What Is The National Flower of Cuba?
White Ginger is the national flower of Cuba. Hedychium coronarium is the scientific name of White Ginger and it is commonly known as Flor de Mariposa in Cuba. It is also known as White Mariposa. Flor de Mariposa belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. Its genus is Hedychium.
This flower is very much common in Cuba and it adds to Cuban beauty. It is frequently sold in the streets. It is also frequently used in bridal bouquets, and for offerings to Saints and to the departed. The White Mariposa is a flower with only 1 stem. During the Spanish empire, the women used to add to their beauty with the cologne of white mariposa lily.
Facts About Cuba National Flower (White Ginger)
- Common Name: White Ginger, Flor de Mariposa, White Mariposa
- Genus: Hedychium
- Species: coronarium
- Found in: Cuba, India (Sikkim), Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, southern China
- Color: White
- Number of petals: 3
- Time of blooming: August and December
- Purpose: Ornamental
- Uses: Bridal bouquets, offerings to Saints and to the departed
- Symbolism: Purity, rebellion, independence
Description And Size
The White Mariposa is called a butterfly because of its exceptional shape. White Mariposa grows on a single stem that reaches about 20 inches (50 cm) high which contains a flower having 3 petals of white color and a purple spot. These beautiful flowers are typically white, with an attractive perfume, although there are different varieties including yellow and salmon pink. This flower is very much abundant during the rainy season, and the tree can rise up to 6 feet tall.
At that time, women were also used to safeguard secrets and significant messages related to national independence. The wild kinds of white mariposa are widely found in rainy mountains in Sierra del Rosario, Pinar del Rio Province, Escambray Mountains, and Sierra Maestra. The cultivation of white mariposa harms the growth of other native plants.
That’s why it cannot be cultivated on any kind of land. The white mariposa needs a particular kind of land to be cultivated. It needs humidity and warmth. To sum up, the Cuba national flower, the White Mariposa symbolizes purity, rebellion, and independence. Because of its beauty, abundance, and fragrance, it has become the national flower of Cuba.
✅What Flower is Cuba known for?
Cuba’s flower is brilliant white, heady-scented mariposa, a native species of jasmine that became a symbol of rebellion and purity at the time of the wars for independence.
✅Why White Mariposa Cuba’s National Flower?
During the long war for liberation, Cuban women hid messages for soldiers in the large leaves of this ginger relative. For that reason, it was chosen to be the Cuban National Flower in 1936.
References:
- http://www.circuloguinero.org
