Orchids for Sale, Q to Z

Stanhopea intermedia

Native to western Mexico "on trees and rocks, ravines in rather humid oak-pine forest or barranca forest, 900-1500m on the Pacific slope, flowering July-September."

Bears 3 to 7 clear yellow, extremely fragrant flowers on a pendant inflorescence. Has an orange hypochile and mesochile.

Barney Greer writes that S. intermedia "is probably the Mexican Stanhopea most rarely seen in our collections. It has been notably misidentified as S. wardii var. flava, but is separated clearly from S. wardii... by its three-lobed epichile, the small sac on the base of the hypochile and its clear, unspotted yellow-to-orange colouration."

Dr. Dodson pointed out in his 1963 AOS Bulletin study of the Mexican Stanhopeas, S. intermedia is extremely unusual in being recognizably different from other Stanhopea plants because of its "slightly flattened, nearly smooth pseudobulbs, short petiole and yellowish-green leaves."

Grow intermediate to warm, moderate light, slightly moist.

Stanhopea panamensis

VERY strong, like mint

Native to Panama and Colombia.

This species has a strong mint scent and showy, cream-colored flowers with reddish spots.

This plant displays the t ypical lush Stanhopea growth habit with 15" rounded, pleated leaves on small globular bulbs.

Spikes emerge from the bottom of the basket carrying up to 8 flowers each. Flowers are 3 1/2" to 4 inches wide and very waxy and fragrant. Blooms in summer.

Grow intermediate to warm, moderate light, and evenly moist. Do not allow to dry completely.

8" basket

Stanhopea pozoi

VERY strong

An easy grower and very fragrant.

Native to Panama and Colombia.

This species has a strong mint scent and showy, cream-colored flowers with reddish spots.

Plant has the usual pleated Stanhopea leaves (about 14" long) growing from 1" wide, round pseudobulbs. Multiple spikes emerge from the bottom of the basket, each bearing 3 to 5 large intricately shaped flowers. The sepals are orange-yellow and petals are creamy orange; may be clear or lightly spotted. The large complex lip has a deep orange base with a paler orange tip spotted brown on the inner surfaces. Large eye spots are present on the sides of the lip.

Grow intermediate to warm, moderate light, and evenly moist. Do not allow to dry completely.

8" basket

Stanhopea wardii

VERY strong, like jelly beans

I'm particularly fond of this species because the flowers look to me like a convention of dancing aliens with giant Carmen Miranda hats.

Has a very broad range in nature, spreading from Mexico to northern South America.

Very unusual and striking, large, waxy, golden-yellow pendant blooms with a spicy fragrance. This species blooms predominantly in the late summer and fall.

Richly colored and incredibly fragrant... these flowers will fill your entire house with a sweet scent. The flowers are short-lived (2-3 days) but they are very worth it!

Grow intermediate to warm, moderate light, and evenly moist. Do not allow to dry completely.

Note the greenish white column with wide wings; the wide, white, heart-shaped epichile; the orange-yellow hypochile (often with eye spots); the yellow sepals and petals, usually spotted or stippled; and the wide, rounded leaves.

very small SDL

Zootrophion hypodiscus

A curious botanical worth adding to your collection

Native to Ecuador at around 6,900 feet (2,100 m).

Purple, heavily grooved egg-shaped flowers bloom at the base of the leaves.

Flowers remind me of a condor's head, with their "beak" and slanted "eyes." The underside of the "chin" is white with some spotting.

This genus is noteworthy for the small "windows" or "eyes" in the sides of the otherwise fused flowers.

Frequent bloomer makes flowers freely throughout the year. They keiki readily from the site of old flowers, as shown in these images.

Grow moist, intermediate to cool, with moderate light.

• SPMN = specimen plant with multiple blooming size growths
• BS = blooming size, will flower at next appropriate flowering season for that plant
• NBS = near blooming size, may flower at next season for that plant
• L SDL = large seedling, 1-2 years until blooming size
• SDL =  seedling, 2+ years until blooming size

Plants with a perfume bottle next to their name are fragrant.

• Cool to Intermediate = 48°F min. to 78°F max.
• Intermediate to Cool = 52°F min. to 80°F max.
• Intermediate = 55°F min. to 85°F max.
• Intermediate to Warm = 58°F min. to 88°F max.
• Warm = 65°F min. to 95°F max.

• Moist = water often; do not let dry completely
• Slightly Moist = 2-3 waterings per week; let dry slightly between waterings; in warm weather water daily (possibly more than once)
• Slightly dry = 1-2 waterings per week; let dry entirely between waterings
• Dry = 1 watering per week or less; let dry completely for a couple days or longer between waterings

Some orchids require seasonal differences. These are designated by growing season first/dormant season second.