Perhaps there is no perfect orchid. My task was to visit Guatemala and find out. I had done my research and found that the orchid in Guatemala is of the Orquidacea variety, one of the largest in the plant realm with over 30,000 species.

I also knew that the Monja Blanca was Guatemala’s national flower from the Lycaste Skinneri variety. Flowering in November and February the Monja Blanca is a symbol for the Guatemalans of peace, purity, and beauty.

This particular orchid of the genus Lycaste was found in 1840 by a foreign consul working in the country. It was eventually christened Lycaste Skinneri Alba. Lycaste for the mythological daughter of Priam, King of Troy; Skinneri for the surname of the discover (George Ure Skinner) and alba for its lack of color. The flower was named the national flower in 1934.

The particular Monja Blanca is said to be quite rare. "The Monja Blanca is a random genetic accident," says orchidologist Moises Behar. "For every thousand red Lycaste Skinneri there is but one white one. It is not a separate orchid species, which is what makes it so rare and sought after."

For a sighting of rare orchids it’s the region of Verapaces in the north central part of the country that you must visit. This area is characterized by cloud forests. The mountains capture the humidity from the Caribbean entering the area from the north and causing a moist climate adding to the microclimates in the area. This occurrence therefore gives rise to a variety of orchids that can be found nowhere else in the country. The particular orchids found here are the Eriopsis Masdevallia, miniatures of the species Pleurothallis and Platystele.

The cloud forests in the region are home to the royal purple of the epiphyte orchids; the Lepanthes Guatemalensis, the tiny Platystele ovatifolia or the Lycaste Skinneri. To find these orchids the visitor must first find the crystalline pools of Semuc Champey, the Mario Dary Rivera nature reserve or the Quetzal Biotope, all easily accessible.

Guatemala, or as the natives call it, the land of the Eternal Spring is proud of the Orquidacea found there and take pride in offering up the plant in what they call "the natural state" instead of the huge commercial greenhouses other countries use for example Taiwan.

Orchids in Guatemala grow among mountains and volcanoes with different climate zones resulting in more than 800 different orchid species. February and November are the best times to visit for a glimpse at the plant as it thrives in this rich environment, also making the area a source for new orchid hybrids.

Overall, the country has a wide-ranging climate favorable for generating the ideal conditions of light, humidity and air circulation all contributing to the natural hybridization of the orchid plant as a whole. Additionally, this sort of climate is constantly giving rise to many new species, some that have not even been scientifically classified.

Even in the dry desert region in Guatemala’s Rio Hondo, Zacapa area there are orchids growing. In this case we found a yellow color cluster called Oncidium splendidum and Oncidium ascendants. The Encyclia adenocarpon can be found on cactus in that region during the months of April and May.

The Guatemalan natives are especially proud of the Cattleya Skinnera Hetti Jacobs variety, better known as "Candelaria." This orchid flowers in September and was selected by The American Orchid Association for first prize at one of the orchid expositions. Nowadays, the plant has been cloned in the United States and has become a trademark.

Highlights of the orchid craze in Guatemala include the Guatemalan Orchid Association and the Orchid Association of the Veraspaces annual expositions where as many as 400 varieties of orchids are on display every year.

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