We have reached the milestone of day 300 – yes 300 days featuring 300 different orchid species in flower on the day in the glasshouses of the Writhlington Orchid Project. The really exciting thing for us at school is the knowledge that we still have some of our favourite orchids still to bloom in November […]
One of our smaller Masdevallias, (the leaves are are between 3 and 5cm long) this species is native to South America (Ecuador to Venezuela) where it grows low down on trees in cloud forests. It is unusual for a Masdevallia in that it invariably produces two flowers at a time on its 8cm flower spikes. […]
Stelis patinaria is another stelis species endemic to Ecuador and its cloud forests. This species produces two opposite rows of flowers on each spike reminiscent of little bird’s beaks and the ginger red colour contrasts wonderfully with the glossy green leaves. The mossy basket here shows the conditions we grow the plant in. We […]
Today’s orchid is the third Pleurothallis in a row – what a fantastic genus. This species produces really pretty flowers in long pendulous spikes and gives a great display. Pleurothallis loranthophylla is native to wet forests from sea level right up to 2100m and is found from Costa Rica through to South America and as […]
This is a true miniature species native to Brazil and Northern Argentina where it grows in cloud forest. Leaves are only 1cm long but flowers are relatively large and bourn in profusion every autumn. We find plants do well mounted or in pots and baskets but we need to ensure that plants are not smothered […]