Habitat and Ecology
​Stanhopea jenischiana is a highly coveted pseudobulbous epiphyte native to the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and North-Western Venezuela. It is typically found growing on the trunks and branches of trees in rainforests and montane cloud forests at elevations ranging from 800 to 1,850 metres. This orchid is adapted to intermediate to warm conditions with high humidity and experiences a periodically drier, cooler season which is necessary to induce flowering.
​Description
​This medium-sized orchid forms tight clumps of heavily ribbed, ovoid pseudobulbs topped by a single, large, pleated, long-petiolate leaf. The leaves provide a large, imposing structure, reaching 30 cm long. The plant is famous for its pendent inflorescence, which emerges from the base of the pseudobulb and grows downwards through the drainage holes of its pot or mounting. The spike typically bears 3 to 7 large, complex, and short-lived flowers (up to 15 cm wide) that generally bloom in summer or early autumn. The flowers are yellow or orange-yellow, often heavily speckled with dark chestnut-red or maroon spots across the sepals and petals. The elaborate lip (labellum) is waxy, featuring complex, distinctive horns and a column structure designed for pollination by male Euglossine bees, and is strongly fragrant, often described as having a cinnamon or fruity scent.
​Cultivation
​Stanhopea jenischiana is an intermediate to warm-growing orchid that requires specialist growing conditions in the UK. It must be grown in a hanging basket (lined with moss or coir) or a slatted wooden basket, as the flower spike grows downwards. Provide bright, hazy, filtered light; it requires more light than a Phalaenopsis but must be protected from direct, strong midday sun. Use a very coarse, open, and free-draining medium (e.g., large-grade bark, charcoal, and sphagnum moss). It needs frequent watering during the warm growing season to keep the roots moist, but must dry out rapidly to prevent rot.
​Optimal Daytime Temperature: 21-27 C (70-81 F)
​Optimal Nighttime Temperature: A temperature drop is essential, ideally 14-18 (57-65 F).
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A cooler, slightly drier rest period in winter is required to promote robust flowering. Feed regularly and heavily during active growth with a balanced liquid orchid feed.
​Unique Features
​This is a highly dramatic and captivating collector's orchid due to its pendent flowering habit (requiring an open basket), its intense, complex fragrance, and its bizarre, spotted, waxy flowers. The intricate structure of the bloom is a perfect example of co-evolution, specifically attracting male orchid bees, making it a living conversation piece and a true spectacle when in bloom.
​Specifications
​Plant Size: 3+ adult pseudobulbs, grown in aquatic pots.
​Plant Family: Orchidaceae
​Plant Passport: A Stanhopea jenischiana B 140084 C buyer to add the number on the plant label D GB