Cattleya Orchid Source: Northern South America

Showing posts with label Northern South America. Show all posts

Epidendrum xanthinum

Common Name: Yellow Epidendrum Orchid
Native to: Central America, northern South America. Epidendrum xanthinum grows as a terrestrial plant between 1500 and 2200 meters in elevation.
Plant Size: Large. Epidendrum xanthinum has tall, reed-like stems with several alternate leaves along the length.
Flower Size: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
Flower Description: The yellow flowers of Epidendrum xanthinum are clustered at the tip of a 24 inch (60 cm) stem that forms at the top of the cane.
Bloom Season: Spring, Fall
Growing Temperature: Warm to Cool
Additional Information: Epidendrum xanthinum is a terrestrial orchid grows best in well-drained pots with terrestrial orchid mix. Provide even water and fertilizer throughout the year. Stake if the stems become top heavy.
Synonyms: Epidendrum ellipticum var. flavum

Epidendrum umbellatum

Common Name: Umbrella Epidendrum Orchid
Native to: Central America and northern South America and some Caribbean islands. Epidendrum umbellatum is widespread and adapts to growing on trees in many environments and niches.
Plant Size: Medium. Epidendrum umbellatum has stems with several leaves.
Flower Size: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
Flower Description: The flowers of Epidendrum umbellatum are produced freely on a terminal inflorescence.
Bloom Season: Spring
Growing Temperature: Warm to Cool
Additional Information: Epidendrum umbellatum was first described to science in 1788 and is frequently confused with Epidendrum difforme. Grow mounted on cork or tree fern or driftwood. Provide water and fertilizer during the warm months and provide less water and nutrition during cooler months. This species is easy-to-grow.
Synonyms: Epidendrum panegyricum, Neolehmannia difformis

Epidendrum strobiliferum

Common Name: Pine-cone Epidendrum Orchid
Native to: South Florida, Central America, northern South America, Peru, Venezuela. Epidendrum strobiliferum grows on trees in disturbed areas up to 900 meters in elevation.
Plant Size: Miniature. Epidendrum strobiliferum has reed-like stems. The stems grow in an pendant fashion and droop down. There are several fleshy, leathery leaves per stem.
Flower Size: Tiny. 0.25 inches (6 mm)
Flower Description: Epidendrum strobiliferum produces a few small flowers on a short terminal inflorescence that open over a period of time.
Bloom Season: Spring, Fall
Growing Temperature: Warm to Cool
Additional Information: Epidendrum strobiliferum has a pendant growing habit and is best grown mounted on cork bark, tree fern, or driftwood where the plant can hang freely. Provide ample water and fertilizer during warm months and keep the plant on the dry side during winter months. It can be grown with Cattleya orchids but is adaptable to warmer or cooler growing conditions.
Synonyms: Epidendrum mosenii, Epidendrum rodriguesii, Epidendrum strobiliferum var. swartzii, Epidendrum verrecundum. Isochilus ramosus, Spathiger strobiliferus

Epidendrum schomburgkii

Common Name: Schomburgk's Epidendrum
Native to: Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador and the rest of northern South America. Epidendrum schomburgkii grows as a terrestrial plant between 200 and 2000 meters in elevation.
Plant Size: Large. The reed-like leafy stems of Epidendrum schomburgkii grow to more than 1 meter (40 inches) in height. The leaves are leathery.
Flower Size: 1.5 inches (4 cm)
Flower Description: Epidendrum schomburgkii produces flowers on terminal inflorescence. Many flowers bloom over a long period of time.
Bloom Season: Fall to Early Winter
Growing Temperature: Warm
Additional Information: Jay Pfahl reports that "it is easy to grow in wood slat baskets filled with fen rock and OFE Special #2 and with long 4 wire hooks to support the 4 ft stems". Epidendrum schomburgkii is named after the Schomburgk brothers who were German explorers.
Synonyms: Epidendrum ibaguense, Epidendrum incisum, Epidendrum macrocarpum, Epidendrum splendens

