SPATHOGLOTTIS     Culture
FLASKS    PLANT List
    Species check list       Hybrid check list      Photos.
  This genus is one of the easiest of orchid plants to grow.
 The basic requirement is a good rich soil mix, with leafmould and some coarse gravel to provide good drainage. In the Nursery, recycled crushed treefern  is added to this mix, creating a somewhat fibrous media.
         Spathoglottis are very tolerant of differing potting medias.
 Because of the often large wide plicate leaves, a wider shallower  container may  assist watering and fertilising. They are robust growers and quickly fill a container with roots.

 

 

 

Spath bulbosa "magenta" is grown in Nth Qld as S. bulbosa, this form has no teeth at base of midlobe, see Schlecter "Orchidacea of German New Guinea".Variable morphology in different populations 
Spath plicata "Pink" is locally called Spath Vieillardii but is barely distinguishable from  Spath plicata but does have  the slight kink in the labellum midlobe. See Photos

 

Spathoglottis bulbosa "magenta"

 

Spathoglottis Kimballiana

 

Spathoglottis vieillardii 

Spathoglottis  pubescens

Spath plicata "bicolor" Burleigh Park

Plants kept in a smaller pot with 2 or 3 leads may flower better than huge leafy plants in big pots.     

Frequent application of blood and bone as a fertiliser will result in large robust bulbs and growth, they are heavy feeders.
Sunlight is essential, short of leaf burn. Plants should be grown on the bench with Dendrobiums and Cattleyas, or even out in the garden, never under the bench. 
     There are  basically two groups within the genus, one  with evergreen foliage, the other, usually much smaller, being deciduous.
     Evergreens include Spathoglottis plicata and all its forms, the New Guinea species and Spathoglottis aurea, Spathoglottis kimballiana and species with large wide plicate leaves.
    The deciduous species include the smaller  Spathoglottis affinis, Spathoglottis pubescens, Spathoglottis vanoverburghii, all of which tend to loose the old growth bulb and consist of a new seasonal, somewhat flat, round to angular tuber. 
Species and primary hybrids within the Spath affinis group, are deciduous during the cooler months, and can be  removed from the orchid house and water withheld, with only an occasional  watering, so as not to dry out too hard.
      The evergreen species and hybrids should also be treated to a dormant/rest period, with plants kept just damp and not wet during winter. The requirement for a rest for all Spathoglottis makes them easily grown in cooler climate. During winter, ignore them..
  .

     
Spathoglottis Java Beauty Spath Sunshine x (Kimballiana xbicolor) Spathoglottis  Seletar Park  X Kimballiana
 
Spathoglottis Freckle Face "Burleigh Park" Spath Harlequin x Kimballiana Spath Valerie Southwood

Notes To Hybrids:

 We believe the Spathoglottis Kimballiana var angustifolia and var antiquense (the Philippino forms) used in our hybrids are natural  tetraploids due to the very heavy texture of the flower segments, a feature also found in its primary hybrids. The Philippine forms differ from the Borneo form in flowers not flushed purple on reverse. Many of the primary hybrids appear to be sterile pod parents and thus possibly triploides.

 Spathoglottis plicata "bicolor" parent plant (photo above) imported from Jacinta Tecson Urban, Philippines, about 1980 as Spath x Parsonsii. Perhaps a natural cross plicata x Kimballiana ?  Photo from different source  See photo wild plant Mindanao 

 Spathoglottis Java Beauty. Grown in the Townsville region for 60 years as Java Hybrid or Java Beauty. Name not registered as parentage unknown, but possibly it is Spathoglottis Rhodomelon? ( Spathoglottis Primrose x plicata see Holttum Flora of Malaya.)

Top Seed of SPECIES orchids.
   Email to ianbpon(at)speciesorchids.com (Please  substitute @  for (at) to avoid Spam) .for the latest list of seed available in packets enough to prepare 3 to 4 flasks. Many genera,  with more added as harvested. All seed dated at collection, airmail post world wide and there is no restriction on orchid seed.

 

Top  Check list of species.

