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The sampaguita, a native of tropical Asia, is the Philippines' national flower. These petite but very fragrant flowers are made into garlands and used as welcome offerings or honors for dignitaries and achievers. Sold on the streets of Manila, the flower necklaces usually adorn vehicles, or are taken home by Catholic devotees to decorate their altars. Aside from the ornamental value of the sampaguita, the flower is used by some as alternative medicine. It has been used as a lactifuge, sedative, anaesthetic, and vulnerary.
| Gumamela Gumamela is one of the most familiar flowers in the Philippines, as it is a favorite ornamental plant in many Filipino gardens. A native of the Old World, it is now pantropic in distribution and is widely cultivated in the country. The gumamela flower has been used as a poultice to boils, cancerous swellings and mumps. A decoction of the roots is used as internal medicine for venereal diseases and fevers, while the leaves are used as a lotion for fevers and headache. |
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| Waling-waling The waling-waling is a rare epiphytic orchid endemic to the island of Mindanao, particularly in the foothills of Mount Apo in Davao, Cotabato, and Surigao. It flowers seasonally, and its two-week bloom occurs during the peak months of July until December. Hailed as the “Queen of Philippine Orchids,” the waling-waling is considered by many as the country's best orchid variety due to its many stunning colorful hybrids. This captivating trait led to hunters and orchid collectors from all over the world harvesting the species almost to extinction. The decline was stemmed, however, when tissue culture was performed in order to repropagate the orchid. Santan Another ornamental favorite, santan is the familiar garden shrub adorned with little red flowers borne in cymes. The species originally came from India, but has since been cultivated in the Philippines. Children collect the little santan flowers and create necklaces with them. Adults, however, procure and use them for treatment of dysentery and other diseases.  Everlasting flower Also known as paper daisy or straw flower, the everlasting is a famous bloom associated with Baguio City. Strings of these flowers are sold in the markets and streets of the summer capital. Due to its longevity, it is also a favorite of devotees who adorn their altars with these blooms. |
