AboutOrchids

These tiny, charming flowers belong to a Stenoglottis, one of the easiest African orchids to grow. With purple polka dots and fringed lips, the flowers provide an enchanting show from late summer though autumn. Dozens of blooms are crowded onto each flower spike, and open sequentially over a few months.

This Stenoglottis is not an air plant like most commonly cultivated orchids. Instead it’s a terrestrial, and can grow in regular potting soil. In its native South African home, it also grows on rocks and rotting logs. Its blooms remain even as its leaves drop before going dormant in winter. I’ve already curtailed watering, and I’ll let it stay dry for its next few months. Eventually the final blooms will fade as well. In spring, new leaves will start to grow from the fleshy roots, and I’ll increase watering and fertilizing.

Explore posts in the same categories: Dormancy, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Photos

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 3:58 pm and is filed under Dormancy, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Photos.

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