Different Kinds of Flowers From El Salvador

The Republic of El Salvador is a country in Central America. Guatemala and Honduras are its northerly land neighbors, and the Pacific Ocean is to the south. El Salvador has a land area of about 13,000 square miles that includes volcanoes, mountain lakes, beautiful beaches and Mayan ruins. The country's tropical climate accommodates a host of diverse flora.

El Salvador National Flower

The flor de izote is the El Salvador national flower. It grows on a tree commonly called bluestem yucca or yucca cane (​Yucca guatemalensis​, USDA hardiness zones 9-11). The tree is a fast-growing evergreen, multi-trunked with thick stems, usually reaching heights between 10 and 30 feet.

Between summer and fall, the lovely, bell-shaped izote ivory blossoms of this El Salvadoran flower form in upright panicles. The fruit of the tree is a traditional ingredient for cooking in El Salvador. This drought tolerant plant prefers well-draining, sandy soil and sunny growing conditions. Arizona State University notes that the former botanical names of ​Yucca guatemalensis​ were ​Yucca elephantipes​ and ​Yucca gigantea​. It is a member of the Asparagaceae plant family.

El Salvador National Tree

The maquilishuat (​Tabebuia rosea​, zones 9-11) is the national tree of El Salvador. Its common names are pink poui, pink tecoma and rosy trumpet tree, and it is macuelizo in Spanish. The pink poui is also native to other countries in the Americas, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

The Honorary Consulate of El Salvador notes that the pink poui tree produces spectacular flowers that may bloom year-round. The prominent, funnel-shaped, purplish-pink or white flowers are borne in clusters. This medium-sized, evergreen tree also has dark green, leathery leaves. It can reach heights up to 90 feet, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

The El Salvador national tree's thin wood produces timber for furniture such as cabinets. Pink poui prefers full sun and moist soil, and is ideal for coastal gardens and as a shade tree. It is a member of the Bignoniaceae family.

Lycaste Lasioglossa Orchid

The shaggy-lipped lycaste (​Lycaste lasioglossa​) is one among many common species of terrestrial orchids that are native to El Salvador, as well as Guatemala and Honduras. The National Gardening Association describes this orchid as blooming in late winter to early spring, bearing 4- to 5-inch flowers with yellow petals and bronze-copper sepals. The blooms appear on spikes above the leaves and last for about five weeks.

These pretty flowers prefer cool conditions and regular water during the blooming period, but require dry conditions in the winter. Given its required conditions, this orchid grows as easily indoors as outdoors, reaching heights of about 20 inches.

Edible El Salvador Herb

Loroco (​Fernaldia pandurata​), also called quilite from the native language meaning "edible herb," flowers between May and October. This perennial produces flowers used for cooking in El Salvador and other Central American countries. Among its edible uses, WorldCrops notes that the pungent flowers add flavor to pupusas, a corn-based food. This plant does best in tropical conditions with temperatures between 68 and 90 degrees F.