Myrmecophila tibicinis

Myrmecophyla tibicinis brings to mind the lowland forests we have explored in Guatemala and Belize where we found this to be the most abundant orchid present. 

In Belize it is known as the horn orchid because of the shape of the large pseudobulbs but the most striking thing for us is the dramatic twisting petals and long stiff flower spikes.

The plant shown below is growing on the edge of the Belize River near Belize City. In the wild the species makes large specimens exposed to bright sun in semi-deciduous forest where they share upper branches with epiphytic cacti.

The name ‘myrmecophila’ refers to the close relationship the species has with large ants that make their homes in the older pseudobulbs and defend the plant when it comes under threat. We have met these ants and they are large, angry and rather terrifying. 

We grow the species in baskets and mounted in the roof of our cloud forest greenhouse (min 12C) which is a lot cooler and wetter than the natural habitat but we find plants flourish as long as they are kept pretty dry in the winter and wetter once day time temperatures are higher in the summer.