Plant Category: Sumatra

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. 

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 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 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.

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.