somewhat reminiscent of lettuce, but with a fabulous texture. When the antlers are removed they taste delicious when stuffed with cream cheese, herbs, and onions.

50. Hibiscus

They are more palatable cooked or boiled, as they taste slightly acidic when eaten raw. 

51. Jasmine 

Like the Hibiscus, the Jasmine blossom is better known for use in teas but also makes a pretty garnish and smells delicious when it’s budding. 

Other Popular Spanish Flowers

The following Spanish flowers commonly grow in tropical countries, which is why you’ll find them in both Central and South America. See how beautiful they are! 

52. Bandera Española 

Also known as Lantana Camara, this species has a continuous flowering, from spring to autumn. Also, it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, and all parts of the plant can cause allergies, irritations, and serious discomfort if ingested, even to animals.

53. Begonias 

Begonias are usually ornamental garden plants. They have fleshy stems, large serrated leaves, green above and reddish below, with small, white, red or pink flowers. 

54. Cactus 

There are plenty of species of cactus, and more than 10 grow in Latin American countries. They don’t require constant watering, as their roots absorb and optimize the water they receive, even if it is very little.

55. Campanillas 

The Campanillas are also known by other names such as morning glory, Don Diego in the day, purple bell, Maria’s mantle, or plate-breaker. They can be grown almost anywhere in the world, since they resist temperatures down to -15 ° C. Because they’re easy to grow, people around the world grow them in their own home or garden.

56. Cucuyús

Also known as Canna Indica, the Cucuyús are perennial plants from 1.5 to 3 meters tall belonging to the cannacees family.

57. Espinillo (or Aromo)

It’s a small tree, highly valued for both its scented yellow flowers, as well as for the uses it has in the perfume industry and in beekeeping,  as well as in the fuel industry.

58. Jacaranda

The genus Jacaranda consists of about 50 species, composed of deciduous trees. All species have bipinnate and filicineous leaves.

59. Pendientes de la Reina 

Also known as Fuchsia magellanica, it is an enduring bush, with almost 3 meters high. It is grown as an ornamental plant, due to its attractive hanging flowers. It requires protected spaces, both solar and climatic.

60. Trepadoras

The most popular and cultivated trepadoras are the incomparable Bougainvillea. Trepadoras are plants that perch on a living or dead element (wall, trellis, etc.), mechanically parasitizing it, without feeding on it.

Use Your Spanish to Talk About Flowers!

Phew! Great work learning about Spanish flowers! Which one was your favorite? Let others know what you learned today by leaving a comment and practicing your Spanish! 

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