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Plants & Animals |
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As you already know, Guatemala has a diverse climate. There are deserts, rainforests, mountains, and lakes. Because the landscape is so varied, the kinds of plants and animals that live there are varied too.
Thousands of plant species thrive in Guatemala, ranging form cacti in the desert to mangroves in the swamps along the coast. |
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Mangroves |
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There are forests high on top of the mountains known as cloud forests. Because they have such a high elevation, they are constantly covered in mist. The abundant moisture leads to an abundance of plant life. The floor of the cloud forests is covered with moss, ferns, and orchids. Vines connect the trees, which are usually covered with plant called bromeliads. |
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Cloud Forest Tree covered with Bromeliads |
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The rainforest in the Pet้n contains many different kinds of trees including the sapodilla, various types of palms and the ceiba. The cebia tree was sacred to the Maya. It can grow up to 200 feet tall and be as big as 6 feet across. Parts of the Pet้n that are not rainforest are home to grasslands and pine forests. |
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Ceiba Tree |
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The national flower of Guatemala is an orchid called la monja blanca (the white nun). |
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La Monja Blanca |
