Someone Should Tell This Orchid It’s Growing Upside-Down

Some orchids have just one leaf. Others have none at all. They grow on trees, in soil, and along mountainsides in tropical and colder weather. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that at least one genus of orchid grows not up toward the sun, but down toward the ground, as though it’s gotten horribly lost. 

Stanhopea whittenii (Photo credit: Stefano, CC 3.0, via Flickr)

The flowers produced by Stanhopea orchids are large, fragrant, and come in complex shapes that aid the pollination process. Their sole pollinator is the male euglossine bee. The flowers don’t last as long as those on phalaenopsis or cattleyas, but stanhopeas tend to bloom more often. Some of the blooms have paths or channels that guide insects to the pollen, while others have small reservoirs of pollen. What they all have in common is that the flowers grow downward, like pendants. 

Stanhopea graveolons (Photo Credit: BotBln, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

In order to facilitate the growth of these upside-down orchids, they’re usually hung in baskets, though it’s possible to mount them as well. In nature, they hang from trees. Different stanhopea species are native to Central and South America, Mexico, and Trinidad. They grow anywhere from sea level to elevations roughly 2.5 miles high, and they can live in cool, moderate, and/or warm temperatures between 62-75 F during the day and 52-60 F at night. 

Stanhopea wardii (Photo credit: Stefano, CC 3.0, via Flickr)

Like most orchids, they enjoy high humidity (70-90%) and filtered bright light, though some species can handle some direct sun. Their ideal growing conditions are similar to those for cattleyas. The most important factor for stanhopea is consistent watering. Like cattleyas, these orchids store water in pseudobulbs, which shouldn’t be allowed to dry out or shrivel, even in the winter. They’re sensitive to underwatering and often (as in the photo above) display yellowed leaf tips if they get too dry or if they’re not consistently watered. Stanhopea can be sensitive to salt and other chemicals in water, so rain or distilled water is preferred. The best potting medium holds enough moisture to facilitate humidity, such as sphagnum moss and/or coconut fiber mixed with orchid bark or another chunky media that allows for air flow and drainage. Some species of stanhopea do go dormant in the winter and shouldn’t be watered—the rest allows them to store energy for spring and summer flowering.

Some species of stanhopea are sold online and at orchid shows, so home growers can give these pendulous plants a try. If you stand on your head while marveling at one, it will seem the right-way up!

Stanhopea nigroviolacea (Photo credit: Stefano, CC 3.0, via Flickr)