Colombia is rich in biodiversity, home to 24,528 species of plants. Among this vast diversity, some plants stand out for their beauty, rarity, utility, toxicity, size, and other fascinating characteristics.
Among the most curious species are the wax palm, insectivorous plants, jimsonweed, Balanophoraceae, and yagé. Each of these plants possesses unique attributes that make them particularly interesting.
The tallest plant in Colombia
The Wax Palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) is considered the tallest plant in the country and, in fact, the tallest palm in the world. This emblematic species is primarily found in the Cocora Valley, in the department of Quindío, and also in the Tochecito region, in the province of Valle del Cauca. Under favorable conditions, this palm can reach an impressive height of up to 70 meters.
In the past, its stems were used to make candles, taking advantage of the natural wax they produced. In 1952, the Wax Palm was declared the national tree of Colombia and was officially adopted as such by Law 61 of 1985, symbolizing not only the country’s natural wealth but also its cultural heritage.
The smallest plant
The Drosera sessilifolia, commonly known as the Insectivorous Plant, is the smallest plant in Colombia. This carnivorous plant produces a rosette of tiny leaves that when young are a yellowish-green color and gradually turn reddish over time. The leaves are covered with small sticky hairs that trap insects, from which the plant obtains the nutrients necessary for its survival, thus compensating for the poor soils where it grows. This species is found exclusively in the savannas of the Orinoquía.
The most poisonous plant
Jimsonweed, also known as the Devil’s Weed, is the most poisonous plant in Colombia. It is a highly branched plant that can exceed one meter in height, and all its parts are highly toxic, especially the seeds. The consumption of any part of this plant can be fatal. Jimsonweed grows in warm regions or in Mediterranean climates, such as Villa de Leyva, in the department of Boyaca.
The rarest plant
The Balanophoraceae family comprises notably rare herbaceous plants that thrive in subtropical and tropical climates. These plants are parasitic, growing on the roots of other species, and are known for their unusual development and previously unknown taxonomic affinities. They can be monoecious or dioecious, with scaly leaves and small unisexual flowers that cluster in dense inflorescences. In Colombia, these plants are commonly found in the Andean and Amazonian forests.
The most sacred plant
Yage is a sacred plant for the indigenous peoples of the Colombian Amazon. An ancestral beverage of the same name is made from a vine of the species Banisteriopsis caapi, commonly known as ayahuasca or “God’s Hair,” among other regional or ethnic names. Yage is complemented with leaves from a shrub called chacruna or chaqruy (Psychotria viridis), whose combination produces a potent mixture with psychoactive effects due to its dimethyltryptamine (DMT) content. This beverage is used by indigenous communities of the Colombian Amazon and Orinoquia for shamanic purposes, spiritual healing, and connection with the divine.