Epidendrum paniculatum – 365 days of orchids – day 2000
The final orchid for 365 days of orchids is this lovely epidendrum species. We really hope that you have enjoyed our daily orchid species in flower. We have now covered each of our 1000 species at least once and feel it is time to move on. We will still be posting every week with ‘this week in the greenhouse’.
Exploring the forests of Costa Rica on our school expeditions we have been fascinated by the diversity of epidendrum species we have come across.
We were fortunate to observe a glass wing butterfly pollinating the similar Epidendrum piliatum in Costa Rica on our last school expedition (photo below). Epidendrum paniculatum is also a classic butterfly pollinated species that both provides a nectar filled tube at the base of the lip, and a grabbing platform at the end of the lip.
Epidendrum paniculatum is a lovely species and as traditionally described was found throughout Central and South America in cool wet forest above 1000m but the complex (group of similar species) has been split into several species with the true Epidendrum paniculatum being endemic to Peru.
We grow the species in baskets and it flowers from small plants 15cm high with a few flowers and when taller produces many flowers on branched spikes.
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Thankyou so much to you and your team for all the information and advice on growing orchids. Looking forward to your weekly posts.
Thanks for all the posts over the years, such a lot of great info on orchid biodiversity and heartening to hear of all your conservation work. I’d read it over breakfast every morning, like an advent calendar but for the whole year! Many wonderful orchids have featured here but are not listed on your species page – hope they will be added for future reference!
Thank you for the 365 days of orchid series. Its been really enjoyable and the information you have provided has made me a better orchid-grower. I look forward to your ‘this week in the greenhouse’ series. Have you thought about making this into a You Tube channel?
Best wishes to you and the students