Epidendrum is a large neotropical genus of orchids with more than 1,000 species that comprise an amazing diversity of size and form. They originate in the tropics and subtropics of the Americas, from North Carolina to Argentina. Their growth habits can be epiphytic, terrestrial, or even lithophytic. Many grow in the Andes at altitudes between 1,000 and 3,000 m. Their habitats include humid jungles, dry tropical forests, sunny grassy slopes, cool cloud forests, and sandy barrier islands.