Stanhopea embreei Dodson (1975.)

   This large epiphyte plant produces pendent flower stalks at the base of the new growth.
Flowers are very fragrant.

   Occurs from Nicaragua to Venezuela and Peru.

Stanhopea wardii Lindley ex Loddiges (1841.)

Rossioglossum (Odontoglossum) grande commemorates John Ross, who collected orchids between 1820-1830 in Mexico.

The six members recognized in this genus occur from Mexico to Panama.

Its flowers are the largest in the genus, mesauring 5-6 inches across and the inflorescence bears 4-7 flowers.

R. grande is a montane species living up to 2.700 m altitude; its flowers are open for 3-4 weeks or even longer if the plant is kept under cold, dry conditions.

In cultivation it can adapt to warmer conditions and being an indeed sturdy orchid, it can be grown even in a living room, just like any other, common ornamental plant.

R. williamsianum may appear rather similar to R. grande, however, it is a rainforest species living in the mountains of Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras up to 1,000 m altitude.

Its flower spikes are definitely longer, up to twice the height of R. grande, produced in the early summer, bearing 14 or more somewhat smaller flowers.

The growth periods of the two species are also different, R. williamsianum commencing growth when R. grande is nearing completion.

This orchid is also particularly suitable for home cultivation, on a windowsill but has to be protected from direct sunlight during the warm summer periods.

Epidendrum ibaguense is common throughout tropical America.

It is terrestrial, growing at certain places in large masses even as a roadside pioneer weed on road banks.

The clone shown here is a selected form, the wild plants of this highly variable species have orange to brick red flowers.

Due to its wast range and variability it was described many times under various names. Its most frequently used invalid synonym is E. radicans Pavon ex Lindley.

This is one of the first - if not the very first - orchid of many orchid enthusiasts.

Barring tourmix blenders, if you can manage to kill it somehow then better forget for good growing orchids at all ...

Brassavola nodosa (Linnaeus) Lindley (1831.)

Encyclia cochleata is one of the very first orchids imported into Europe. It was described for the first time in 1703 by C. Plumier as Helleborine cochleato flore.

The Encyclia generic name is derived from the Greek enkileyin (to encircle) and refers to the lip encircling the column. The cochleata specific name means "cockleshell-shaped", referring again to the shape of the lip.

In the overwhelming majority of orchids during flower development the ovarium becomes twisted by 180 degrees. The phenomenon is called resupination - and in this orchid it does not take place. Whether this orchid is a honest one and the others are cheaters or vice-versa that is up to you...

This is the plant that I am most proud of:
Leptotes bicolor 'Linda Fortner'.

In February 1993 we sent this plant to Denver to an AOS judging show. We were hoping for a "cultural" award. Since this is a species that is usually all you can hope for. We were awarded the HCC award which is the "Highly Commended Certificate."

Leptotes received 79 points.

We grew it mounted to tree fern fiber and it was loaded with blooms, over 22 of them!

This orchid is very fragrant: it has a fragrance resembling to vanilla - "leptotes" means "delicateness" in Greek, an apt name for this charming little orchid, indeed.

It comes from Brazil and Paraguay, where the two more species included into this small genus, namely L. tenuis and the more frequently cultivated L. unicolor also occur.

The Schomburgkia genus was established by Lindley and contains about a dozen species split by certain authors into two genera (Schomburgkia and Myrmecophyla) while others lump them together with Laelia. The genus is dedicated to Sir Richard Schomburgk (1811-1897), explorer of Guayana discovering many plants and animals there.

From the point of view of the practical orchid hobbyist the most important implication is that there are indeed two, distinctly different groups of these orchids requiring different treatments in cultivation.

One group has long pseudobulbs open near to the root neck and the hollow inside is harbouring ant nests in their natural habitats. These were separated by Rolfe into the Myrmecophyla ("ant-lover" in Latin) genus.
They are large epiphytes with long flower spikes: can be cultivated without ants but may be quite troublesome due to their large size and unruly behaviour in pots or large buckets.

The species shown here belongs in the group with short, fusiform, ribbed pseudobulbs. S. superbiens is native to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.
Prefers lots of light and ample watering during vegetative growth.

Warning! All Schomburgkia species do hate repotting!
If you must then put them in baskets rather than pots and when need arises just place the whole plant into a larger one without tampering with its roots!