Orchids. Wild and cultivated orchids in the Canary Islands. Ornamental flowers of the Canary Islands

Orchids

Phalaenopsis

    There are only eight species of wild orchids in the Canary Islands, almost all of which are small in size and have inconspicuous flowers. However, the Canarians’ great fondness for orchids is evident from the presence of exotic orchids in most of the islands’ public and private gardens. The beauty and spectacular nature of these plants’ flowers mean that it is rare to find a house or garden without some orchids, whether in pots, in hanging baskets or on a dry log.
    On the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, there are large orchid collections open to the public, such as Sitio Litre, the Orchid Centre and Palmitos Park. The Orchid Centre is located in the municipality of Arona, in the south of the island of Tenerife. This theme park is home to over 400 different species of orchids from all over the world, as well as a huge collection of carnivorous plants, making it the perfect place to visit and discover something truly unique.
    El Sitio Litre is a small garden dating back over 200 years, located in the municipality of Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. It houses the first collection of orchids in the Canary Islands, with over 250 carefully cultivated species. Throughout its history, it has been visited by leading figures from the worlds of science, art and literature, such as Alexander von Humboldt, Agatha Christie, and Marianne North, a painter who drew inspiration from these gardens to create works that are now on display at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London.
    Palmitos Park is a botanical garden and zoo located in the Barranco de los Palmitos, in the south of the island of Gran Canaria. Its Orchid House is home to the largest collection of orchids in the Canary Islands. Tenerife also has a number of smaller orchid collections, such as those at Loro Park and the Puerto de la Cruz Botanical Garden. And on almost every island there are nurseries and private collections where you can admire and purchase numerous species of this unique group of plants.