This floriferous miniature orchid is covered in flowers again this week. The species produces flowers throughout the year but has two main bursts of flowers, one in the winter and one in the summer.

Stelis stevensonii is a vigorous small growing plant that produces multiple spikes of well spaced little flowers typical of the genus. It is endemic to Ecuador and lives in wet forests at around 1600m. This is a warmer habitat than some of our species are adapted for making this species less fussy about warm days in the greenhouse, ideal for indoor culture, and an easy plant to grow as long as it is kept well watered and shaded. As these photographs show the plant does well in a small pot(first photo), in a small basket or mounted (third photo)

If you look closely at the flowers with a magnifying glass they have hairy edges to the sepals – an extra bonus for a rewarding orchid species.