Habitat and Location:
Marcgravia umbellata, is from the Leeward and Winwood Islands in the Caribbean. This species is an epiphyte and has two habits, first as an immature climbing plant ascending on trunks with moss. When the plant grows into its adult phase it develops woody branches and hangs from the tree gradually producing some of the strangest umbels of flowers I’ve seen.
 
Pollinated by bats and birds.
 
Care Instructions:
Grow Marcgravia umbellata on a long mount or in a hanging pot and use a fine media used for wetter grown orchids, such as Bulbophyllum and Coelogyne. Give plants low light and daytime heat for the best growth. Plants need to be grown wet and need to be watered daily if mounted. This species likes an intermediate to warm greenhouse with night low temperatures of 15-22 degrees and daytime temperatures of 23-30 degrees. Plants are not suitable for growing indoors.
 
This species is not suited to a terrarium although many terrarium growers keep it, but keep it as an immature plant. This method is likely to kill the plant over time. Plants could be kept in a taller paludarium and allowed to grow into the stunning adult plant that it is.
 
Specifications:
 
Plant Size: 10-16 cm tall.
Family: Marcgraviaceae
Plant Passport: A Marcgravia umbellata B 140084 c 12425 d GB