This remarkable orchid with enormous flowers (possibly the heaviest of orchid flowers) is Stanhopea tigrina. The plant showed is a ten year old seedling from our school propagation laboratory (it has been well worth the wait) and the photo with my hand shows the majesty of these flowers.

Stanhopea tigrina is a warm growing epiphytic species found in Mexico. It is a medium sized plant which produces a single leaf from each pseudobulb and produces a large pendulous flower spike. The flower spike carries 2-3 large pendulous flowers which are heavily scented and only last 2 days. Our plant in flower at the moment is the nigroviolacea variety, which has flowers which are more heavily marked than the normal variety but are no less fragrant.

We grow plants in baskets as the spikes grow downwards from the newest bulbs.