The students of orchid project had a lovely time yesterday lunchtime, sticking their noses into the very fragrant flowers of Prosthechea aemula.

Prosthechea aemula is a vigorous grower with 15cm pseudobulbs and 25cm long dark green leaves produced each summer and long lasting sprays of up to nine flowers from each pseudobulb in early spring. Plants soon form specimens with our largest plant (shown above) having twelve flower spikes this January.

This species is native to warm, wet forests over a wide range through Central and South America and we find it thrives in our Warm Americas section (min 15C) especially in baskets where plants can have heavy watering but excellent drainage.

It is wonderful to have lots of students in school to enjoy the smell after last January’s lockdown that meant the flowers odour of vanilla Play-doh was unappreciated.