January is a time to enjoy the massed deep red flowers of Pleurothallis restrepioides.

We find the species very easy to grow and flower as it is happy with temperatures down to 5C (in our temperate section) as well as warmer temperatures in Cool Americas(min 12C) or even Warm Americas (Min 15C).

We keep plants watered all year and propagate plants from the strong keikis that are produced on top of older leaves. The plant is a very strong rooter and shows all the characteristics of a really tough plant. We even found ice on its stems back in our old greenhouse one night when the boiler failed – but the plant carried on regardless.

As well as making great specimens with lots of spikes likes the one showed above,  plants also flower when young.

The species is native to cool forests in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru at a wide range of altitudes (900 – 2900m) which helps to explain the species’ ease of culture.