Stelis emarginata 'orange'

We have had this wonderful orchid since for 35 years and each year it captivates us with its sprays of long lasting bright orange flowers. The floriferous nature of the species and dramatic flowers make this one of our favourite Stelis species. 

Stelis emarginata has a wide native range and is found from Mexico to Peru and is reported from 1800 to 3500m in a range of wet and seasonally dry forests. The species is robust with fleshy leaves each of which repeat flower for many years (usually in late spring and summer). As you would expect withg such a large range the species is highly variable in terms of colour and flower size. Our orange clone featured here has particuylarly large flowers and a really strong orange colour (We also have a smaller flowered yellow clone).

We first grew Stelis emarginata as Pleurothallis tubata and then Physosiphon tubatus but genetic analysis has shown that it sits in Stelis and we are very happy to grow it amongst our other stelis species in our Cloud Forest Greenhouse (min 12C) and indoors on a shady windowsil. We grow plants mounted, in pots and in baskets - the plants seem equally happy as long as they are watered throughout the year and protected from the summer sun.