Copihue/ Chilean bell pepper/ Lapageria Rosea is the national flower of Chile. It is one of the most well-known Chilean flora, the bellflower. It is usually in the red-pinkish shade, and quite hardly ever it can be found in nature albine flowers. The fruits are edible with pleasant sweet flavor, especially if they are not ripened. The ripened fruits have hard seeds, and consuming turns into a pain.
Lapageria Rosea Facts:
Lapageria Rosea is actually evergreen plant it can attain a length of over 10 m. It flourishes between 40 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Once in the 1960s, the fruit of the Lapageria was sold to be eaten. However, after the deforestation, the plant was getting quite rare. So the Chilean government provided it with some legal protection. The plant really hates direct sunlight and is affectionate to shade of trees. For cultivation of Lapageria, slightly acidic moist soil is required. Moreover, stored seeds hardly germinate and wet seeds have better germination rate. For best cultivation results a temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit along with 50% humidity should be provided.
Why is Lapageria Rosea the national flower of Chile ?
As the flower is native to the people of Chile it is chosen as the national flower of Chile. The flower was even provided special legal protection for the sake of its conservation.