Spathoglottis affinis yellow, 2.5cm flowers SE Asia red stripes on lateral sepals flat/domed rounded bulb, deciduous.Lax inflorescence
Spathoglottis affinis 4N synonyms lobbii  yellow 3 cm flowers SE Asia red stripes on lateral sepals flat/domed rounded bulb, deciduous.Larger overall,spikes more erect. Tetraploid
Spathoglottis albida White flushed pink 2 cm flowers New Guinea Round almost buried bulbs, leave narrow 2cm wide, erect to 90 cm high, evergreen. Midlobe and claw short. Evergreen
Spathoglottis aurea yellow 7 cm flowers Borneo Malaya midlobe barely apically expanded evergreen
Spathoglottis bulbosa purple to pink flowers New Guinea (no teeth at base of midlobe Schlecter)  very large grower. Variable in colour. Sepik  plains.
Spathoglottis chrysantha yellow 5 cm flowers Philippines evergreen
Spathoglottis confusa yellow 7cm flowers Borneo evergreen Very rare
Spathoglottis eburneum synonyms var of pubescens? white 2.5cm flowers SE Asia finely pubescent flower spike flat rounded bulb deciduous
Spathoglottis Elmeri yellow 5cm flowers Philippines Lip midlobe tip kidney shaped deciduous
Spathoglottis gracilis yellow 6cm flowers Borneo Lip midlobe tip kidney shaped evergreen
Spathoglottis grandiflora purple 4cm flowers New Guinea much larger plant evergreen
Spathoglottis Hardingiana purple 2.5cm flowers Malaya minature, odd panicle drooping ss & ps evergreen?
Spathoglottis ixioides yellow 4cm flowers India very narrow leaf tiny bulbs high elevation evergreen?
Spathoglottis Kimballiana yellow 7.5cm flowers Borneo Philippines. large labellum lobes small bulb evergreen. Borneo form flowers flushed purple on reverse, Philippine forms not flushed. Philippine forms tetraploid?
Spathoglottis lilacina synonyms plicata pale lilac/pink flowers
Spathoglottis microchilina yellow 5.5cm flowers Malaya Sumatra Sabah lip midlobe not expanded. self pollinating evergreen
Spathoglottis pacifica pink flowers Fiji Lip midlobe yellow large  evergreen
Spathoglottis palawanense yellow flowers Philippines dwarf evergreen wide midlobe trilobed,with 2 notches Lateral lobes finely spotted red.
Spathoglottis X Parsonsii salmon/pink 3cm flowers Philippines plicata x vanoverburghii deciduous, large leaves and bulbs
Spathoglottis Paulineae purple 2.5cm flowers Australia often self pollinating evergreen 

Spathoglottis Petrei purple 4cm flowers New Guinea evergreen
Spathoglottis philippinense yellow flowers Philippines  dwarf evergreen wide midlobe trilobed with 2 notches lateral lobes nearly all red
Spathoglottis plicata synonyms duran, lilacina, spicata. white to magenta, red magenta 2.5-4cm flowers. lip long narrow claw with teeth at base, midlobe widely expanded at apex, evergreen.Extremely variable
Spathoglottis portus finchii purple flowers New Guinea .Deciduous, flowers from leafless bulbs. Bulbs grow below surface.
Spathoglottis pubescens synonyms fortunii Bensonii eburnea(white). yellow 2.5cm flowers India to China finely pubescent flower spike deciduous flat rounded bulb like affinis.
Spathoglottis pulchra purple flowers New Guinea Lip midlobe barely apically expanded  evergreen
Spathoglottis sulawesiense white 3cm flowers Sulawesi lip side lobes pink/purple. True white. Large robust evergreen
Spathoglottis tomentosa pink 4cm flowers Philippines spike finely tomentos evergreen?
Spathoglottis unguiculata magenta/pink flowers New Caledonia lip midlobe short and wide (10mmL with stalk 2mmW, tip 8mmW); tip edge smooth; lip basal lump 2-lobed, shaggy-haired. Fragrant "grapelle"
Spathoglottis Vanoverburghii yellow 4cm flowers Philippines large bulb deciduous
Spathoglottis Vieillardii synonym plicata? pink 4/5cm flowers Pacific Islands slight bend in claw evergreen

Not all species listed. References Holttum "Flora of Malaya". Schlecter "Orchidaeae of German New Guinea' A.D.Hawkes "Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids". "plus Ted Green's ramblings."

Top  Hybrid checklist Nursery.

Aureovieillardii ......... aurea x Vieillardii (plant registered more likely Kimballiana x Vieillardii.Holttum Flora of Malaya)
Burleigh Gold ........... affinis x Kimballiana
Dorothy Green ......... sulawesiense x Kimballiana

Freckle Face ............ Kimballiana x plicata
Gold Tower ............. Lobbii x Kimballiana angustifolia
Golden Gift .............. freckle face x Kimballiana
Harlequin ................. Java Beauty x Kimballiana angustifolia

