As our plane began to descend towards the runway in San Jose, I was struck by how green the rolling mountains of central Costa Rica are. The warm climate and large amounts of rain make Costa Rica the perfect place for a wide variety of plants. Costa Rica has been shown to have the most diverse fauna of any country in the world, and I feel like I got a good glimpse today as we drove from the airport to our hotel this afternoon. Some of the most beautiful flowers I have seen so far are several species of orchids.

In Costa Rica alone, there are over 1,300 species of different orchids. No plant family is more diverse than orchids. After all, the orchid family is the largest plant family, occupying almost all possible environments. In all scientists estimate that there are at least 25,000-30,000 different species of orchid on the planet.

They come in all colors of the rainbow, each with a distinct blossom and environment. Some orchids produce blossoms no larger than a mosquito; other orchid flowers are as large as a dinner plate.

Each species of orchid also has a specific environmental area and range that it occurs in. In fact orchids are so specific that some species are only found in certain trees at certain elevations and only bloom for a few days each year. I can't wait to get out in the rain forest and learn more about these amazing plants.