Learning more about Puerto Rico's flora thanks to Olympian Jasmine Camacho-Quinn!

When athlete and Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took the podium after winning the 100 meters hurdles event, Puerto Ricans everywhere felt an incredible sense of pride.

Hearing the national anthem and seeing the athlete sport the island’s national flower was unforgettable, especially in such a grand event that brings together people from all over the world!

With Café Ama in hand, the team at Friends of Puerto Rico immediately thought of Amapola, founder of Café Ama Love. Named after the beautiful amapola flowers found all over Puerto Rico, one could not help but notice how Puerto Rico’s national flower, the Flor de Maga, looks very similar to the amapola flower.

This prompted us to really understand the difference between the two! 

The Flor de Maga comes from the maga tree (Thespesia grandiflora) and is endemic to Puerto Rico. It blooms year-round and can be found all throughout the Puerto Rican archipelago.  

 Mistaking the flor de Maga for the amapola (Hibiscus phoeniceus) is common, as both flowers are characterized by their beautiful bright petals and are used widely for ornamental purposes.

Despite their differences, these lovely flowers are part of the vast Malvaceae family and standouts in Puerto Rico’s flora. 

Just like the flowers and nature found in our island, the women of Puerto Rico and of Puerto Rican descent, like Camacho-Quinn, are unique and beautiful!

From their spirit, to their drive, talent and passion, Boricua women everywhere inspire us to continue to strive for greatness!

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