Waling-waling

The orchid is considered to be the "Queen of Philippine flowers" and is worshiped as a diwata by the indigenous Bagobo people.[5] The Philippine Orchid Society, which incorporates an image of the flower in its logo, states that the species has three varieties:[7] Vanda sanderiana is endemic to Mindanao in the provinces of Davao, Cotabato, and Zamboanga where it is found on the trunks of dipterocarp trees at elevations below 500 meters.[8] In 2004, a motion was filed in the House of Representatives of the Philippines to declare the Waling-waling as the country's national flower, replacing the Sampaguita.[9][10] In 2013, a bill was passed by the Philippine Senate declaring the Waling-waling as a national flower alongside the Sampaguita.[11] However, the House Bill 5655 was vetoed by President Benigno Aquino III citing that other means were available to promote the protection and preservation of the orchid without declaring it a second national flower.
V. sanderiana var. alba. The petals are actually light green, not the yellow-green in the photo.
Scientific classificationPlantaeTracheophytesAngiospermsMonocotsAsparagalesOrchidaceaeEpidendroideaeBinomial nameSynonymsRchb.f.SchlechterorchidPhilippinesHenry Frederick Conrad SanderorchidologistdiwataBagoboHeinrich Gustav ReichenbachThe Gardeners' ChroniclesepalspetalslabellumDavao del SurSouth CotabatoepiphyteMindanaoCotabatodipterocarphybridizationHouse of Representatives of the PhilippinesSampaguitanational flowerBenigno Aquino IIIPlants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, KewNational symbols of the PhilippinesCoat of armsFilipino languageFilipino Sign LanguageGreat SealLupang HinirangMaka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan at MakabansaPhilippine eaglePhilippine pearlAnahawBahay kuboBalangayBarongBaro't sayaBayan KoBaybayinCarabaoCariñosaJeepneyJuan dela CruzLechonMalacañang PalaceManilaMilkfishNational SealPhilippine pesoSinigangTiniklingNational heroesAndrés BonifacioJosé RizalBenigno Aquino Jr.Martyrs and heroes during the martial law periodNational Heroes DayVeterans of the Second World WarApolinario MabiniCorazon AquinoEmilio AguinaldoGabriela SilangJuan LunaMarcelo H. del PilarMelchora AquinoSultan Dipatuan KudaratWikidataWikispeciesiNaturalistOpen Tree of LifeSpecies+TropicosPlant List