Bulbophyllum is often considered the largest genus in the orchid family Orchidaceae. With more than 2,000 species, it is also one of the largest genera of flowering plants with app. 1800 to 2000 known species. It is found throughout all tropical portions of the globe including Africa, southern Asia, Latin America, the West Indies, and various islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Named for the rounded leaves, they come in many sizes (a few millimeters to a couple meters) and forms (compact to super rangy) and sometimes have fragrant flowers. Note that the fragrance is sometimes quite disgusting but well worth it (to me) for the display! All flowers are characterized by a hinged lip, but beyond that, the size, shape, and color is remarkably diverse.
Bulbos are very easy to grow if you keep them warm and wet in moderate light. Although they can be grown mounted, because they grow much faster when they are wetter, they do better in shallow pans or baskets with a mix of bark and sphagnum moss. Root systems are very shallow, so you can fill deeper pots with foam peanuts if necessary. Very rewarding plants because of their ease of care and the variety of flowers you can get in this single genus.
Showing the single result