Orchid Encyclopedia

A tall Brazilian Cattleya that bears clusters of 10-30 pale, purple-spotted flowers atop its long pseudobulbs, with a vivid magenta lip and a pleasant scent.

A miniature monopodial orchid ranging from the Himalaya to Indochina. Formerly placed in Ascocentrum, it packs small flowers onto stems shorter than the leaves. It is known as a parent of Ascocenda hybrids and is often still sold under the old genus name.

A moth orchid species formerly placed in the genus Doritis. It has many stiff, fairly upright leaves and an erect, tall stem that opens small, bright pink-red flowers from the bottom up. It is known for wide variation in flower colour and shape.

A Phragmipedium that grows on wet cliffs and rocks on the eastern slopes of the Andes. It is known for scarlet-red flowers, a colour new to the genus, and drew attention as a breeding parent after its description in 1981.

A section Barbata slipper orchid from Indochina to the northern Malay Peninsula. It has leaves mottled in light and dark green and, from spring to early summer, bears one flower 8-11 cm across on a hairy purple stem.

A Brazilian Cattleya species with many color forms including coerulea and aquinii.

A large Cattleya from Ecuador-Peru with lavender blooms and beautifully frilled lips.

Venezuela's national flower, spring-blooming with large frilled lips, known as Mother's Day orchid.

Colombia's national flower, winter-blooming with large flowers and beautiful lip coloration.

A compact, fragrant Cattleya species from Brazil with sweet scent and charming blooms.

A large-flowered species Cattleya from rocky highlands of Venezuela and Colombia. It bears one leaf per pseudobulb and a richly coloured purple-red lip, is also called the Christmas Cattleya, and varies widely in colour.

A small Brachypetalum slipper orchid of limestone rocks. On a short stem it carries one or two rounded cream to pale yellow flowers finely speckled with red-purple, and the flowers have an apple-like scent.

A Dendrobium from north-eastern Australia with arching sprays of up to 20 rounded lilac-purple flowers. Known as the Cooktown orchid, it is the species behind the Den-Phal hybrids.

A Himalayan orchid that hangs sprays of large, fragrant, pure white, wavy-edged flowers from late winter into spring, with yellow crest-like ridges on the lip. It prefers cool conditions.

A species Cymbidium with tufts of narrow dark green leaves and arching to hanging sprays of medium-sized flowers in summer and autumn. It also grows wild in warm parts of Japan and, unusually for a Japanese Cymbidium, lives on trees.

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 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 Brachypetalum slipper orchid whose round white flower, spotted purple, sits just above the leaves, earning it the name egg-in-a-nest orchid. Its dark green leaves are patterned white above and purple beneath, and it grows on limestone.

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 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 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.

A tough epiphytic orchid with slender, rod-like leaves and flowers that pair narrow yellow-green sepals with a broad, heart-shaped white lip. Its strong citrus-like night scent earns it the name lady of the night.