The common names for the very special Phaius orchid are varied: Nun’s orchid, Veiled orchid, Greater Swamp orchid and Swamp Lily are among them. Native to countries like India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea and Australia as well as Africa and Madagascar, these beauties are listed as endangered.

The genus has approximately thirty species, most of which are terrestrial orchids in the Orchidaceae family, meaning that they grow along the ground. The word Phaius is Greek and means dark and sometimes is spelled Phajus. The dark refers to the color of the showy blooms. Flowering occurs in spring and the medium to large blossoms grow on plants that are normally terrestrial, which means they grow along the ground. A few epiphyte species exist.

Brought to England from China by John Fothergill in 1778, one of the species was named in honor of Lady Emma Tankerville in later years by Joseph Banks. Countess Tankerville was an avid orchid collector. The Phaius Tankervilliae orchid, also known as the Nun’s Cap or swamp orchid, is relatively rare and tends to hide in rain forests and jungle habitats. This particular orchid species is also found in the wetter area around East Hawaii and thrives in shady but filtered light areas. Highly fragrant, especially in the morning, you can find a field of tall, straight stalks of tiered purple and white blossoms with a dark purple and striated white throat. It makes you hold your breath in awe. Since the native habitat for the Phaius orchid is swampy grassland or forests, they are threatened by the trampling of livestock or illegally collected by plant collectors plus a loss of its habitat. They have been placed on the endangered list.

Other species have ample large furrowed leaves that rise from bulbs in the ground and each plant can grow as tall as 2 M (7 ft). It can bear up to sixteen flowers on racemes that come from each clustered stem that rises vertically out of the plant. These exquisite flowers have four petals which are brownish on the inside and white on the outside. The center is an open tube with mauve and yellow gradations. Many orchids are incorrectly labeled in nurseries because they are misidentified by professionals and authors. It is particularly challenging for them to identify the Phaius genus. It pays to do some research before purchasing these orchids from growers to make sure you’re getting what you want.

Propagation is achieved either through seeds or by cutting a piece off of the base clump of the orchid plant. Or you can plant an entire section of a flower stem node in sphagnum moss or just stand it in a container of water. Plantlets will emerge from the nodes and when they are large enough to plant, they are removed and potted. Another easy way is to simply lay out the spike in sand, half covering it. New plants will sprout up. Basically they are easy to grow in cultivation and will grow in greenhouses that will accommodate palms.

I have potted them in a mix like 40% fir bark, 30% soil and 30% sphagnum moss. This mixture retains moisture quite well. Although these orchids usually require shade, some species tolerate full sunlight in temperate climates. Keep them moist during the growing season and when the plant matures, hold off watering for about a month. Always repot after flowering is over.

Some of the most important factors in propagating and growing the Phaius orchid are perfect drainage and giving them the right food. Orchids scavenge nutrients from the atmosphere, and from whatever happens to be nearby, like bird droppings, decomposing leaves or rain water minerals. At home you need products that contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements like iron. Always ask for instructions to accompany your orchid purchase so that there’s no doubt about what you need to do to be able to enjoy your orchid garden for many years to come.

Learn the secrets to orchid care through this beautifully presented video!

Understanding that no single article can cover all that you might want to know about Phaius orchids, we’ve provided a number of useful links:

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