{"id":47585,"date":"2025-11-21T20:14:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T04:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/?p=47585"},"modified":"2025-12-20T10:54:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T18:54:59","slug":"mini-pleurothallis-orchids-make-a-big-impression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2025\/11\/21\/mini-pleurothallis-orchids-make-a-big-impression\/","title":{"rendered":"Mini Pleurothallis Orchids Make a Big Impression"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_4_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49847 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_4_1000px-128x128.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis viduata, orchid species flower, white and purple flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_4_1000px-128x128.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_4_1000px-300x300.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_4_1000px-768x768.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_4_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_5_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49848 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_5_1000px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis viduata, orchid species flower, white and purple flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_5_1000px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_5_1000px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_5_1000px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_5_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_1_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49844 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_1_1000px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis viduata, orchid species flower, white and purple flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_1_1000px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_1_1000px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_1_1000px.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_6_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49849 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_6_1000px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis viduata, orchid species flower, white and purple flower, water drops on flower and leaves, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_6_1000px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_6_1000px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_6_1000px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_6_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_2_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49845 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_2_1000px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis viduata, orchid species flower, white and purple flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_2_1000px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_2_1000px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_2_1000px.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_3_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49846 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_3_1000px-128x128.jpg\" alt=\"Pleurothallis viduata, orchid species flower, white and purple flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_3_1000px-128x128.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_3_1000px-300x300.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_3_1000px-768x768.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_viduata_3_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pleurothallis orchids don&#8217;t have the largest or most colorful flowers, but they can be fascinating. These two species exemplify their charms. In the photos above, the first is <em>Pleurothallis viduata<\/em>, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/category\/mini-orchids\/\">miniature<\/a> from Ecuador.\u00a0\u00a0I bought it at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2025\/08\/07\/photos-from-orchids-in-the-park-2025\/\">Orchids in the Park<\/a> this past July. Its white and purple flowers bob in the breeze on thin, wiry stems, resembling little white birds in flight. So far, it&#8217;s stayed in bloom for over two months.<\/p>\n<p>The photos below show the Clam Shell Orchid, <em>Pleurothallis palliolata<\/em>, native to Costa Rica and Panama. I&#8217;ve had it for ages, and it&#8217;s a very reliable bloomer. The unusual blossoms emerge from the tops of the leaves, and look like clams sticking out their tongues.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_1_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49838 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_1_1000px-128x128.jpg\" alt=\"Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, orchid species flower, weird flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_1_1000px-128x128.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_1_1000px-300x300.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_1_1000px-768x768.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_1_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_2_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49839 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_2_1000px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, orchid species flower, weird flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_2_1000px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_2_1000px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_2_1000px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_2_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_4_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49841 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_4_1000px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, orchid species flower and leaf, weird flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_4_1000px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_4_1000px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_4_1000px.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_3_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49840 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_3_1000px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, orchid species flowers, weird flowers, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_3_1000px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_3_1000px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_3_1000px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_3_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_5_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49842 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_5_1000px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, orchid species flower and bud on top of leaf, weird flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_5_1000px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_5_1000px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_5_1000px.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_6_1000px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49843 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_6_1000px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, orchid species flower bud emerging from top of leaf, weird flower, mini orchid, pleurothallid, blooming outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_6_1000px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_6_1000px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_6_1000px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Pleurothallis_palliolata_6_1000px.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Both of these <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/17\/pleurothallids\/\">pleurothallids<\/a> are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/category\/cool-growers\/\">cool growers<\/a> from mountain cloud forests. They seem to be less demanding than other finicky species, at least when living outdoors on the foggy northern California coast. They need regular <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/water.html\">water<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/humidity.html\">high humidity<\/a>. I <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/potting.html\">repot<\/a> every few years using small bark and perlite. Despite their size, these mini orchids leave a big impression.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pleurothallis orchids don&#8217;t have the largest or most colorful flowers, but they can be fascinating. These two species exemplify their charms. In the photos above, the first is Pleurothallis viduata, a miniature from Ecuador.\u00a0\u00a0I bought it at Orchids in the Park this past July. Its white and purple flowers bob in the breeze on thin, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,3,19,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cool-growers","category-growing","category-mini-orchids","category-photos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47585"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49899,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47585\/revisions\/49899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}