Epidendrum hartii

Common Name: Hart's Epidendrum
Native to: Trinidad and northern South America. Epidendrum hartii prefers to grow on trees at higher elevations.
Plant Size: Medium.
Flower Size: Small.
Flower Description: Flowers are produced on terminal inflorescence that are relaxed or pendant. Each growth produces many flowers that bloom just beyond the leaves.
Bloom Season: Spring
Growing Temperature: Warm
Additional Information: Epidendrum hartii was first described to the scientific community in 1894. Grow mounted on cork bark to tree fern fiber plaques or in pots with good drainage. It does best mounted. Provide standard Cattleya orchid growing conditions.
Synonyms: None.

Epidendrum excisum

Common Name: Cut Epidendrum
Native to: Venezuela south to Bolivia. Epidendrum excisum grows on trees or rocks on brushy slopes between 1800 and 4150 meters in elevation.
Plant Size: Large. Epidendrum excisum has upright, leafy reed-like stems.
Flower Size: 1 inch (3 cm)
Flower Description: Lots of flowers are produced on an eleven inch long (28 cm) branched flower stem that develops on mature stems.
Bloom Season: Blooms anytime of the year.
Growing Temperature: Cool
Additional Information: Epidendrum excisum is another large, reed-stem species that prefers cool, moist growing conditions. Grow mounted on cork bark or tree fern or grow in a pot with excellent drainage. Provide water and fertilizer throughout the year. Attractive.
Synonyms: Epidendrum excisum var. grandiflorum

Epidendrum clavatum - Purple Epidendrum

Epidendrum clavatum

Common Name: Purple Epidendrum

Native to: Costa Rica south to northern South America. Epidendrum clavatum is widespread and common. It grows on trees in warm tropical forests where it grows on trees.

Plant Size: Medium. Epidendrum clavatum has pseudobulbs with one leaf.

Flower Size: 1.5 inches (6.5 cm)

Flower Description: Flowers are large and attractive and bloom on a 10 inch (25 cm) long stem. The flower stem develops on freshly matured pseudobulbs. Fragrant.

Bloom Season: Spring to Summer

Growing Temperature: Warm

Additional Information: This fragrant species grows well in pots. Provide even water and fertilizer year-round. Sometimes the flower stem produces "keikis" or baby plants. These can be separated from the stem when they have roots and propagated.

Synonyms: Epidendrum purpurascens

Encyclia guatemalensis

Encyclia guatemalensis

Common Name: Guatemalan Encyclia

Native to: Mexico south to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Trinidad, and the northernmost part of South America. Encyclia guatemalensis is found growing in semi-deciduous forests, oak forests, and xeric scrub habitats between 100 and 1300 meters in elevation. This species prefers to grow on tree limbs.

Plant Size: Medium. Encyclia guatemalensis has egg-shaped pseudobulbs that have two or three tongue-shaped leaves.

Flower Size: 1.5 inches (3.75 cm)

Flower Description: Flowers are creamy white to brownish in color with a lighter colored lip. Mature pseudobulbs produce unbranched or branched infloresences that bear a few to many flowers. The flower stem grows to 24 inches (60 cm) long and is either upright or arching.

Bloom Season: Late Spring

Growing Temperature: Warm to Intermediate

Additional Information: Encyclia guatemalensis is closely related to Encyclia oncidioides. Grow mounted on cork bark, tree fern, or wood or in a pot with good drainage and an open potting media. Provide Cattleya growing conditions with additional warmth for better flowering. It is quite possible that this species is a synonym of Encyclia oncidioides or several other related Encyclia orchid species from the region.

Synonyms: Encyclia alata var. virella; Encyclia belizensis; Epidendrumm alatum var. viridiflorum; Epidendrum belizensis; Epidendrum guatemalensis

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