Maxillaria tenuifolia

We have seen Maxillaria tenuifolia in the wild in Guatemala growing in dryish lowland forest. We found it mostly on the trunks of trees or on lower branches where it has some shade even though the forest is open and trees are semi-deciduous. It is locally called the coconut orchid as it produces a powerful fragrance which is unmistakably coconut.

The plant has an ascending habit with a rhizome that grows bulbs progressively upwards which can be a little inconvenient but the new roots travel down plants to the compost. We grow this species in baskets and pots in our 'Cloud Forest Glasshouse' minimum 12C and in our warm orchid cases indoors (min 16C) and it seems to do well in both.