A Little Epidendrum Species
This orchid doesn’t win any points for being showy. Nobody gasps in delight when they see its flowers, or gushes over its colors. Epidendrum peperomia is a mini orchid species with flowers that remind me of beetles. It’s quite distinct from its larger orchid relatives, like the reed-stem Epidendrums, which flaunt tall clusters of brilliant blooms.
Despite this apparent lack of glamour, this species has its charms. The flowers are relatively large compared to the leaves, and the flower lips feature a rich maroon color. It’s known as an easy grower and easy bloomer, and it can form an impressively large mat of leaves with masses of 1 inch (2.5 cm) flowers.
This Epidendrum is native to a wide area from Mexico through Central America, and south through the Andes to Bolivia. It grows well mounted or in shallow pots. Provide morning sun, regular water, and winter dormancy. Scientists have debated where this species fits in the orchid family tree, so it sometimes appears under older names like Epidendrum porpax or Nanodes porpax. No matter the name, there’s more to this little orchid species than meets the eye.
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