An exotic and strangely beautiful orchid that blooms in the summer with pendulous alien-like flowers that can hang a foot below the plant...Read More. It grows many pseudobulbs that often lose their leaves. This is typical of its habit and should not cause alarm. It typically blooms in the summer but can rebloom at other times of the year. The flowers are short lived, lasting approximately three days and reportedly smell strongly of mint. Mine smelled lightly of black licorice.
Known as the bucket orchid because it drips a fragrance oil into into its bucket-shaped lip that attracts euglossine bees in order to pollinate it. The male bees get stuck in the bucket while trying to collect the fragrance oil that they use to attract female bees for mating and inadvertently pollinate the flower while trying to escape. I was not lucky enough to witness this phenomenon here in Central Florida but the bloom was exciting enough on its own. It also has a symbiotic relationship with ants who were crawling all over the bloom before it opened.
It's been an easy grower and bloomer. It it said it grows best in a slatted basket so the pendant flower spikes can grow from the bottom of the basket but mine bloomer in a regular pot and the spike grew over the side. It loves the heat and humidity of my climate but I am certain it is not cold hardy here in Central Florida and I will have to bring it indoors on the coldest nights.
An exotic and strangely beautiful orchid that blooms in the summer with pendulous alien-like flowers that can hang a foot below the plant...Read More