Bolivia's Pride: The Iconic Cantuta Flower

Bolivia is a country of contrasts, where the Andean highlands meet the Amazon rainforest. It is also a country of diverse native cultures, with the Aymara and Quechua people in the west, and the Moxos, Ayoreos, Guarayos, and Guaraní in the east. With such a varied landscape and a multitude of indigenous groups, it is perhaps no surprise that Bolivia has two national flowers: the Kantuta (Cantua buxifolia) and the Patujú (Heliconia rostrata).

Bolivia's two national flowers

Bolivia has two national flowers: the kantuta (Cantua buxifolia) and the patujú (Heliconia rostrata). Both flowers are red, yellow, and green, like the Bolivian flag.

The kantuta is native to the Andean region of Bolivia and is also known as the "sacred flower of the Inca" or "magic flower". It is a tiny, fragile plant with long, tubular flowers that resemble an elongated bell. The flowers bloom in mid to late spring and can be coloured white, yellow, orange, red, magenta, or a combination of these colours. The Inca king is believed to have used the kantuta flower in religious rituals, and the plant is considered sacred by the Aymara and Quechua people. The kantuta was officially declared one of Bolivia's national flowers in 1924.

The patujú, on the other hand, is native to the eastern Amazonian tropics of Bolivia. It is a very large, herbaceous plant that grows in the rainforests of South America, Africa, and Madagascar. The patujú is also known as the "hanging lobster claw" or "false bird of paradise" due to its unique shape and vibrant colours. The plant typically grows between three to five meters tall and is known for its lush green foliage and distinctive inflorescences. The patujú is commonly found in the city of Santa Cruz and in people's tropical gardens. It is a significant source of nectar for birds, such as hummingbirds, and also stores water after rain, attracting insects and birds. The patujú became a national emblem of Bolivia alongside the kantuta in 1990.

The two flowers were chosen to represent the diversity and unity of the country, with the kantuta representing the Andean highlands and the patujú the eastern Amazonian tropics. They symbolise the union of the two distinct regions, ethnic groups, and cultures within Bolivia.

The Kantuta flower

The kantuta (also spelled cantuta) is one of Bolivia's two national flowers. Its scientific name is Cantua buxifolia, which means "flor sagrada del Inca" or "sacred flower of the Inca" in Latin. The name "kantuta" comes from the word "qantuta" in the Quechua language, the language of the Inca descendants. The Quechua people refer to the flower as the "magic flower" or "sacred flower of the Incas".

The kantuta is native to the Andean region of Bolivia and grows in the high valleys of the Andes mountains in South America. It is a tiny, fragile plant with long, tubular flowers that resemble an elongated bell. The flowers bloom in mid to late spring and can be coloured white, yellow, orange, red, magenta, or contain multiple colours. The multicoloured flower containing red, yellow, and green is a national emblem in Bolivia as it reflects the colours of the Bolivian flag.

The kantuta is a symbol of unity in Bolivia. The flower is associated with an Inca legend about two powerful and wealthy kings in the Kollasuyo (Bolivian highlands) who became jealous of each other and ended up killing each other in combat. Each king had a son, and although they did not want to fight, they were bound by their fathers' wishes and repeated history, mortally wounding each other in a second battle. However, before dying, the sons forgave each other. As punishment for the fathers' wrongdoing, Pachamama, the Mother Earth goddess, made their stars fall from the sky, forming the snow-covered mountains Illimani and Illampu in the Bolivian Altiplano. The rivers of melting snow coming from these mountains are said to be the kings' tears of regret, fertilizing the valleys where the kantuta flower grows. The two primary colours of the kantuta, red and yellow, were the colours used by the kings' sons, and green symbolises hope.

The kantuta was originally Bolivia's only national flower, but on April 27, 1990, the Bolivian government passed a law declaring the patuju (Heliconia rostrata) as the second national flower to represent all of Bolivia.

The Patuju flower

The name "Patuju" is derived from the flower's resemblance to a hanging lobster claw or a false bird of paradise. Its scientific name, Heliconia rostrata, also reflects this distinctive feature, with rostrata meaning "to have a beak". The Patuju is a perennial plant related to the bird of paradise plant, but unlike most other species in its genus, it has downward-facing flowers that make it easier for hummingbirds to access its nectar.

