Orchid Encyclopedia

A moth orchid species named for its flattened, branching flower stem that resembles a deer's antler. The same stem keeps producing fleshy, fragrant flowers 3-5 cm across over a long period. It is widespread in lowland Southeast Asia.

A Dendrobium with vivid golden flower clusters and sweet honey-like fragrance.

Australia's largest Dendrobium, spectacular with many long flower spikes from massive plants.

A cluster-flowering Dendrobium packed with pale yellow flowers with golden lips on hanging sprays. Its stems are square in section; it is robust, though the flowers last only about a week.

A cluster-flowering Dendrobium that hangs sprays of up to 30 or more flowers with pale lilac to white petals and a yellow-centred lip. Its stems swell only near the top and are diamond-shaped in cross-section.

A moth orchid species from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and north-western Sumatra. Its fleshy, strongly scented flowers range from white to red, varying between plants and even from year to year on one plant, and the former P. speciosa is now included in it.

A small terrestrial orchid of damp rock faces in the hills of Japan and southern Korea. Between narrow leaves it bears a few to dozens of small purple-pink flowers, and many cultivars with different lip markings and colours have been raised.

A Japanese terrestrial orchid with flowers resembling white egrets in flight, a summer icon.

A small slipper orchid from limestone cliffs in Guangxi and Yunnan, China, and northern Vietnam. It has narrow, glossy dark green leaves and in autumn and winter bears a single flower 4-6 cm across on a stem 12-15 cm tall.

A tiny terrestrial orchid endemic to Japan, growing in rock crevices in gorges from central Honshu westwards and on Shikoku. About 10 cm tall, it opens pink-purple flowers about 1 cm across in April and May and is nicknamed the fairy of the gorges.

A small orchid growing on the trunks and branches of evergreen trees. It has leathery leaves like those of an evergreen oak in two rows and in summer opens clusters of pale yellow flowers about 1 cm across; the pouched lip is marked red-purple inside.

A tiny Dendrobium with clusters of small flattened pseudobulbs. In early spring, one to five honey-scented yellow flowers appear beside each thick single leaf. It is usually sold mounted on cork.

An epiphytic orchid from Madagascar and the Comoros, recognised by its flattened, fleshy leaves stacked into a fan. Its waxy white flowers carry a long spur and give off a jasmine-like scent at night.

A moth orchid species endemic to the Philippines. Its waxy, fleshy flowers are white to ochre, barred and spotted violet to magenta, sweetly scented and long-lasting. The flower stems readily produce plantlets (keikis).

A deciduous orchid with large triangular waxy flowers in vivid colors.

A jewel orchid with lightning-like golden lines on leaves, the most popular foliage orchid.

A curiosity from South-East Asia whose small white to pale yellow flowers, each with thread-like sepals, gather into a shaggy round tuft named after Medusa. It is a warm, humid-loving epiphyte.

A Brazilian Miltonia species with large flowers and distinctive lip patterns, relatively heat tolerant.