Cochleanthes
Flying bird? Incredible insect? Angel from above? The wonderful flowers of this Cochleanthes have a power to captivate. Its large white and purple blooms can be 4 inches (10 cm) tall.
This species is native to a vast area of the Amazon Rainforest, across Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The flowers may look delicate, but they’re thick and waxy, and can hold up for months. This type typically blooms in fall and winter.
Thin leaves without pseudobulbs mean this orchid has little capability to store water. It needs daily watering and high humidity. Mine grows in shady conditions, and receives only a little morning sun. The name is easier to figure out than the captivating flower shape; to pronounce Cochleanthes, say “coke-lee-ANN-these.”
Explore posts in the same categories: Fragrant Orchids, Intermediate Growers, Photos, Watering
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October 20th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
I’ve had several Cochleanthes through the years and I never stop marveling at the delicate beauty of its blooms. Unfortunately, they never last more than 7 days. I guess I haven’t been effectively emulating the Amazon rainforest environment which they love.
As a matter of fact, it looks like one of them will unfurl its glorious flowers any day now.
October 20th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Gorgeous flowers! Thanks for your post.
October 22nd, 2011 at 8:54 am
Thank you so much for this blog! Information that I found here was very usefull for me=)
October 31st, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Love it! Those are very pretty flowers. Thanks for the great post.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:54 am
Wonderful Flowers! They look like real angels to me!
November 12th, 2011 at 6:27 am
Really interesting flower, keep up the good work!
November 20th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Hi there. These are just beautiful. Gorgeous photos. Thanks for the post.
December 19th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Quite intriguing information !Perfect just what I was seeking for!