Coelogyne flaccida

Coelogyne flaccida is a wonderfully floriferous species and one we have seen in its Hiamalayan habitat in Sikkim.

Coelogyne flaccida is native to seasonally dry monsoon forests from Napal through nothern India to China and South east Asia. It is reported from 900 to 2000m but in Sikkim we found the spies limited to the forests from 900 to 1200m. The forests here is a little warmer than the higher forests where Coelogyne cristata is found, and a lott dryer in the winter. Photographs 3 and 4 show a large plant flowering at 1000, on large trees near the main Gangtok road where it shares its habitat with Dendronbium nobile.

We grow plants with the rest of our cooler Coelogynes in our Himalayas greenhouse minimum 7C but keep plants a little dryer than our other Coelogynes and Cymbidiums. Coelogyne flaccida gives a dramatic and long lasting display of large flowers on long pendulous spikes. As the wild plant in photos 3 and 4 shows, Coelogyne flaccida makes a fantastic specimen plant over time although it flowers reliably from quite small.