Leptotes unicolor

Leptotes unicolor

Native to: Leptotes unicolor is native to Brazil where it is found growing in filtered light in forests on branches of trees.

Plant Size: Miniture. The thick, fleshy leaves of Leptotes unicolor only grow to 1.5 inches (4 cm) tall. The plants grow in a pendulous fashion.

Flower Size: 1 inch (2.5 cm). Big in proportion to the plant.

Flower Description: The flowers of Leptotes unicolor are white with violet lips. The flowers are usually cupped and may not open fully.

Bloom Season: Spring. Sometimes Leptotes unicolor blooms again in the fall.

Growing Temperature: Intermediate to Warm

Additional Information: Leptotes unicolor is best grown mounted on driftwood, cork, or tree fern plaques so that it may grow pendulously. Provide ample water during periods of active growth. This species requires less light than cattleyas and needs high humidity. Easy to grow.

Synonyms: Get names

Leptotes tenuis

Leptotes tenuis

Native to: Leptotes tenuis is native to misty forests in southern Brazil where it grows on trees.

Plant Size: Miniture. Leptotes tenuis has cylindrical pseudobulbs and fleshy, narrow leaves.

Flower Size: 0.66 inches (1.5 cm)

Flower Description: The flowers of Leptotes tenuis are fragrant. The flower stem grows above the foliage and bears one or two flowers. The flowers are pendent.

Bloom Season: Winter or Spring

Growing Temperature: Cool to Warm (adaptable)

Additional Information: Due to its pendulous growth habit, Leptotes tenuis needs to be mounted on tree fern. Provide bright, filtered light and lots of humidity. Provide ample water during periods of active growth.
Synonyms: Leptotes minuta; Tetramicra minuta

Leptotes pauloensis

Leptotes pauloensis

Common Name: Sao Paulo Leptotes
Native to: Brazil. Leptotes pauloensis grows on trees.

Plant Size: Miniture.
Flower Size: Small.
Flower Description: Flowers are small and do not open fully.
Bloom Season: Late Summer to Fall.
Growing Temperature: Intermediate

Additional Information: Leptotes pauloensis is a very rare and seldom grown species. If you have experience with this species, please send me an e-mail with some information and I will gladly update this page.
Synonyms: None

Leptotes bohnkianum

Leptotes bohnkianum

Native to: place
Plant Size: size
Flower Size: size
Flower Description: description
Bloom Season: season
Growing Temperature: temp
Additional Information: something interesting
Synonyms: Get names

Leptotes bicolor

Leptotes bicolor

Common Name: Bicolored Leptotes

Native to: Leptotes bicolor grows on trees in subtropical forests near the coast from southern Brazil to Paraguay between 500 to 900 meters.

Plant Size: Miniture. Overall, the plant resembles a miniture Brassavola nodosa in appearance.The leaves of Leptotes bicolor are thick, fleshy, and pencil-like. The pseudobulbs are covered in dry sheaths and are cylindrical. The leaf has a grove on the top side.

Flower Size: 1.5 to 2 inches (3.5-5 cm)

Flower Description: The flowers of Leptotes bicolor are large in proportion to the plant. The 0.75 inch flower stem produces between 1 and 3 flowers and the flowers open one at a time which extends the blooming period. Flowers are white with magenta lips.

Bloom Season: late winter to early spring. Sometimes well-grown plants bloom in the spring and fall.

Growing Temperature: Cool to Warm (Cattleya temperatures are fine)

Additional Information: Grow Leptotes bicolor mounted on tree fern or cork bark. Provide bright light (brighter than Cattleya light) and high humidity. Water frequently to keep it from drying out completely. They rapidly form small clumps when their needs are met.
The seed capsules of Leptotes bicolor are used to flavor some types of ice cream in South America.

Synonyms: Bletia bicolor; Leptotes glaucophylla; Leptotes serrulata; Tetramicra bicolor; Tetramicra serrulata

Rhyncholaelia glauca

Rhyncholaelia glauca

Common Name: Glaucous Beaked Laelia

Native to: Guatemala, Mexico. Rhyncholaelia glauca grows on trees in mountain forests from near sea level to 1500 meters. The original plants were discovered growing near Veracruz, Mexico.

Plant Size: Medium to short. The twisted, fleshy pseudobulbs grow about 12 inches (30 cm) tall and have one fleshy leaf on the top. Rhyncholaelia glauca resembles a small to medium sized unifoliate Cattleya. The pseudobulbs have dried sheaths protecting them from the sun.

Flower Size: 5 inches (12 cm)

Flower Description: The flower of Rhyncholaelia glauca has apple green petals and a white, heart-shaped lip. The margin of the lip is complete, not heavily fringed like Rhyncholaelia digbyana. Occasionally, some flowers will have a pink color. Flowers are very fragrant and have a sweet scent. Flowers have a heavy waxy substance and are long-lived. Flowers emerge from a new growth and have a 4 inch (10 cm) flower stem that produces one flower.

Bloom Season: Late Spring to Summer

Temperature: Intermediate to Warm

Additional Information: This plant grows best mounted on cork bark, tree fern plaques, or slatted baskets. Provide high light and good air circulation. The roots need to dry between watering. Few hybrids have been made using this species.

This species was thought to be a Cattleya species until it flowered when it was first imported to England.