The Patuju's flowers usually bloom throughout the year and exhibit a tricolour pattern with red, claw-like bracts and smaller greenish-yellow flowers. These exotic flowers grow in a spiral pattern, forming a spectacular drooping helix that can reach up to one meter in length. The hanging flower clusters serve as a source of nectar for birds, especially hummingbirds, and also trap water, providing a habitat for various small aquatic organisms.

The vibrant red, yellow, and green colours of the Patuju are the same as those on the Bolivian flag, making it a symbol of national pride and unity. The Patuju was designated as Bolivia's national flower alongside the Kantuta in 1990. According to Article One of Supreme Decree 22482, when the national flowers are depicted together, the Kantuta should lean towards the right, and the Patuju should lean towards the left, symbolising the union of the country's diverse regions, ethnic groups, and cultures.

The significance of the colours

The colours of Bolivia's national flowers, the kantuta and the patujú, are significant for several reasons. Both flowers feature the colours red, yellow and green, which are the same colours as the Bolivian flag, making them a symbol of the country's pride and unity.

The kantuta, or Cantua buxifolia, is native to the Andean region of Bolivia and is also known as the "sacred flower of the Inca". In an ancient Incan legend, two rival princes fought to the death, and the kantuta plant grew from their blood, its red and yellow flowers symbolising the unity of the two princes in death. The red, yellow and green multicolour variety of the kantuta is a national emblem of Bolivia.

The patujú, or Heliconia rostrata, is native to the eastern Amazonian tropics of Bolivia and is also known as the "hanging lobster claw" or "false bird of paradise" due to its shape and vibrant colours. The patujú's red, yellow and green colours are reminiscent of the Bolivian flag, and it is seen as a symbol of national pride and unity, particularly in the tropical eastern parts of the country.

The two flowers, with their shared colours, represent the diversity and unity of the country. The multicoloured blooms symbolise the union of the two distinct regions of Bolivia: the Andean highlands and the Amazonian tropics. The flowers also represent the coming together of the different indigenous cultures of these regions, with their own unique histories and traditions.

The national flowers of Bolivia are a powerful symbol of the country's rich cultural heritage and natural biodiversity. They stand as a reminder of the resilience and unity of the Bolivian people, despite their differences.

The flowers' symbolism

Bolivia's national flowers, the Kantuta (Cantua buxifolia) and the Patujú (Heliconia rostrata), are powerful symbols of the country's diversity and unity. The flowers were chosen to represent the two distinct regions of Bolivia: the Andean highlands and the Amazon rainforest. The Kantuta, native to the Andean region, is a resilient shrub that thrives in arid, high-altitude conditions. Its scientific name, derived from Latin, means "sacred flower of the Inca" or "with leaves like boxwood". The Incas believed that the Kantuta had sacred properties, keeping water pure, and used it in their religious rituals. In an ancient Incan legend, the red and yellow colours of the Kantuta are said to symbolise the unity of two rival princes who fought to the death.

The Patujú, on the other hand, is native to the eastern Amazonian tropics of Bolivia. It is a tropical plant known for its lush green foliage and distinctive hanging flower clusters, resembling a lobster claw. The vibrant red, yellow, and green colours of the Patujú echo those of the Bolivian flag, making it a symbol of national pride and unity. The unique shape and colours of the Patujú have also made it an important symbol in local folklore and festivals, especially in the tropical eastern regions of the country.

Both flowers are a source of nectar for hummingbirds and other pollinators, contributing to the rich biodiversity of their respective ecosystems. In addition, the flowers' colours—red, yellow, and green—match those of the Bolivian flag, further emphasising their role as symbols of national unity and pride.

The Bolivian government passed a law in 1990, decreeing that the Kantuta and the Patujú should be depicted as interlaced, with the Kantuta leaning right and the Patujú leaning left, symbolising the union of the two regions, ethnic groups, and cultures of the country. This representation is intended to promote a sense of harmony and mutual welcome between the diverse regions and peoples of Bolivia.

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