The Quindío wax palm is Colombia’s national tree and the tallest palm in the world. It can grow over 50 meters. It lives between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level, and Cocora is one of the few places where you can still see whole forests of them.
Three things few people know:
It grows very slowly. It spends years as a low plant before it starts to rise. The palms you see in photos are decades old.
The ones standing alone in pastures are at risk. The palm needs the forest to reproduce. Where the forest was cleared for cattle, the adult palms are still standing, but no new ones grow. That is why Cocora’s most famous landscape is also a warning sign.
It is protected by law. It cannot be cut down and its leaves cannot be used. They used to be cut for Palm Sunday.
Where to see it
- In the valley: the short route to the viewpoint, or the walk down the ridge at the end of the loop.
- From Lumbre: the hotel sits within the palm’s habitat. In the Suite Cielo you see them from bed.
Plant one
At Lumbre you can plant your own wax palm in its habitat. The seedling comes from a nursery and you plant it with someone from our team. It costs COP 60,000. Many couples plant one on an anniversary and come back years later to see how it is doing.
