This species is found in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. It is an epiphyte that grows in shady, tropical evergreen cloud forests low on branches and tree trunks at elevations of 500 to 1500 meters. The plant is medium sized and grows hot to warm. It blooms on a lateral pendant 8-10 inches long and has 3 to 7 flowers. The fragrance is a spicy vanilla. Flowers are 4 to 4 ¾ inches. They have an eye spot on the hypochile.
I chose to showcase this orchid because it is special to me. I acquired it many years ago when I helped repot some orchids at the UC Davis Arboretum when I was a new member of the society. I spent quite a bit of time untangling the roots of this plant from the moss it was grown in. As a reward, I was allowed to keep a small part of the plant. The specimen I brought home looked rather sickly, with only one leaf. But what did I know or care, I had a new plant!
Somehow I have managed to keep it alive. Believe me when I say this was a great feat. Many times I thought it might die as it looked quite sad in the winter, but spring always came and it grew new bulbs and leaves. I managed this great task not knowing a thing about what this specific plant needed other than what my friends told me. “Put it in a basket and hang it up high where it can get light”. So that’s what I did.
Eventually I did a little research and learned it liked to be warm…..well that explained why it always looked so sad in the winter. My elevated greenhouse didn’t stay very warm in the winter despite my best efforts. I also learned that it blooms from the bottom of the basket. My baskets weren’t open like the ones I saw at UC Davis or at the Royal Botanical Garden in London. So I repotted it to a more open basket.
Two years ago, CJ helped me build my beautiful dream greenhouse and I moved my Stanhopea in to a sunny corner spot up high that gets some wetness from my misters.
This past September, It finally bloomed and it’s the coolest looking plant I currently own. Unfortunately the blooms died within a week, but for that one week it was amazing. I dragged every unfortunate sole that stopped by my house out to see it.
I once heard Allan say “Stanhopea means you stand around and hope it will bloom”. I guess I hoped long enough as I finally received my reward.
