The Scented Treasure of Cayman Islands

Great places like the legendary Cayman Islands are definitely one of the best of its kind. Gifted with natural treasures and beautiful scenic spots, this has been on the top of the list of tourists who want to experience and explore the grandeur of nature par excellence.
Cayman Islands are not only blessed with amazing venues, but have many other riches. One of these is their national flower known as the Wild Banana Orchid. This national flower is widely known as a unique and popularly known breed with a scientific name Myrmecophila thomsoniana. With a scented purple lips feature, this flower is captivating with its predominantly white petals which can be found in the Grand Cayman type.

Wild Banana Orchids in a Variety of Wild Beauties

This spectacular flower symbol of Cayman Islands is indeed a beauty in diversity. What makes this flower one of a kind is its two varieties out of the island’s approximately 26 different kinds of orchids. The most common of these varieties is found in the Grand Cayman which has white petals, while those originating from its sister islands namely Little Cayman and Cayman Brac has smaller flowers which are pale yellow in color, scientifically known as Schomburgkia thomsonia var. minor. Both varieties are described as flowers on top of a curving spike which is located above a banana like cluster. This appearance is what influenced the orchid’s popular name.
Wild Banana Orchids are epidemic (?) in nature, making them exclusively accessible in Cayman Islands. These wild beauties thrive in the island’s natural habitat. The island’s environment is likewise a great home and shelter for all the other kinds of flowering plants in the country. Cayman Island’s Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a great center for the nurturing of the ten orchid varieties in the island, three of which are uniquely found only in one place. Wild Banana Orchids are considered the most abundant and widely recognized by visitors who enjoy viewing the beauty of this national flower.
Other varieties of wild beauties are scientifically known as Encyclia boothiana, Tolumnia Variegata, Prescottia oligantha, pleurothallis caymanensis, cyclopogon elatus and Dendrophylax fawcetti, among others.

The Flourishing of a State Flower that’s simply state-of-the-art!

International trade has boosted Cayman Island’s prosperity with the help of its state flower that is simply a world class flora. However, before regulation of this law, most of the orchids were exported from Cayman Brac and brought to Grand Cayman. Despite the island’s limitation in its floral assets compared to other Caribbean places, they were able to do hybridization that further enriched the variety of its flowers now seen in the island.
Wild Banana Orchids are indeed Cayman Islands’ treasure. They have marked a significant place in the island and the world’s history of nature’s bounty.