Pleurothallis is a wonderfully diverse genus of orchids from South and Central America and Pleurothallis gratiosa is unlike any others we grow with flowers that look to me like little sea creatures like little octopuses?

The species is small growing with leaves up to 12 cm and the flowers held above the leaves on impossible looking thin filaments – a really fascinating plant. Each leaf produces flowers over several years and plants are usually in flower.

Pleurothallis gratiosa is endemic to Venezuela and grows in warm forest at around 1500m altitude. This habitat means that the species is straight forward in cultivation and although we grow it in our Cool Americas section (min 12C) it would be happy warmer and does not suffer summer heat stress. As you can see, plants do well in baskets especially as the species sends out leaves downwards as well as upwards and forms a ball of loveliness.