Plant Category: Cool Growing Orchids

Lepanthes aculeata is a mini miniature orchid species that produces bright and cheerful, red, orange and yellow coloured blooms.  The flowers arise from the underside of a leaf; as the leaves are fairly upright they actually display Lepanthes aculeata’s flowers rather nicely.

I adore almost all Lepanthes species’ leaves, but I’m especially fond of Lepanthes aculeata’s foliage.  These tiny leathery leaves are two toned: the top side of Lepanthes aculeata’s leaf is a lovely leafy-green colour, while the underside of the leaves are coloured in a very handsome tone of mauve and this side has a rougher bristly-looking texture. 

Here’s another miniature orchid; this is Andinia schizopogon, an epiphytic orchid species that thrives in cool temperatures and humid growing conditions.  In this orchid species’ natural environment, these plants can be found growing in the cloud forests of Ecuador and Peru.

Andinia schizopogon produces rather curious looking mauve-maroon, finely striped flowers that look rather whiskery!  Plants can bloom at any time of year, given optimum growing conditions.

Lepanthes matamorosii is a mini miniature orchid species from Costa Rica.  This incredible little plant produces brick-red-orange coloured flowers which are astonishingly large in comparison to the size of the plant; they’re very cute!

In the wild, Lepanthes matamorosii can be found growing in regions at around 2750m, in The Cordillera de Talamanca mountain ranges of south-eastern Costa Rica.  This is a wonderfully diverse habitat that’s home to a range of plants and wildlife, including oak (Quercus costaricensis and Quercus copeyensis) trees that are endemic to this part of the world.

As the saying goes, ‘good things come in small packages’.  To prove this adage, here’s a teeny tiny orchid: Trisetella hoeijeri is an absolute darling of a plant.  An impossibly cute, exquisite beauty; I promise that this magnificent orchid will touch your heart, lift your spirits, and make you smile!

Trisetella hoeijeri is a mini miniature, epiphytic orchid species from Ecuador. 

Maxillaria acutifolia is a small and compact orchid species from: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Venezula, Trinidad and Tobago.  From winter to springtime, mature Maxillaria acutifolia plants produce these very cute yellow-orange coloured flowers, which are fragrant and have a nice scent.  The blooms are held low down at the base of the plant, underneath the leaves; however the blooms aren’t completely obscured and the flowers can be easily admired.

Platystele misasiana is a mini miniature orchid species that’s endemic to Colombia.  In the wild, Platystele misasiana can be found in forests at around 200m above sea level.  These orchids grow in Colombia’s cloud forests, where they enjoy cool, moist, and shady growing conditions.

This is an epiphytic orchid species with a naturally compact and bushy form.  I often think of Platystele misasiana as being an orchid with a graceful air and poise, as the plants grow and hold themselves so elegantly. 

Stelis tridentata is a miniature orchid species that grows as an epiphyte – instead of growing in the soil – this orchid grows upon other plants.  In the wild, Stelis tridentata plants can be found growing upon trees in the rainforests of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Costa Rica.  Stelis tridentata grows in cloud forests, where these plants flourish in this humid environment.

Stelis stevensonii is a lovely miniature orchid species, which is endemic to Ecuador, where these plants grow in forested areas found at about 1600m above sea level.

This orchid species is epiphytic; instead of growing in the soil, in the wild, these plants can be found growing upon the branches of trees.  In cultivation, Stelis stevensonii plants can be grown successfully in tiny pots filled with medium or large sized pieces of bark, or alternatively, plants can be mounted onto a piece of cork bark or wood. 

Phalaenopsis japonica is small sized orchid species that produces very attractive, lemon scented inflorescences, during spring and summertime.  The greenish-white flowers are handsomely decorated with pink markings that cover the flower’s lip and these compliment the somewhat variable maroon markings that highlight the blooms’ sepals and petals.

This orchid species’ specific epithet (the second part of the orchid species’ name) – japonica means that this orchid species is from Japan. 

Masdevallia polysticta is a miniature to small sized orchid species that hails from the cloud forests of Ecuador and Peru, where plants grow in very humid areas, in the mountains.  An epiphytical orchid species, Masdevallia polysticta grows upon other plants.

