Today we have a windowsill orchid. This plant of Dendrobium amethystaglossa has been growing on my East facing kitchen window for several years and this year has nine flower sprays each with between ten and twenty beautiful purple and white flowers. This lovely orchid is native to the Philippines where it is reported as growing on mossy limestone cliffs at an altitude of 1400m.

It grows strong vertical canes that in a mature plant can reach 1m in height (our longest are 80cm so far), the flowers are produced in pendulous sprays from older pseudobulbs and mature bulbs produce flowers over several years.

The downwards pointing flowers presenting clear of the pseudobulbs and the lack of scent suggest that the flowers are pollinated by birds.

At school we grow this species in our Warm Asia section but as shown here it does make a wonderful house plant. On it’s windowsill it is watered twice a week throughout the year. The natural habitat does not experience a significant dry season.