Colorchallenge: Sunday Purple - Orchid National Flower of Venezuela

By official decree, on May 23, 1951, the orchid was declared as the National Flower of Venezuela.

The Orchid is native to the Cordillera de la Costa. It is popularly known as "Flor de Mayo", since in the 19th century, people used it in traditional celebrations to decorate the "Cruz de Mayo".

Its scientific name (Cattleya Mossiae), in honor of the English William Cattley, who cultivated the first bulbs of this plant in the year 1818, through some species that came from Brazil. In 1839 the Cattleya was found in Venezuela.