Cantua buxifolia "Sacred flower of the Incas"
The Cantua buxifolia is an evergreen shrub found mostly in the southern Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia. It is called the magic berry because it has strong resemblance to the legendary " magician's berry" which legend has it, is able to give any person who consumes it supernatural powers. These berries are small, about one inch across, with a long tubular shape.
It is the smallest of the bracts and the most widely distributed among the species in the genus Cantua. Cantua buxifolia are found on the taper ridges in the mountains of Peru and Bolivia. These shrubs produce flowers that are small and yellow-orange in color, with a distinctive odor. The flowers have a long tube and are oblong-shaped and up to three inches long. There are several subspecies of the cantua buxifolia plant with different colors of flowers and different species with different flower buds and pods.
Some species are said to be the sacred flower of Peru, others believe it to be sacred to the Andes mountain. The flowers are part of the hummingbird family, along with several other rare species. The Cantua buxifolia is considered as a separate species all its own from the more common and popular cacoocavallo. The two varieties of this plant are commonly confused with each other though they are actually very different plants. However, research done by Carl R. Poindexter showed that there is a difference between the two and they are actually different subspecies of the same plant.
Cantua is a big part of the Andean mythology and it is often mentioned as the holy flower of the Incas. This tall tubular flowers are said to be the height of fashion in the ancient civilization of the Incas. It was also rumored that the Incas' queens slept with the flowers in their arms and it was them who provided the Incas with water and food throughout their long journeys. The tall and delicate flowers were also said to bring good fortune to the Inca rulers during their rule.
Cantua is a large plant with a tubular inflorescence that blooms in bright colors. The tubular flowers are covered with a powdery white veil which hangs in the branches of the trees. This plant blooms in late summer in the dry deserts and hot arid climates. It prefers alkaline and humid climates. It has been used in Mexico for thousands of years as a medicine and as a food for the poor. As a medicine it is used to treat urinary tract disorders, to help with eye problems, and to treat skin inflammations.
Cantua buxifolia is a relative of the evergreen shrub Origanum vulgare that is native to Peru. The two plants look very similar, and share some of the same medicinal uses. They both grow in lush tropical gardens, and both have long tubular flowers that bloom in the early summer. Both origanum and cantua buxifolia are used to make Peruvian Magic Tree tea that is used by many people to treat urinary tract disorders. Cantua bupea blooms in the late summer and late autumn in the dry hills of the Southern Oahu Island, and the flowers are used as table decorations.
In many households in rural Peru, the sacred flower is considered the most beautiful object, and is used as a common household decoration plant along with ceramic dishes, picture frames, and other such items.