Flora

          Millions of flowers of all colors and scents bloom all year-round throughout the Philippines. For this reason, many authors call the archipelago the "Land of Flowers". There are about 10,000 species of flowering plants and ferns in the Philippines.

          Among the beautiful flowers of the Philippines are the lovely sampaguita, the charming cadena de amor (chain of love), the romantic gardenia, the milky-white camia, the bewitching dama de noche (lady of the night), the stately banaba, the alluring kamuning, the colorful kakawate and the majestic bougainvillea of various colors.

The largest flower in the world is the pungapung which grows wild in the forests of Mindanao. It has a diameter of one foot.

About 1,000 varieties of orchids bloom in the Philippines. The waling-walling (Vanda sanderiana), a rare orchid of exquisite beauty, is regarded as the "Queen of Philippine Orchids".

Numerous kinds of fruits grow in abundance in the country. Among the famous Philippine fruits are the delicious lanzones, the "Queen of the Philippine Fruits", the sweet mango the "Czarina of Philippine Fruits", and the nutritious durian, the "King of Jungle Fruits".