Southern California Orchid Species Society

March

Species	Click on thumbnail to see larger photo. Use browser <Back> button to return	Notes	Contact for More Information (roberta@orchidcentral.net unless otherwise noted)

Acronia adeleae		Reclassified from Pleurothallis. Grows outside (coastal) in open shade. Flowers open in the morning, tend to close in the afternoon. Closeup of the flower.
Amisiella monticola		This little Angrecoid grows on a mount outside (coastal) in shade.
Calanthe vestita		Grown in intermediate greenhouse. Closeup of flower.	Richard Hess
Cattleya lueddemanniana		Grown in greenhouse. Detail of lip.
Cochlioda vulcanica		Grows outside (coastal) in open shade; plant does very well mounted. Closeup of flower.
Coelogyne speciosa		Grows outside (coastal) in a basket in bright shade. An inflorescence can have two or three flowers, which open sequentially, and new inflorescences can emerge over a month or so.
Cymbidium insigne		Grows outside. This species is in the parentage of many of the Cymbidium hybrids. The flowers last nearly two months.
Dendrobium anosmum		Grown in greenhouse. It loses its leaves in winter. Watering should be reduced but not eliminated. Flowers emerge in the spring on the leafless canes. Contrary to its name (meaning "no smell" it is extremely fragrant.
Dendrobium gracilicaule		Grows outside (coastal). It is mounted, and gets filtered sun. Closeup of flower.
Dendrobium kingianum		These vigorous little Australian natives grow outside easily. See Special Page for a sample of the variety of colors.
Dendrobium speciosum		Grows outside (coastal) in nearly full sun. This one is Den. speciosum ssp. grandiflorum. The canes are about 2' tall, and this is a young plant. They grow very slowly, but can get huge. Var. compactum grows more horizontally, and are shorter. The flowers range from white to cream, and are very fragrant. Den. speciosum v. speciosum has similar flowers, but the plant is more compact.
Dendrobium tetragonum v. giganteum		Grown in intermediate greenhouse. Also can grow outside (coastal)	Richard Hess (greenhouse) Roberta Fox (coastal)
Dendrochilum javierense		Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade or filtered sun. Closeup of flower.
Dendrochilum tenellum		Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade. This plant is mounted; the species can also be grown in a basket or tree-fern pot. The inflorescence emerges from the end of the very thin leaf, and it is very prolific. Here is the plant. The individual flower is tiny, but there are many of them on the inflorescence, giving the impression of a feather or very small brush.
Dendrophylax funalis		This leafless orchid grows in greenhouse. Photosynthesis takes place in the green roots. Roots are entwined with live Spanish moss (a Tillandsia) to help maintain moisture. It is misted several times a day by an automated system.
Dresslerella lasiocampa		Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade or filtered sun. Leaves, as well as flowers, are coverd in small hairs. The flower is amazingly complex, and is easier to appreciate in close-up photos. From the top, what appears to be a drop of honeydew can be seen on appendages on the dorsal sepal and the petals. These structures can also be seen from the side. Closer to the front, the appendages are not so apparent, but one can see the lip, which is more apparent in this view. The ventral sepals are fused to make a pouch. This plant bloomed again in late July, into August and September.
Epidendrum ciliare		Grown in intermediate greenhouse.	Richard Hess
Epidendrum mancum		Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade. The 1/4" flower appears at the top of the pseudobulb, which can range in length from about 1/2" to 2".
Encyclia osmantha		Grows outside (coastal) in filtered sun. Flowers are small (about 1/2") but very fragrant.
Epidendrum paniculatum		Grows outside in filtered sun. It can bloom two or three times a year. Closeup of flower.
Masdevallia impostor		Grown in intermediate greenhouse.	Richard Hess
Masdevallia veitchiana		Grows outside (coastal) in shade. A clay pot helps to keep the roots cool during warm summer days, and coconut husk medium maintains moisture to fight the low humidity. The climate farther north (Santa Barbara to San Francisco) is better for it, but with a ittle pampering, it survives and blooms.
Maxillaria calantha		Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade. It likes to be kept fairly most. It is best grown in a basket, because some of the inflorescences come out of the side of the plant.
Maxillaria picta		Grows outside (coastal) in a basket in open shade. Here is a closeup of the flower.
Mormolyca ringens		Grows in greenhouse (in spring and summer it can move outside to benefit from the fresh breezes). If outside, grows in shade. It needs to be in a well-drained basket, or mounted. Once in flower, it can bloom on and off for months.
Oncidium excavatum		Grown in intermediate greenhouse.	Richard Hess
Phalaenopsis schilleriana		Grown in greenhouse. The plant has beautiful mottled foliage. Closeup of flower. Another plant, bloomed in November.	Roberta Fox (March) Doug Adams(November)
Oncidium maculatum		Grows outside (coastal) on a mount, in bright shade or filtered sun. It can also be grown in an intermediate greenhouse (closeup of flower). It is fragrant.	Roberta Fox (coastal) Richard Hess (greenhouse)
Polystachya paniculata		Grown in greenhouse. Closeup of flower.
Psychopsis papilio		Grows in greenhouse. This plant could be in any month, this just happened to be the month when it first bloomed. It can bloom sequentially on an inflorescence for two years or more, producing a flower about every six weeks. Do not cut the spike unless it is brown and dead all the way to the base. Even if the growing tip dies, another spike is very likely to branch off. It needs to be a little on the dry side, medium should drain well. Since it hates to have its roots disturbed, a medium that does not break down is best. (RF has had good luck with straight diatomite). It has an amazingly detailed flower.
Renanthera monachica		Grows in greenhouse. It can bloom on plant that is only about 3 or 4 inches tall.
Restrepia sanguinea		Grows outside (coastal) in shade.
Rhyncholaelia glauca		Grows outside (coastal) in open shade or filtered sun. It needs a little protection from frost. If kept dry, it is better able to tolerate cold. It is extremely fragrant, especially in the evening.
Sarcoglottis sceptrodes		Grown in greenhouse. The leaves are very attractive, with light green stripes. After blooming, the leaves die back, but a new growth appears very soon so there is no dormancy. Closeup of flower.
Spathoglottis gracilis		Grown in intermediate greenhouse	Richard Hess
Spathoglottis vanoverberghii		Grown in intermediate greenhouse Spathoglottis gracilis and vanoverberghii together, for size comparison.	Richard Hess
Specklinia (Pths) endotrachys		Grows outside (coastal) in shade. It needs to be kept fairly moist and cool. A clay pot helps cool the roots on hot days. The individual flowers do not last long, but new flowers continue to emerge sequentially for many months. An inflorescence may continue to produce flowers for a year or more, so should not be cut.
Stellis hirtella		Was grown in greenhouse, then moved outside (coastal). It is growing much better outside, in shade. This plant is very small, and the flowers are tiny. This photo gives an idea of the size of both. Closeup of flower.
Trichoglottis pusilla		Grows in greenhouse. This little (3") plant is mounted.