Waling-waling: The Queen of Philippine Orchids

by Kheem Caparas on June 01, 2012

Photo from http://www.davaotourism.com/

Waling-waling or Vanda Sanderiana is dubbed as the Queen of Philippine

Orchids. It is also worshipped as Diwata (fairy) by the native Bagobos and discovered
in the year 1882. It is the rarest, most beautiful, and most expensive orchid among
thousands of species that can be found in the country. It is also one of the largest
species of orchids in the world. Out of 8,000 species of flowering plants around the
world, 3,500 species can be found only in the country. The discovery of this wild flower
has prompted cultivation of colorful and attractive hybrids that are now part of the
worlds multibillion-dollar orchid and cut flower industry.
Photo by Evelyn Avila's photos of flickr.com
Photo from https://www.davaotourism.com
Waling-waling is a flower of the orchid family and it is famous for its large and colorful
hybrids. It is showy, very attractive, and offers a very spectacular sight when it is in
full bloom. The flower has wide and colorful petals. The flowers are flat, to eight
centimeters across; the sepals and petals are obviate, bluish pink, with buff-yellow
stain, and dull-crimson reticulations on the lateral sepals; the lip is small and concave,
purple-red at base, strongly recurved and brownish purple at apex; with three
prominent keels. It is the description of Waling waling in the book, A Pictorial
Cyclopedia of Philippine Ornamental Plants.

Endemic to the Philippines, this lovely flower grows on the trunks of tall hardwood
tropical trees in the forests of Davao, Sultan Kudarat, and other parts of Mindanao.
This flower also abound in the tropical forest of Mount Apo and its surrounding areas.
It blooms only once a year, between the months of July and October, and it easily
propagates. But the terrible plunder of the countrys wildlife still continues in spite of a
law that is meant to protect the natural and native flora. Now some of the flower
species, especially the Waling-waling, have been brought to near extinction. The
environmentalists believe that it requires more than a law, but the active support of
the people to protect the endangered Waling-waling and maintain the right attitude
and knowledge in collecting this kind of wild flowers.

Back in the year 2004, there had been a motion in the House of Representatives of the
Philippines to declare Waling-waling as the countrys national flower that will replace
the Sampaguita. Waling-waling is indeed indigenous and endemic the country while
Sampaguita, even though popular and common to the Filipinos, is still a foreign flower
from India and Arabia. As a compromise, it is now declared that Waling-waling is
another national flower of the country together with Sampaguita