Orchid Species: Sarcochilus eriochilus

ORIGIN: This is a miniature sized, cool to warm growing lithophyte [or occasional epiphyte] occurring on rocks or cliffsides in shady rainforests with leaf litter or moss or fairly open forests in exposed conditions occurring in the east coast of Australia in Queensland and New South Wales at elevations of 150 to 900 meters.

DESCRIPTION: This is a miniature sized, cool to warm growing lithophyte [or occasional epiphyte] that keeps it's silver white roots above the media, and grows on vertical rock faces where it survives with occasional rains and is a drier growing Sarcochilus. They have a short stem carrying 4 to 10, narrowly linear to narrowly lanceolate leaves that are often mottled with brown that blooms on an axillary, erect, racemose, 8 [20 cm] long, few to several [3 to 15] flowered, inflorescence that is longer than the leaves, occurring in the late spring and summer with fragrant flowers opening in succession. The key to proper culture of this species is keeping the plants roots from becoming too wet, and to this end this species is better mounted, given high humidity, moderate light, good air circulation and moderate waterings with a slight drying out period before repeating. Water and fertilize often while groewing in the spring and summer and lessen as the growth stops in the fall and winter.

FLOWER SIZE: 1/4 to 3/8 inch [4 mm to 1 cm] -- information provided by Jay Pfahl, author of the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia (IOSPE).