Angraecum leonis is a stunning orchid species that can be found growing in the wild in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. As is typical of Angraecum species, Angraecum leonis flowers are white in colour and display a very glamorous air and appearance. Angraecum leonis is a miniature to small sized orchid that can vary in size. If you’re considering purchasing this orchid, ensure that a larger growing area can be provided if needed.
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.
If you are partial to green flowers, you’ll love this orchid! Angraecum calceolus is a small-sized orchid species from Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Reunion Islands, and the Seychelles. This plant is larger than many of the orchid species I’ve listed in my various terrarium planting lists. Angraecum calceolus is unlikely to be a compatible choice for glass bottle gardens; a more substantially sized terrarium, vivarium, or orchidarium would be required to comfortably accommodate this orchid and provide a suitable home that will present itself as lasting and sustainable accommodation, as the plant develops and matures.
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 equestris f. alba is the white flowered form of Phalaneopsis equestris. Many of the orchids I write about are miniature or even mini-miniature sized; however, Phalaenopsis equestris is a small sized orchid species, which forms plants that grow too large in size for this orchid species to be considered for planting inside many terrariums and orchidariums.
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.
Aerangis arachnopus is an orchid species from tropical Africa. In the wild, Aerangis arachnopus orchids grow as part of the ecosystem in evergreen forests in the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Zaire. Aerangis arachnopus plants are usually found in a range from 400m to 1000m above sea level.
Like many orchids, Aerangis arachnopus plants grow as epiphytes. Aerangis arachnopus orchids don’t grow in the soil, as terrestrial plants do; instead, epiphytic plants use their roots to attach themselves to the branches and trunks of trees.
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.
Angraecum viguieri is a small to medium sized orchid species that is endemic to Madagascar. This orchid species is another epiphyte – a plant that grows upon another plant. Angraecum viguieri is not a parasitic plant; this orchid species takes no sustenance or nutrients from its host. However, Angraecum viguieri enjoys improved growing conditions and air circulation, due to being raised up by its host plant.
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.
Aerangis articulata is a miniature orchid species from Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. These handsome orchids produce very decorative, pendent snow-white flowers.
This orchid species grows as an epiphyte. Epiphytic plants grow upon another plant; these orchids are not parasitic – they don’t take any nutrients or sustenance from the host plant they grow upon. Growing as an epiphyte is a useful strategy for this orchid species; Aerangis articulata plants benefit from the improved growing conditions and better air circulation that their host plants provide them with.
Aerangis collum-cygni is a miniature to small sized orchid species that grows in humid forests, moist woodlands, and rainforests. These plants also make themselves at home in areas that were once forests, in regions where the forest’s native trees were roughly removed to make way for the plantations that replaced them. Aerangis collum-cygni can be found growing as epiphytes in: Cameroon, Gabon, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, and other areas across tropical Africa.
Angraecum pseudofilicornu is a small sized orchid species that’s endemic to Madagascar. This orchid can be found growing in verdant green, moss and lichen covered, montane forests, on: Anjozorobe, Analamazaotra, Montagne d’Ambre, Marivorahona, Mantadia, and Moramanga, in the Northern tip of Madagascar.
This orchid species grows as an epiphyte – a plant that grows upon another plant. This is not a parasitic plant, Angraecum pseudofilicornu doesn’t take any sustenance or nutrients from its host.
Angraecum cultriforme is an epiphytic orchid species from Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. These small sized orchids grow in evergreen forests and thickets, they’re often found growing near rivers. Angraecum cultriforme plants grow as an epiphytes; these orchids tend to grow near the base of a tree, close to ground level, but plants also grow upon twigs and small branches.
