The Bulbophyllum (bulb-oh-FILL-um) has to be the most exciting orchid in nature – it certainly was a surprise when the genus (type) was first described by Louis-Marie Aubet du Petit-Thoaurs. The Bulbophyllum name, abbreviated as Bulb, was derived from the Latin word bulbus and the Greek work phyllon (leaf) which refers to the pseudobulbs on top of which the leaf is growing.

It is the largest of all of the orchid family and almost the largest in the entire plant kingdom. Thoaurs book, “Histoire particulière des plantes orchidées recueillies sur les trois Iles Australes d’Afrique, de France, de Bourbon et de Madagascar” describes seventeen species. There are actually approximately 1,803 species. It is a nightmare for the taxonomist to name the more than 2,800 accepted names and synonyms for this type of orchid.

There are more than six hundred species recorded in Papua, New Guinea, the homeland. They spread to Australia and Southeast Asia with well over two hundred species in Borneo. They are also native to Africa and the tropics of central and South America. India and Madagascar have approximately 135 species.

This type of orchid has an incredible range of vegetative forms. They can be tall plants that have cane-like stems or they can be root climbers that wind their way up tree trunks. While growing, the stems and branches tend to develop in a downward direction. Either way, the Bulbophyllum is an evergreen shrub. During the winter it takes on a pinkish-white color and can reach 60 cm (two feet) high when an adult. One of the hybrids of this orchid has leaves growing to almost six feet, projected from a pseudobulb. The flowers are maroon and spike shaped and release an overpowering scent that attracts carrion beetles and blowflies for cross pollination.

I have learned that most of the Bulbophyllums are easy to grow mounted on sphagnum moss pads attached to the back side of cork slabs, then attached to trees or porches. The curved shape of the cork retains a lot of the moisture in the moss pad and the Bulbophyllum needs moisture. You can tie the plant with nylon fishing line so that they can be the rambling growers that they are in nature and trust me, they resent being disturbed. Other mounting materials are cactus wood, tree fern plaques, driftwood and other wood slabs. Consider wood baskets with moss or osmunda pads if the slabs won’t work for you. The orchids don’t mind an occasional clipping to keep them neat but they will pout when handled and attached. Don’t worry, they will recover.

The Bulbophyllim orchids grow almost continually. They like temperatures between 45° to 95° F and need a brief rest during the cool of winter. The bloom comes from the matured new growth mainly during spring and early fall. Since you don’t want to experience root rot with these beauties, any loose, well-drained potting mix is a good planting mix for their numerous short roots and their watering should be light. Don’t let them dry out. Bublos from the Himalayas or the New Guinean mountains must have cool temperatures for part of the year. They prefer shaded bright light and adjust slowly to full morning sun up to 12 noon. If you can read outdoors without strain, the light is good for the orchids, too.

Because the orchids love the wet conditions you will be providing, fungus could become a problem. Just spray them with a fungicide obtained from the grower to ward off any issues. Good air movement will help, too. They love to eat but if you decide to use salt based fertilizers, you’ll need to always flush the roots with clear water to keep them from experiencing fertilizer burn. Even cow manure is better than the salt based fertilizer but consider organic based food such as fish emulsion. Disease is rare but they sometimes are bothered by mealy bugs or scale. Just wash them with a 70% isopropyl alcohol and soap or an over-the-counter insecticide.

If you grow the Bulbophyllum in the home or in a warmed greenhouse, you can move them outside when the temperatures go past 15° C (59° F). Do protect them from direct sunlight. And let’s avoid fertilizing during flowering. Check your directions from the nursery and don’t let the fertilizer stay on the roots for too long. Quite a number of the Bulbphyllum species are being threatened with extinction. So do get your plants from a reputable grower and enjoy one of the most incredible masterpieces of nature.

Here is a time lapse video of the Bulbophyllum Orchid.  It’s really worth watching:

If you are as fascinated about the Bulbophyllum orchid as I am, you will most likely want to know more about it. Here are a few links which will satisfy your curiosity:

As you can see, here at Orchid Care.org is where you will find up-to-date information, valuable resources and useful tips about caring for orchids and how to successfully grow them.

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