Plant Category: Indonesia

Alocasia ‘Ninja’ plants thrive in a very humid environment making these plants ideally suited to growing inside a terrarium, vivarium, or bottle garden.  However, terrariums and bottle gardens are not universally the same, different enclosures will provide contrasting growing conditions.  When choosing a terrarium and deciding on a location to cultivate Alocasia ‘Ninja’, remember that these plants won’t be happy in a shaded environment – Alocasia ‘Ninja’ require bright but indirect light to be able to thrive. 

Platycerium bifurcatum is also know as the Staghorn Fern; this is a stunning evergreen fern that naturally grows as an epiphyte – establishing itself on the trunks and branches of trees in its native environment in the treetops and rainforests of Java, Polynesia, Australia, and Asia.  This is a slow-growing, long-lived fern that will enhance your home when grown as a houseplant. 

Asplenium nidus is a gorgeous fern from Australia, Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Christmas Island, and the Philippines.  In the wild, Asplenium nidus often grows as an epiphytic fern, making its home on the branches and trunks of trees in rainforests.  Epiphytic plants are different from parasitic plants.  Epiphytic ferns grow upon another plant but they don’t steal any nutrients from their host plants; epiphytes simply use their host to raise themselves up to a more profitable growing position where they enjoy improved light levels, moisture, and humidity.

Phalaenopsis pulcherrima alba is the white flowered form of Phalaenopsis pulcherrima.  This is a small sized orchid species.  Plants usually grow as a terrestrial or lithophytic plants; although Phalaenopsis pulcherrima alba can also be grown as an epiphyte.

Phalaenopsis sumatrana is a small to medium sized orchid species.  Please note that I usually write about miniature orchids that are much more easily accommodated inside terrariums and orchidariums.  If you want to grow Phalaenopsis sumatrana inside a terrarium or vivarium, you will need a very large enclosure to provide sufficient room for this orchid species.

The common name for this orchid species is the Sumatran Phalaenopsis. 

Microsaccus griffithii is a mini miniature sized orchid species from Borneo, Cambodia, Java, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sumatra, Thailand, and Vietnam.  This gorgeous orchid is an epiphyte; it grows upon another plant and does very well when mounted onto a piece of cork bark, a branch or a twig.

This miniature orchid thrives in intermediate temperatures.  Place your Microsaccus griffithii plant in a position where your plant will enjoy soft, indirect light. 

Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum is a small to medium sized orchid species that’s endemic to Sumatra.  In the wild, this is a lithophytic orchid species – these orchids grow on and over limestone rocks, in their natural environment.  However, in cultivation, Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum is often grown in a pot or a planter, filled with a speciality compost that’s mainly comprised of large pieces of fir bark and pumice stone.

Phalaenopsis pantherina is a miniature to small sized, epiphytic, or lithophytic orchid species, which originates from the humid, mountainous forests of Borneo and Indonesia, where this orchid can be found growing upon the branches of trees and on moss covered rocks.

Phalaenopsis pantherina produces rather wonderful, zig-zaged flowering stems, which hold this orchid species’ eye catching flowers.  This orchid’s wax like flowers display exotic looking spotted markings, which resemble the markings on a panther’s coat – hence this orchid species’ common name of the Panther-like-Phalaenopsis, the specific epithet of this orchid’s botanical name also references this similarity.

Phalaenopsis pulcherrima is a terrestrial, lithophytic, and at times epiphytic orchid species, which can be found growing in a wide range of locations including: Vietnam, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, and Cambodia.

In its native environment, Phalaenopsos pulcherrima grows as a terrestrial orchid, in free draining, sandy soils.  This orchid can be found growing in areas that enjoy both the shelter of trees, shrubs, and taller plants, yet receive bright sunlight and good air circulation. 

Phalaenopsis inscriptiosinensis is an epiphytic orchid species from Sumatra, where this small to medium sized orchid can be found growing upon trees in forested areas.  Phalaenopsis inscriptiosinensis plants produce quite striking flowers.  The reddish brown markings displayed over the soft yellow coloured petals have a resemblance to Chinese lettering – this orchid species’ common name is the Chinese Character Phalaenopsis – which is very apt.

Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi ‘Green’ is a species of epiphytic and lithophytic orchid that originates from Java, Borneo, Myanmar, Thailand, India, Laos, and other regions, where this small sized orchid can be found growing upon rocks, trees, or other plants, in various environments, from areas of forest near rivers and in lowland locations.  Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi ‘Green’ plants can be found growing in both exposed and sheltered locations, with quite different light levels and conditions in their native environments.

Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi ‘Red’ is a species of epiphytic and lithophytic orchid that originates from Java, Borneo, Myanmar, Thailand, India, Laos, and other regions, where this small sized orchid can be found growing upon rocks, trees, or other plants, in various environments, from areas of forest near rivers and in lowland locations.  Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi ‘Red’ plants can be found growing in both exposed and sheltered locations, with quite different light levels and conditions in their native environments.

Phalaenopsis deliciosa var. alba is the white form of Phalaenopsis deliciosa.

Phalaenopsis deliciosa var. alba is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which originates from many places including: Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines.  Plants can usually be found growing upon trees, in areas of humid forest.  This orchid species is often found growing near water.

You can see photographs of this Phalaenopsis deliciosa var.

Phalaenopsis deliciosa is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which originates from many places, including: Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.  This epiphytic orchid species is often found growing upon trees that are growing near water; plants flourish in humid, forested areas.

In its native environment, Phalaenopsis deliciosa enjoys warm to hot temperatures and very high humidity, it’s important to try to replicate these conditions to grow this orchid successfully. 

Trichoglottis pusilla is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which originates from Java, Sumatra, and Indonesia, where this orchid can be found growing near the tops of trees, in forested areas.

Trichoglottis pusilla produces fragrant, large white flowers, which are marked with bright, clear red stripes, giving this orchid a very noticeable, candy cane striped bloom.  Plants have dark green coloured leaves.

Phalaenopsis celebensis is a miniature to small sized, epiphytic orchid species.  This orchid species is endemic to the Sulawesi Island, in Indonesia.  The Sulawesi Island was formerly known as Celebes, which is where the specific epithet of this orchid’s name – ‘celebensis’ comes from.  Plants produce attractive leaves with silver, grey-green, and dark green colourings, mottled with dark purple-blue-black variegation.  This orchid species produces long flowering stems, which are adorned with a great many white flowers that resemble moths or butterflies in flight.

Hymenorchis javanica is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Java.

Hymenorchis javanica produces white, crystalline flowers, which feature a very attractive green central marking.  The flower’s petals display a fringed, serrated edge.  This miniature orchid species blooms for about six months of the year, the plants are usually in flower from spring to summertime.

Hymenorchids javanica is happy growing in intermediate conditions, with bright, filtered, indirect light.

Bulbophyllum sessile is a miniature orchid species.  This epiphytic orchid originates from a number of places in South East Asia, including: Fiji, Burma, Java, Laos, Malaysia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.  This little orchid can be seen growing on the small, twiggy branches of trees, it’s usually found growing in areas of evergreen forest.

Bulbophyllum sessile flourishes in cool and intermediate, to warm temperatures. 

Ceratochilus biglandulosus is a species of miniature orchid that’s endemic to Java in Indonesia, where this plant grows as an epiphytic plant, growing over moss and lichen covered trees, in mountainous areas.

Ceratochilus biglandulosus produces crystalline, white flowers, which are very large in size, especially when viewed in comparison to the diminutive size of this miniature orchid species.

Ceratochilus biglandulosus appreciates cool to intermediate growing conditions, accompanied by bright, but diffused light, and high humidity levels.

Humata heterophylla is a very handsome fern.  I must admit that this one of my absolute favourite ferns – I simply love Humata heterophylla’s leaf-like fronds.  This is a tender, epiphytic fern species, that can be grown mounted onto a piece of cork, wood, or a branch.  Humata heterophylla thrives when raised in a very humid environment, in semi-shaded or shaded growing conditions.