Brassavola venosa

Brassavola venosa

Common Name: The Veined Lip Brassavola

Native to: Brassavola venosa is found growing at low elevations from Costa Rica to Honduras. It grows on trees in dry forest environments below 350 meters in elevation.

Plant Size: Small to Medium.

Flower Size: 4.75 inches (11 cm)

Flower Description: The flower of Brassavola venosa is very similar to Brassavola nodosa. This species has raised veins or ridges on the lip to differentiate it.

Bloom Season: Spring. Sometimes Brassavola venosa blooms twice per year.

Growing Temperature: Warm, Intermediate

Additional Information: This species is closely related to Brassavola nodosa and can be grow in a similar manner. Grow on plaques or mounts and provide bright light and good air circulation. Water heavily during the growing season and reduce watering during cooler months. Easy to grow.

Synonyms: Bletia venosa; Brassavola nodosa var. venosa

Brassavola tuberculata

Brassavola tuberculata

Common Name: Rough or Tuberculated Brassavola
Native to: Brassavola tuberculata is native to Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia where it grows on trees in the hot, humid savannahs.

Plant Size: Medium. Brassavola tuberculata has narrow, cylindrical pseudobulbs and narrow, terete leaves. Stems are somewhat pendent.

Flower Size: 2.5 inches to 3 inches

Flower Description: The petals and sepals are green in color. The lip is white with a solid margin.

Bloom Season: Late Spring, Early Summer

Growing Temperature: Warm, Intermediate

Additional Information: Brassavola tuberculata grows best mounted on cork bark mounts. Provide lots of water during the growing season and less during the winter.

Synonyms: Bletia tuberculata; Brassavola fragrans; Brassavola gibbsiana; Brassavola trinervis; Brassavola tuberculata; Tulexis bicolor

Brassavola retusa

Brassavola retusa


Common Name: Retuse Brassavola
Native to: Brazil and Peru. Brassavola retusa grows on trees.
Plant Size: Medium. Slender, fleshy leaves of Brassavola retusa grow on top of narrow pseudobulbs. Leaves are narrow and dark green.
Flower Size: Medium
Flower Description: The flowers of Brassavola retusa have narrow, greenish petals and sepals and a broad white lip. Flowers are fragrant.
Bloom Season: Fall
Growing Temperature: Intermediate, Warm
Additional Information: The nomenclature of Brassavola retusa is in flux right now. More will be posted when I can figure it all out.
Synonyms: Bletia retusa; Brassavola revoluta

Brassavola perrinii

Brassavola perrinii

Common Name: Perrin's Brassavola

Native to: Brassavola perrinii is found growing in Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina.

Plant Size: Small to Medium. Brassavola perinii is pendent and the leaves and pseudobulbs droop. The leaves are fleshy and terete and the pseudobulbs are narrow and cylindrical.

Flower Size: 2.5 to 5 inches

Flower Description: The flowers of Brassavola perinii are star-shaped with narrow, pointed olive green petals and sepals. The lip is white and broad and heart-shaped. Flowrs are fragrant. Flowers of Brassavola perrinii grow on a short flower spike and three to six flowers bloom on each inflorescence.

Bloom Season: Spring, Summer

Growing Temperature: Warm to Hot

Additional Information: This species is quite attractive and grows well mounted on cork, wood, or tree fern plaques. Provide ample water and fertilizer during the growing season and reduce water during the cooler winter months. Provide bright light, good air circulation, and high humidity.

Synonyms: Brassavola fragrans

Brassavola nodosa

Brassavola nodosa

Common Name: Lady of the Night

Native to: Brassavola nodosa is native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Venezuela. It is quite common along the Gulf Coast of Mexico where it is found growing below 500 meters. This species is also found growing on the Pacific Coast of the Mexican state of Chiapas. Trees, mangroves, and coastal cliffs are where the plants are found growing. There is a pronounced winter dry season.

Plant Size: Medium. The pseudobulbs are slender and have fleshy terete leaves that are shallowly notched. Pseudobulbs grow to 6 inches (15 cm) tall and the overall height of the plant reaches up to 18 inches (45 cm). Leaves grow 4 inches to 12 inches long (10-30 cm) and are quite narrow.

Flower Size: 3.5 inches (8 cm)

Flower Description: Fragrant at night. The flowers of Brassavola nodosa has narrow, pointed petals and sepals that are olive green. The lip is white and heart-shaped with a non-frilly margin. Flowers are fragrant at night. The 6 inch (15 cm) flower spike produces between one and six long-lasting flowers.

Bloom Season: Spring. Sometimes twice a year.

Growing Temperature: Warm, Intermediate

Additional Information: Brassavola nodosa is an easy-to-grow orchid that is great for beginners and rewarding for experienced growers. Medium to bright light is required (2500-3500 footcandles). Provide high humidity and good air circulation. Brassavola nodosa is best grown mounted on wood, cork plaques, or tree fern mounts. Provide ample water and fertilizer during the growing season and cut back water during the winter.
This species has been extensively used in producing easy-to-grow hybrids. Many people start off with this species and its hybrids because they are easy to grow and flower more than once a year.

