Guaria Morada: The Purple Orchid at the Heart of Costa Rica

Guarianthe skinneri

There are flowers that belong to a landscape—and then there are flowers that become part of a country's identity.

In Costa Rica, one of them blooms in shades of lilac, pink and purple.

The Guaria Morada (Guarianthe skinneri) is Costa Rica's national flower, an orchid deeply connected to the country's homes, traditions and relationship with nature.

On June 15, 1939, it was officially chosen as the national flower of Costa Rica. But its story here began long before that.

An orchid that lives above the ground

One of the most fascinating things about the Guaria Morada is the way it grows.

It is an epiphyte—a plant that naturally grows on trees rather than rooted in the soil.

But unlike a parasite, it does not feed on the tree.

The tree simply gives the orchid a place to live, while the Guaria Morada obtains what it needs from its surroundings.

High on branches, surrounded by tropical vegetation, its clusters of purple-pink flowers can transform an otherwise ordinary tree into something extraordinary.

Why is it called Guaria Morada?

“Morada” refers to the flower's characteristic purple or violet color.

“Guaria” is a traditional Costa Rican name used for certain orchids. The word also inspired the name of the modern botanical genus Guarianthe, combining “guaria” with the Greek anthe, meaning “flower.”

Today, the accepted scientific name of the Guaria Morada is Guarianthe skinneri.

For many years, however, it was classified as Cattleya skinneri. Following advances in the understanding of relationships among these orchids, the genus Guarianthe was established in 2003.

That is why the older name Cattleya skinneri can still be found in books, historical documents and older botanical references.

A flower woven into Costa Rican life

The Guaria Morada is much more than a beautiful orchid.

For generations, orchids have been cultivated around Costa Rican homes and gardens, and the Guaria Morada became especially treasured for its spectacular flowering.

Over time, it became deeply connected with Costa Rican culture and tradition.

There is even a well-known Costa Rican song dedicated to the flower, La Guaria Morada, reflecting how deeply the orchid has become woven into the country's cultural identity.

Perhaps that is what makes this orchid so special.

It wasn't simply selected to represent Costa Rica.

It was already part of Costa Rican life.

From the forest to the family garden

Although the Guaria Morada is strongly associated with Costa Rica, its natural range extends from southern Mexico through parts of Central America.

In Costa Rica, however, the orchid has developed an extraordinary cultural significance.

Today, Guaria Morada orchids can often be seen carefully cultivated around homes and gardens.

Like many orchids, the Guaria Morada reminds us that appreciating wild plants also means protecting the habitats where they naturally grow.

Admiring a wild species should never mean removing it from the wild.

Protecting native plants also means protecting the trees, forests, pollinators and ecosystems that allow them to survive.

A small flower with a big story

Costa Rica is famous around the world for jaguars, sloths, scarlet macaws, sea turtles and tropical rainforests.

Yet biodiversity is just as much about the quieter species.

An orchid growing on the branch of a tree may not command the same attention as a scarlet macaw flying overhead—but it is part of the same extraordinary web of life.

The Guaria Morada represents something we love about Costa Rica:

Nature isn't separate from everyday life. It grows around homes, appears in gardens, inspires art and music, and becomes part of a country's identity.

Perhaps that is why this delicate purple orchid feels like such a fitting national flower.

It doesn't need to be enormous to be unforgettable.

Sometimes, a few purple blossoms on the branch of a tree are enough to tell the story of an entire country.

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This week, look a little closer

The next time you see an orchid growing on a tree in Costa Rica, take a moment before walking past.

Look at the roots holding onto the bark, the flowers reaching toward the light, and the tiny ecosystem surrounding it.

You may not be looking at a Guaria Morada—but you are looking at one small piece of the extraordinary biodiversity that makes Costa Rica so special.

And sometimes, protecting nature begins with something as simple as noticing it.

Protect Nature. Inspire Curiosity. Celebrate Biodiversity.

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The Pura Vida Souqs Team

Next week on A Weekly Dose of Nature: Meet the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)— an ancient predator still thriving in Costa Rica's rivers, wetlands and coastal habitats. 🐊