| Grown mounted in the Wardian Case, this plant gets the high humidity
it needs, is watered usually daily (but is allowed to dry out slightly
between waterings) and receives medium light. Temps are in the intermediate
to warm range.
They have a rather strong fragrance (for such a small flower) that has a sort of lemony note to it...although the scent is not actually designed to smell good to humans. It is, instead, designed to mimic the scent of the females of a species of beetle indigenous to Taiwan (the native haunt of this orchid). The male sees the beetle-like patch, smells the perfume, and is seduced. However, for all his amorous labors, he is rewarded with pollinia stuck to his body. Oh well, perhaps that female beetle over there (another flower) would be more receptive...and thus, the pollen is transferred from flower to flower. This plant can bloom any time of year, and is often either in spike, bud, or bloom. Flower last 2 to 4 weeks, with each new spike or bud taking about a month to develop. Hence, a nicely grown small plant can be in bloom for half a year, with larger plants in constant multiple bloom. |
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