The Flor de Maga (Thespesia grandiflora) is Puerto Rico's official flower symbol, and it is what most people mean when they talk about the national flower of Puerto Rico. It is a large red to deep pink bloom that looks a lot like a hibiscus, it grows on a tree that is native only to Puerto Rico, and it was made official by Law 87 of August 1, 2019.
Flor de Maga at a glance
| Scientific name | Thespesia grandiflora (synonym Montezuma speciosissima) |
| Family | Malvaceae, the mallow family. It is closer to cotton than to the hibiscus. |
| Spanish names | Flor de maga, maga, maga colorada |
| Where it comes from | Endemic to Puerto Rico: it grows wild nowhere else. It originally grew in the humid limestone hills of the Cordillera Central and the northern karst region. |
| The tree | An evergreen tree that reaches about 50 feet. In natural forests the USDA Forest Service records trees of around 65 feet (20 m). |
| The flower | Five red to deep pink petals, up to about 6.5 inches across, on long stems. |
| When it blooms | All year round |
| Official status | Puerto Rico's flower symbol by Law 87 of 2019 |
| Flor de Maga Day | The first Monday of October |
Is the Flor de Maga officially the national flower?
Yes, with one nuance. For decades books, schools and tourism guides called the maga Puerto Rico's national flower, but no law said so. That changed with Law 87 of August 1, 2019, which adopted the Flor de Maga as the "flor símbolo del pueblo de Puerto Rico", the flower symbol of the people of Puerto Rico. In everyday English that is the national flower.
The same law:
- Declared the first Monday of October as Día de nuestra flor símbolo, La Maga, with activities at the Botanical Garden and at the Doña Inés María Mendoza park together with the Luis Muñoz Marín Foundation.
- Asked for the flower to be included in the social studies curriculum, and for the environmental and education departments to protect and promote it.
- Prohibited political parties and candidates from using the flower as their emblem on the ballot, so it stays a symbol for everyone.
Is the Flor de Maga a hibiscus?
No, although it is easy to confuse them. In Puerto Rico the hibiscus is called amapola, and many people call the maga an amapola too. Both belong to the mallow family and have similar showy, five-petaled flowers, but the maga is a different genus and is more closely related to cotton.
The simplest way to tell them apart is the plant itself. The hibiscus people grow in gardens is usually a shrub. The maga is a real tree with a straight trunk, dark furrowed bark and large heart-shaped leaves, and its flowers appear high up on long stems.
What the Flor de Maga means to Puerto Ricans
The maga is about identity. It is a flower that belongs only to Puerto Rico, it blooms all year, and its strong red is easy to recognize. That is why it shows up in art, jewelry, tattoos and clothing, and why it travels with Puerto Ricans who live abroad.
One famous moment: when hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won Puerto Rico's gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she stepped onto the podium in August 2021 with a flor de maga in her hair while La Borinqueña played. Many viewers first thought it was an amapola, and local press explained that it was the maga, the island's flower symbol.
Where to see the Flor de Maga in Puerto Rico
The maga first grew in the moist limestone hills of western and north-central Puerto Rico. Because people have planted it for generations as an ornamental tree, today you can find it all over the island, in parks, plazas, gardens and along roads, and in the wet forests of El Yunque. It is also grown as an ornamental in Florida, Hawaii and other parts of the Caribbean and Central America.
A few more facts that make it special:
- It flowers and fruits throughout the year.
- Bats help spread its seeds when they eat the pulp of the fruit.
- Its hard wood is durable and resistant to termites, so it has been used for fence posts and furniture.
Can you send Flor de Maga as a bouquet?
Not really. Maga flowers grow on tall trees and florists don't sell them as cut flowers for bouquets. If you want to send something that feels like Puerto Rico, the closest gesture is a bouquet in the maga's own colors, red and deep pink:
- A dozen red roses in Puerto Rico for a birthday, an anniversary or to say te quiero.
- Blush Life, a softer pink arrangement.
- Seasonal Flowers, a colorful mix the local florist makes with the best flowers of the day.
- An orchid plant, a gift that lasts for weeks.
All of them are prepared and hand-delivered by a local florist in Puerto Rico, to San Juan, Bayamón, Carolina, Ponce and towns across the island. Order by 10 AM Puerto Rico time, Monday to Saturday, for same-day delivery, and you pay a flat US$14.95 delivery and service fee. See every option in flower delivery to Puerto Rico.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national flower of Puerto Rico?
The Flor de Maga (Thespesia grandiflora), a red to deep pink, hibiscus-like flower from a tree that is native only to Puerto Rico.
When did the Flor de Maga become official?
On August 1, 2019, with Law 87 of 2019, which adopted it as the flower symbol of the people of Puerto Rico.
When is Flor de Maga Day?
The first Monday of October. In 2027 it falls on October 4.
Is the Flor de Maga the same as the amapola?
No. Amapola is the Puerto Rican name for the hibiscus. The maga looks similar but is a different tree, more closely related to cotton.
Does the Flor de Maga grow outside Puerto Rico?
It grows wild only in Puerto Rico, but it is planted as an ornamental tree in places like Florida and Hawaii.
What is the national tree of Puerto Rico?
The ceiba is widely treated as Puerto Rico's national tree, although that status is traditional rather than set by law. The maga is the official flower.
Photo: Flor de Maga at Hacienda La Esperanza, Manatí, Puerto Rico. Ligocsicnarf89, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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