Synonyms: Bletia nodosa; Bletia rhopalorrhachis; Brassavola gillettei; Cymbidium nodosum; Epidendrum nodosum

Brassavola martiana

Brassavola martiana

Native to: Brassavola martiana is native to Guyana in northern South America. It is also found growing at low elevations in Bolivia, Brazil, Surinam, the Guyanas, Venezuela and Colombia below 1000 meters. It grows on trees.

Plant Size: Medium to large. Brassavola martiana has pencil-like pseudobulbs and terete, fleshy leaves that have a shallow v-shaped channel that runs down the center of the leaf. The leaves are longer than Brassavola ceboletta but shorter than Brassavola cucullata. Foliage is dark green or olive green in color. The plants are upright.

Flower Size: Small. Flowers range from one inch to three inches across.

Flower Description: The scent of Brassavola martiana is small but powerfully fragrant. The scent of Brassavola martiana has been described as very floral with hints of jasmine and gardenia. The petals and sepals are olive green. The lip is small and spade-shaped with a frilly margin. Flowers are long-lived and fragrant at night.

Bloom Season: Spring

Growing Temperature: Warm, Intermediate

Additional Information: Brassavola martiana grows best mounted on wood, a tree branch, or cork plaque. Reduce watering during the cooler months of the year and provide copious water and fertilizer while new growth is developing.
Synonyms: Bletia amazonica; Bletia attenuata; Brassavola angustata; Bletia martiana; Brassavola amazonica; Brassavola angustata; Brassavola duckeana; Brassavola multiflora; Brassavola martiana var. multiflora; Brassavola surinamensis

Brassavola fragrans

Brassavola fragrans


Common Name: Fragrant Brassavola

Native to: Brassavola fragrans is native to Brazil where it grows on trees.

Plant Size: Brassavola fragrans is a medium size epiphyte has a pendent habit and hangs gracefully from a mount.
Flower Size: Medium.

Flower Description: The flowers of Brassavola fragrans has olive green petals and sepals and a cream to white colored lip. The flowers are fragrant. The branched inflorescence bears few to many flowers. Well grown plants can produce impressive displays of flowers.
Bloom Season: Blooms in the fall.
Growing Temperature: Warm, Intermediate.
Additional Information: Brassavola fragrans is much less common than some other species in the genus and should be grown in collections more often. Grow mounted on wood or cork mounts. Cut back on watering during the winter months. This species is thought to be closely related to Brassavola flagellaris.
Synonyms: None

Brassavola flagellaris

Brassavola flagellaris

Common Name: Whip-leafed Brassavola

Native to: Brazil. Brassavola flagellaris is found growing on rocks and trees.

Plant Size: Medium to large. Brassavola flagellaris has a creeping rhizome that produces cylindrical, erect pseudobulbs. Each pseudobulb has one long, creased, fleshy dark green leaf. New growths produce flowers on a branched inflorescence.

Flower Size: 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches (6-7.5 cm)

Flower Description: Brassavola flagellaris has very narrow petals and sepals that are green in color. The lip is broad and rounded and white in color. The branched infloresence grows to 6 inches (15 cm) long and produces up to 15 flowers. Flowers are fragrant.

Bloom Season: Spring to Summer

Growing Temperature: Warm to Hot

Additional Information: Brassavola flagellaris is best grown mounted on wood plaques or cork mounts. Water heavily and provide high humidity year round. It grows well under warm cattleya conditions.

Synonyms: None

Brassavola cucullata

Brassavola cucullata

Common Name: Hooded Brassavola

Native to: Mexico, Central America, Northern South America, and the West Indies. Widespread.
Brassavola cucullata grows on trees in coastal rain forests between sea level and 1800 meters in elevation.

Plant Size: Medium. The slender pseudobulbs of Brassavola cucullata are erect and have a single, fleshy green leaf. The plant has one leaf per pseudobulb. Dried sheaths cover the pseudobulbs.

Flower Size: 7 inches (17 cm)

Flower Description: This species has white flowers with slender petals and sepals that droop dramatically. Brassavola cucullata has a nocturnally fragrant flower. Some describe the fragrance as skunk-like and unpleasant. Flowers touched by cold weather may have a reddish coloration. There are one or two flowers per growth and they grow on an 8 inch (20 cm) long stem.

Bloom Season: Summer to Fall.

Growing Temperature: Warm to Cool. Intermediate is preferred.

Additional Information: Brassavola cucullata is the type species for the genus Brassavola.

