Today’s Doodle celebrates the Independence Day of the country often called the gateway to South America: Colombia. On this day in 1810, residents of Bogotá called for freedom from Spanish rule. This crucial event resulted in a temporary independence that helped pave the way for Colombia’s eventual permanent sovereignty. 

Featured in today’s Doodle artwork is Colombia’s national flower, the Cattleya trianae. Also known in Spanish as the Flor de Mayo (May Flower), the Cattleya trianae orchid commonly grows throughout the cloud forests of the Colombian Andes. 

Colombia is home to upwards of 4,000 unique species of orchid, more than any other country in the world, and the Cattleya trianae is among 1,500 varieties that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Named after Colombian botanist José Jerónimo Triana, the Cattleya trianae was chosen as the country’s national flower in 1936 due to its red, blue, and yellow coloring, the same as the stripes of Colombia’s flag. 

¡Feliz Día de la Independencia, Colombia! Happy Independence Day!