Synonyms: Bletia glauca; Brassavola glauca; Laelia glauca

Rhyncholaelia digbyana

Rhyncholaelia digbyana

Common Name: Digby's Beaked Laelia

Native To: Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras. Rhyncholaelia digbyana is found growing in sunny locations on the Yucatan peninsula. They grow in tangles of brush and are exposed to a lot of sun and air circulation. One author reports that they can be seen growing on the side of the road on the way to Chichen Itza. It has been reported that they are found growing on bushes and among thorny acacia plants in dry areas of Central America.

Plant Size: Medium. Rhyncholaelia digbyana resembles a medium-sized unifoliate Cattleya. The pseudobulbs are stiff and dark green and the foliage is dark green with silver flushes. Sometimes the undersides of the leaves and pseudobulbs are flushed with maroon.

Flower Size: 7 inches (17 cm)

Flower Description: The large flowers are apple green to a greenish cream in color. The lip is impressively frilly and quite distinctive. Rhyncholaelia digbyana var. fimbripetala has frilly petals in addition to the lip. Sometimes there is a picote edge on the lip and a magenta flush on the back side of petals. The plants are quite fragrant at night. Turning on the light will cause the plant to temporarily stop perfume production until darkness commences again. The plant usually produces a single flower from a large sheath. Sometimes two flowers are produced, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Bloom Season: May to August

Growing Temperature: Intermediate, Warm

Additional Information: Rhyncholaelia digbyana needs bright light, intermediate growing temperatures and good air circulation. Although it may be grown successfuly in well drained pots, the plants grow best when mounted on cork or grown in slatted wood or plastic baskets. Rhyncholaelia digbyana is slow to recover from repotting or other tramatic disturbances and may take a year or more to begin new growth. Let the plant dry out between watering to prevent rotting.

Rhyncholaleia digbyana is frequently used to create complex Cattleya hybrids where it is used to bring its fantastic frilly lip to the genetic mix. Sometimes it is used to add a picote edge to the lip in hybrids with other genera. The color of the other parent is dominant in hybrids. The first successful hybrid with this species was flowered in 1889 between Rhyncholaelia digbyana and Cattleya mossiae and was called BC. digbyano-mossiae.

Synonyms: Bletia digbiyana; Brassavola digbyana; Brassavola digbyana var. fimbripetala; Cattleya digbyana; Laelia digbyana; Laelia digbyana var. fimbripetala; Rhyncholaelia digbyanan f. fimbripetala

Schomburgkia weberbaueriana

Schomburgkia weberbaueriana


Common Name: Weberbauer's Schomburgkia
Native to: Schomburgkia weberbaueriana is native to wet mountainous in Peru where it is found growing around 1300 meters in elevation on trees and rocks.
Plant Size: Large. Schomburgkia weberbaueriana has large, tall pseudobulbs with a few long leaves. The plants can form large colonies with time.

Flower Size: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
Flower Description: The flowers of Schomburgkia weberbaueriana are produced on a tall flower spike. Few to several flowers bloom near the tip. The petals and sepals are narrow and twisted.
Bloom Season: Late Spring
Growing Temperature: Intermediate, Warm
Additional Information: Schomburgkia weberbaueriana is another large plant with a tall inflorescence. The flowers are intersting and large plants become impressive specimens. The species was named for a German botanist who was active in the early twentieth century.
Synonyms: Laelia weberbaueriana

Schomburgkia wallisii

Schomburgkia wallisii


Common Name: Wallis' Schomburgkia
Native to: Schomburgkia wallisii is found growing in mountainous forests in Colombia and Venezuela. It grows on tree trunks or boulders.
Plant Size: Large. Schomburgkia wallisii has tall, cylindrical pseudobulbs that become rough-textured with age. Each pseudobulb has one or two tongue-shaped leaves.
Flower Size: Medium
Flower Description: The flowers of Schomburgkia wallisii are clustered at the end of a 16 inch (45 cm) long inflorescence. Flowers are tawny-gold to brown in color. Mature growths produce between 6 and 12 flowers.
Bloom Season: Spring
Growing Temperature: Intermediate to Warm
Additional Information: Schomburgkia wallisii is closely related to Schomburgkia undulate but shares a different geographic distribution and differs in minor floral details.
Synonyms: Bletia wallisii; Cattleya wallisii; Laelia wallisii

Schomburgkia undulata

Schomburgkia undulata

Common Name: Undulate Schomburgkia Orchid

Native to: Schomburgkia undulata is native to Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Venezuela. It is found growing near the Pacific coast on large trees or boulders in strong light between 600 and 1200 meters in elevation.

Plant Size: Large. The tapered, shiny pseudobulbs of Schomburgkia undulata carry two or three rigid leaves. Schomburgkia undulata can grow to become a massive specimen with time.

Flower Size: 2 inches (5 cm)

Flower Description: Twenty or so short-lived flowers are clustered at the end of a two to six foot long flower spike. The flowers of Schomburgkia undulata are unusually wavy and undulate. Usually fragrant.

Bloom Season: Fall to Spring

Growing Temperature: Intermediate to Warm

Additional Information: Grow Schomburgkia undulata in a slatted wood basket or mounted on driftwood or cork bark. Provide ample water when new growth begins and reduce watering when the pseudobulbs mature. Provide bright light (brighter than average Cattleya conditions).

Synonyms: Bletia excelsa; Bletia undulata; Cattleya undulata; Laelia undulata; Schomburgkia lueddemannii; Schomburgkia quesneliana; Schomburgkia violacea