Mindo Ecuador is a magical setting in the midst of exotic Ecuador. It is widely renowned for its dense rainforests, rivers, birds and spectacular landscapes. Mindo possesses a mystic beauty. You can wander through its dense rainforests where you can experience the splendor of the towering trees and hear the melodious chirps various locally found birds.
Mindo is also very famous for its unique and beautiful variety of orchids. Orchids are one of the most adored plants in the world due to their graceful and stunning forms. These orchids are also famous for their fragrance and the eye-catching colors. Orchids originate from the popular botanical family Orchidaceae. These plants are found growing in both east and west tropical and subtropical regions, mainly in the rainforests of Ecuador. A small varieties of orchids are also found growing in mildly hot or cold regions.
Majority of orchids originate on trees, as epiphytes. This is because they can easily obtain heat, light and humid tropical air through trees. Some types of orchids prefer rocks that are partly submerged in moss. Other types of orchids grow at ground level, mostly under the shade of a tall tree. Blooming orchids are a thing of beauty as they offer a remarkable display in their different shapes and colors.
Orchids belong to the largest plant species in the world. These are present in such great numbers that out of every 10 known species of plants, 1 of them is an orchid. In Ecuador, orchids are one out of every 4 plant species present. Ecuador is home to almost 4200 different species of orchids. There are a total of 30.000 to 35.000 species of orchids present in the world. Each year almost 800 new species are discovered.
Mindo Ecuador has varied altitudinal regions and diverse climates. For that reason, it is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna that specially includes orchids of over 400 recorded species.
Different types of orchids vary in size, shape and color. Some of the species are very small in size and the flower will be as small as 2 mm. However, some other species are larger in size and may possess rods up to 5 meters in height. Some species also have thick vines, others are climbers and have flowers up to 30cm in span. Many inflorescent species can measure up to 2 meters in length.
The famous Orchid Garden of Mindo Ecuador holds roughly 200 orchid species which are native to the Mindo region. Due to the vast number of orchid species present in Mindo area, there are different volunteer programs available for interested people. This job is for a few weeks’ time and involves keeping record of different species of orchid.
Orchids are a truly amazing sight, simply because of their beautiful colors and forms. Mindo Ecuador is specially blessed with a range of stunning orchid species. It would not be wrong to say that Mindo is home to the most gorgeous orchids in the world.