Stelis aprica

We have another Brazilian orchid today.

Stelis aprica is native to the coastal cloud forests of Brazil that we have explored on our expeditions to the Mata Atlantica. It grows in wet forest but has relatively stiff leaves compared to many stelis to cope with the more seasonal climate experiences in the Barazilian cloud forests than many of those in from Peru up the Andes to Costa Rica in Central America.

The flowers are tiny as with many stelis species but are produced in abundance from old and new leaves giving a lovely display.

 We grow all of our stelis species in our cloud forest greenhouse with a minimum of 12C. We keep plants well watered throughout the year so that they never dry out completely. We shade the greenhouse to keep plants cool and protected from summer sun. In its native habitat stelis aprica grows below the tree canopy on the trunc and lower branches of trees.  Indoors we grow the species on the shaded windowsill of our downstairs bathroom and water every couple of days.