Ingham Red................Sunshine x plicata

Little Charmer .. ........Seletar Park x Vanoverburghii

Memoria Eileen Stokes........ Kimballiana x Seletar Park
Menehune ............ ... plicata x unguiculata
Nuuanau Gold ......... tomentosa x Vanoverberghii
Parsonsii .............. .. Vanoverburghii x plicata
Parsons Junior..........Parsonsii x plicata
Primrose ............. ... aurea x plicata
Rhodomelon ............ primrose x plicata
Seletar Park ...   ... .. Menehune x plicata

Sila Khadaroo........ Kimballiana x bicolor
Sunshine .............. .. affinis x plicata
Ted Green................Kimballiana x tomentosa
Starburst......     ......Seletar Park x freckle face
Terracotta ............. Lobbii x plicata
Twincolor ............... aureovieillardii x Parsonsii
Valerie Yamada Southwood ....... eburneum x plicata

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/horticulturaldatabase/orchidregister/orchidregister.asp

Top Photos.
 Due to digital camera capabilities, colours in the magenta and red magenta range, will not be fully correct.
 Spath Vanoverburghii  photo Janice Lee
Spath plicata "bicolor" x Kimballiana.  Spath Sila Khadaroo
 Spathoglottis  affinis 4N  tetraploid. S. Lobbii
Spathoglottis plicata "Redmagenta"
Spathoglottis sulawesiense ( +Little Charmer)
Spathoglottis  Little Charmer
 
Spath (Kimballiana x plicata " bicolor") x Sunshine
Spath (Kimballiana x plicata " bicolor") x Sunshine
Spath (Kimballiana x plicata " bicolor") x Sunshine

Spath Seletar Park
Spath species China ? bulb
Spath species China ?
S Parsonsii #1 Ted Green's remake & photo S Parsonsii #2 Ted Green's remake & photo
Spath Parsonsii "BurleighPark"
Spathoglottis confusa photoTed green

Spathoglottis Kimballiana  tetraploid?  BP

Spathoglottis Kimballiana #1
Spath Golden Gift  Spath. Ted Green, photo Ted Green .
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Spath Dorothy Green, photo Ted Green
 
 
 
Spath vieillardii from Curtis
S.sulawesiense wide shallow container 
Spath vieillardii labellum detail from Curtis ( note slight kink in claw)
  
 
Spath rhodomelon?   photo Judith Spargo
 Spath microchilina   photo Ted Green 
Spath bulbosa   see 
Schlecter "Orchidacea of German New Guinea" 
Spathoglottis Golden Gift BP Spathoglottis Golden Gift  "Burleigh Park" Spathoglottis Freckle Face BP

Spathoglottis plicata "Rhodobracteosum" note large dark redmagenta flower bracts

Spathoglottis Harlequin "Red Lip"

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Spathoglottis Harlequin "Gold Lip"
Spathoglottis Ingham Red (Sunshine x plicata) Spathoglottis plicata "bicolor"  X  plicata ( plicata "bicolor" perhaps a natural hybrid Kimballiana x plicata. See Notes to  flasks.) Spath Sunshine X Kimballiana
Spathoglottis plicata "Iron Range" Cape York Australia Spathoglottis plicata Cape York Australia Spathoglottis Portus Finchii

Spathoglottis bulbosa "pink" Sepik plains New Guinea

 

Other Interesting Ground Orchids. Australian Nervilias
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Spath Java Beauty x ( Kimballiana x Bicolor)

Spath (Plicata Bulbosa x Kimballiana) "Rubra'

Spath Plicata Bulbosa x Kimballiana

 

Spath Plicata Bulbosa x Kimballiana

 

Spath Memoria Eileen Stokes ( Seletar Park x Kimballiana) "Gold Flare"

 

 

 

 

ath Memoria Eileen Stokes ( Seletar Park x Kimballiana) "Gold Sovereign"

Spath Sunshine "Burleigh Park"

Spath Sunshine "Peloric"

Spath Sunshine "Burleigh Park"

 

Spath Sunshine "Peloric"

 

Spath plicata Bulbosa Pink

Spath Java Beauty x ( Kimballiana x bicolor)

Spath Java Beauty x ( Kimballiana x bicolor)

Spath plicata "Bulbosa magenta" x Kimballiana .   "Rubra"

Spathoglottis ( bicolor x Kimballiana) x plicata “rhodobracteosum”

 

Spathoglottis ( bicolor x Kimballiana) x Seletar Park

 

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More  Spathoglottis photos.     For Plants  click here  

Ian and Pat Walters, Burleigh Park Orchid Nursery
54 Hammond Way, Townsville, Australia 4815
Email us at  ianbpon(at)speciesorchids.com (Please  substitute @  for (at) to avoid Spam)
http://www.speciesorchids.com
Phone  0747 740 008
International 61 747 740 008


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