It’s important that Masdevallia polysticta plants remain moist and never dry out; they can be grown potted or mounted onto a piece of cork bark or other substrate, but this orchid species requires continual access to moisture if it’s to succeed. 

Angraecum drouhardii is a mini miniature sized orchid species from Madagascar.  This is an epiphytic orchid species that grows on the trunks of moss covered trees, in mountainous regions of Northern Madagascar, at 1200m above sea level.

I love this dear little orchid, it’s a very sweet plant.  Angraecum drouhardii plants produce snow white coloured flowers which are positively ginormous in size, when viewed in comparison to the size of this diminutive little orchid. 

Porroglossum echidna is a mini miniature sized orchid species, from the cloud forests of Colombia and Venezuela.  Plants grow at a range of locations in these mountainous regions, at heights from between 2500m and 3200m above sea level.

This cute little orchid species flourishes in very humid environments; it’s perfectly suited to growing inside a terrarium or bottle garden, or another enclosure where the humidity levels remain at 75%RH and above. 

Porroglossum schramii is a mini miniature sized orchid species from the humid cloud forests of Ecuador.  Plants can be found growing in mountainous areas, in locations that range from 1500m to 1800m above sea level.  Porroglossum schramii blooms regularly throughout the year.  This orchid’s flowers are held up above the plant’s beautifully textured leaves.  The flowers are very much like miniature Masdevallia flowers in their shape; this Porroglossum’s flowers are produced in a range of colours.

Restrepia cymbula is a miniature sized orchid species from Ecuador.  The common name for this orchid species is the Boat Restrepia, a reference to this orchid’s narrow, curved, boat shaped bloom.  Given the right care, Restrepia cymbula plants flower easily, they produce orange-red coloured flowers, which feature delightfully speckled markings.

Restrepia cymbula plants thrive in warmer growing conditions than the majority of other Restrepia species. 

Restrepia mendozae is a miniature sized orchid species that can be found growing in the wild at round 1500m above sea level, in the The Cordillera del Cóndo mountain range, in the Eastern Andes, between Peru and Ecuador.  This beautiful area needs our protection, as it’s a truly important habitat for a diverse and varied range of flora and fauna.

Given their optimum growing conditions, Restrepia mendozae plants flower readily. 

Porroglossum muscosum gets its genus name – Porroglossum – from the Greek for ‘far, far away’ and ‘tongue’ – a reference to these plants flowers’ distinctive lip.  While the specific epithet, this plant’s species name – muscosum – means mossy – a reference to the plant’s hairy flowering stems.  This is a miniature orchid species that grows both as an epiphytic orchid – on other plants, and as a terrestrial orchid – when it grows on the forest floor, often in leaf litter. 

Lemurella culicifera is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species that can be found growing in the Comoros Islands and in the West and South Western regions of Madagascar.  Plants from this orchid species grow in thickets and in dry forests, in areas that range from just above sea level, all the way up to 1500m above sea level.

This is a floriferous orchid species; plants produce rather cute, small green coloured flowers, which are often borne in numbers.

Angraecum breve is a mini miniature Angraecum species that is endemic to Madagascar.  This tiny, epiphytic orchid hails from the Tsaratanana massif – a mountainous region, in Northern Madagascar.  Angraecum breve is a wild plant, from a wonderful area of the planet, which has been under threat from orchid collectors.  Sadly, the plants in this area have suffered due to human activities, destruction, and climate change.

Dendrobium Berry ‘Oda’ is a hybrid Dendrobium orchid, that was created by crossing Dendrobium kingianum with Dendrobium ‘Mini Pearl’ (Dendrobium ‘Mini Pearl’ was created by crossing Dendrobium canaliculatum with Dendrobium bigibbum).  This new orchid is very popular with indoor gardeners.  Dendrobium Berry ‘Oda’ produces stems that resemble bamboo canes.  Plants flower for a few months every year.  These rose pink coloured, scented flowers are at their most fragrant in the morning and again at dusk. 

Barbosella dusenii is a super cute, mini miniature orchid species.  These plants really are tiny.  Barbosella dusenii plants have a naturally low growing, creeping stature.  If you gave this plant just a cursory glance, you might think that this orchid has something of a resemblance to moss, as the two have a similarly prostrate nature in their growth and form .