National Flower of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico was discovered by Christopher Columbus on November 17, 1493.

The Puerto Rican Hibiscus, or Flor de maga (Montezuma Speciossisima) is the national flower of Puerto Rico. The flower is also known in some areas as the "Rose of Althea" or "Rose of Sharon".

Puerto Rican hibiscus flowers are cup-shaped and are 7.5 to 9 cm and 9.0 to 13 cm, broad with five overlapping petals. The Puerto Rican hibiscus flowers are borne singly on long petioles from leaf bases.

Other Native and Popular Flowers of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a very beautiful island. Its climate and scenery attract many visitors, and erelong it will be a popular winter resort for people from many countries. It has been called the land of perpetual June. Flowers bloom and plants and trees yield flowers and fruit the year round. There is no winter; but during the season which is our winter, their skies are beautifully clear and blue.

Gold Heliconia, Valentine Heliconia, Red Ginger, Flamboyán, Coccoloba sintenisii, Simarouba tulae, Turnera diffusa, Tabebuia haemantha and Coccoloba sintenisii are some of the beautiful and popular flowers grown on the land of this country.

Facts about Puerto Rico

• Puerto Rico was discovered by Christopher Columbus on November 17, 1493. He made a landing at a bay, where he found springs of pure water, which was much needed on his ships. This place he named Aguadilla, which means "the watering place."
• Having the total land area of 13,790 sq km, Puerto Rico is placed between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, in the east of the Dominican Republic.
• Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income.
• Puerto Rico has more than 50 institutions of higher education and has achieved 6th highest college education rates in the world with 56% of its college-age students attending institutions of higher learning, according to World Bank data.
• Puerto Ricans are best known for using more hand and facial gestures in communication, as body language is considered important forms of communication in the country.