Synonyms: Bletia cucullata; Brassavola appendiculata; Brassavola cucullata var. cuspidata; Brassavola cucullata var elegans; Brassavola cuspidata; Brassavola elongata; Brassavola odorattissima; Cymbidium cucullatum; Epidendrum cucullatum

Brassavola cordata

Brassavola cordata

Common Name: Heart-lipped Brassavola
Native to: Jamaica. This species is found growing on trees.
Plant Size: Medium to large. The robust leaves of Brassavola cordata are long, fleshy, and deeply channeled.
Flower Size: 1 3/4 inches (4 cm)

Flower Description: The petals and sepals on Brassavola cordata are apple green. The heart-shaped lip is white in color. Flowers are fragrant at night and have an attractive citrus scent. The mature pseudobulb produces a 6 inch (15 cm) long branched stem that produces up to 6 flowers. Brassavola cordata has long-lived flowers.
Bloom Season: Summer to Fall

Growing Temperature: Warm

Additional Information: Brassavola cordata is best grown mounted on cork bark, tree fern plaques or wood slabs. Provide heavy water during the growing season and reduce slightly after the newest pseudobulbs mature. Provide warm cattleya growing conditions with ample humidity and air circulation. This species should be correctly called Brassavola subuliflolia but it was published in such an obscure journal that it was not discovered until the Brassavola cordata was established as the accepted name.
Synonyms: Bletia cordata; Bletia nodosa var. cordata;Brassavola harrisii; Brassavola nodosa; Brassavola nodosa subsp. cordata; Brassavola sloanei; Brassavola stricta; Brassavola subuliflolia; Lysimnia bicolor

Brassavola cebolleta

Brassavola cebolleta


Common Name: Onion-leafed Brassavola
Native to: Brazil, Paraguay. Brassavola cebolleta grows on trees in hot, dry forests and cliffs.
Plant Description: The foliage of Brassavola cebolleta is long, terete and pendent. The pseudobulbs are slender and pencil like. The foliage looks somewhat like chives or onion leaves.
Flower Size: 2 inches (5 cm)

Flower Description: Flowers of Brassavola cebolleta are white with a greenish cast. The lip is greenish-white or white. Sometimes the petals have a reddish flush on the rear.

Bloom Season: Late Spring, Summer, Fall. May and June is the peak bloom season.

Temperature: Hot, Warm

Additional Information: Brassavola cebolleta grows and flowers best when it has ample light, humidity, and water. Watering should be reduced when the newest pseudobulbs mature and harden. Best grown mounted on cork or a tree branch. Uncommon in cultivation.
Synonyms: Bletia ceboletta; Brassavola chacoensis; Brassavola reginae; Brassavola ovaliformis; Brassavola 'bahiensis'

Brassavola acaulis

Brassavola acaulis

Common Name: The Stemless Brassavola

Native to: Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico. Brassavola acaulis is native to moist forested foothills where it grows on tree branches. Its center of distribution is located in Costa Rica.

Plant Description: The fleshy terete leaves of Brassavola acaulis are pendent (hang from the rhizome) and up to 0.75 inches (2 cm) wide. The leaves grow between 16 and 32 inches (40-80 cm) long. The rhizome creeps along the substrate. Like Cattleya walkeriana, this species produces flower stems from the rhizome rather than from the top of the pseudobulb. It alternates producing new leaf growths with flower stems. Foliage is dark green in color.

Flower Size: 2 3/4 inches to 3 1/4 inches (7-8 cm)

Flower Description: One flower is produced on an inflorescence that grows from the rhizome. The petals and sepals of Brassavola acaulis are greenish-white and the lip is white in color. Flowers are waxy. Fragrant at night.

Bloom Season: May-July

Temperature: Warm

Additional Information: Brassavola acaulis needs to be grown mounted on cork or a tree branch since the foliage is pendent. Provide bright light and Cattleya conditions with high humidity and good air circulation. Let the plant dry out between watering and reduce water some during the winter when temperatures are cooler.

Synonyms: Bletia acaulis; Bletia lineata; Brassavola lineata; Brassavola mathieuana

Brassavola

Brassavola

The orchid genus Brassavola is closely related to the genus Cattleya and is frequently used in Cattleya hybrids (the B in BLC.). There are 18 species of small or medium sized plants epiphytic plants. The genus has white or cream-colored flowers and most are heavily fragrant at night. Each flower exudes a pleasant citrus scent. In the wild, they are pollinated by moths. Each pencil-like pseudobulb is topped with one long, fleshy leaf. Flowers are relatively large for the size of the plant. Petals and sepals and elongated and the lip is wider and flaring.

The genus was named for an Italian doctor by the name of A. M. Brassavole.

Brassavola Species Orchids

• Brassavola acaulis
• Brassavola cebolleta
• Brassavola cordata
• Brassavola cucullata
• Brassavola flagellaris
• Brassavola fragrans
• Brassavola martiana
• Brassavola nodosa
• Brassavola perrinii
• Brassavola retusa
• Brassavola tuberculata
• Brassavola venosa