Odontoglossum hallii-elegans – 365 days of orchids – day 1388
Several people have been asking me about this gorgeous species after seeing it as a botton hole earlier in the week (below).
Odontoglossum hallii-elegans is native to Ecuador and forms a large growing plant with long spikes of 8cm wide flowers. Odontoglossums have now been included in Oncidium but as a genus Odontoglossum is useful as the species that were included share cultural requirements – cool, damp shade similar to their cloud forest homes – that differs from the majority of Oncidium species that come from lower altitudes and dryer forests.
We find Odontoglossum species do particularly well hung in baskets and watered daily throughout the year. We grow the species in our Cool Americas section.
What greenery did you use in the button hole? It really compliments the odontoglossum.
Hi Agnes – it is Asparagus sprengerii – an easy house plant that is really useful in button holes. I first met its use at Keith Andrew Orchids when I was a teenager and Keith had a big plants of several of the Asparagus fern species for cut flower use – we sold individual Cymbidium flowers and each had a sprig of asparagus fern.
It looks really lovely. My Granny grew asparagus ferns but they had finer, fluffier leaves.
Probably asparagus setaceus 🙂