Todays orchid is one of the prize winners from today. The plant of Leptotes bicolor that we first introduced to the old school greenhouse in 1994 as a seedling mounted on a small piece of cork bark which has steadily grown into a stunning ball of small terete leaves and masses of white and pink flowers won a Certificate of Cultural Commendation from the RHS Orchid Committee.

This small species is native to Brazil and we have observed it growing on a shady moss covered granite rock face in dryish forest at 900m altitude. We cultivate it in our Warm Americas section (minimum 150C) and mounted on bark where it is watered every day.

The leptotes is the white dots in the photo below on the shaded rock. Note also spanish moss growing on the tree and arboreal ants nests in the tree,

The plant has gradually formed a tight ball of leaves and a profusion of flowers each spring. Today with its award it gained the clonal name Charlotte recognising the hard work and contribution of Charlotte Limond.