We are on our way to Sarawak – home to around 2000 orchid species including a large diversity of Bulbophyllum species. Our greenhouse too has a diversity of the genus and this plant covered in flowers yesterday just had to be shared.

This lovely, small growing, species is native to Papua New Guinea where it grows in wet montane forests from 1500-2500m. We find that the species although small is a relatively fast grower especially if kept well watered and it soon take over its bark mount or escapes from its small pot. When really happy it produces a mass of flowers as we have today.

We grow the species in our Warm Asia section, although it would grow cooler than our minimum of 17C, and spray plants daily.

The species is closely related to the slightly larger Bulbophyllum dolichoglottis (below) which has an even longer tubular lip.

Let’s hope that we see some miniature Bulbophyllum species in the forests of Sarawak.