Gastrochilus japonicus

This miniature epiphyte is native to evergreen lowland forests in Japan, Korea and South East China where it is reported growing near streams.

Plants are vandaceous with leaves up to 7cm loing produces along a short stem. The flowers are 1.5cm across and produced close together on a short spike. The flowers have the typical Gastrochilus bucket like lip but are unusually coloured with pale yellow petals and red around the column. 

We have tried growing the species both warm and cool and it definitely prefers to grow warm in our IKEA cabinets (min 17C).

It grows next to the closely related Gastrochilus sororius from Borneo