sunoochi from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan · CC BY 2.0
About
This striking orchid, *Epidendrum radicans*, is notable for its tendency to sprout roots along the entire length of its stems, a trait that distinguishes it from many other crucifix orchids. It produces showy, red-orange racemes that appear throughout the year, and its common name 'crucifix orchid' refers to the tiny cross-shaped labellum in the center of the flower.
Field notes
Morphology
It is a terrestrial, herbaceous plant reaching up to 1.5 m long, featuring a cylindrical, reed-like stem that is 19 to 125 cm long and 3.5 to 8 mm in diameter. The leaves are alternate, ovate-elliptic, thick, and leathery, measuring 2 to 9 cm long and 1.2 to 2.5 cm long. The flowers are produced in long-lived racemes up to 60 cm long, displaying a red-orange color with some petals having yellowish tips. The modified labellum is trilobate with a torn margin.
Distribution & habitat
Native to Central America and northern South America, it is found in Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, and Colombia. It thrives in full sun on rocks in cloud forest, oak forest, semi-evergreen forest, and riparian vegetation at altitudes between 900 and 2500 meters above sea level.
Cultivation notes
The plant is easily propagated from tip cuttings and pups (keikis) and thrives in loamy, sandy, well-drained soil. It tolerates temperatures between 10° and 27°C and is suitable for USDA hardiness zone 10–12, preferring full sun or partial shade. It can be potted in large containers and requires a slow-release fertilizer and mulch to maintain vitality.
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
- Native To
- Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
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