Orchid 'Brassavola flagellaris'

Brassavola flagellaris originates from the east of Brazil, where it grows upon rocks and stones. It can also grow without a substrate at your home. A piece of bark for the roots to grip is all it needs. The orchid owes its name flagellaris (whip) to the long leaves it has. These leaves can grow as long as 45 centimetre, so they should have space to hang. When the plant gets older, it will produce more flowers. These flowers have four small light green leaves with a big white heart shaped lip. The lip has a bright green core to lure pollinating insects to its nectar.

This orchid needs a lot of sunlight, so it's best if you keep it in a greenhouse or some other light spot. Brassavola flagellaris prefers the humidity to be around 80%. Despite this, it is relatively easy to look after this orchid. The temperature can be anywhere between 15⁰C and 30⁰C and drought periods are no problem for this species. For the best results in growth water this orchid with rainwater or distilled water whenever the substrate has become slightly dry. This will probably be three to five times a week. The best substrate would be a piece of bark or cork. To prevent infections and disease make sure there is a proper airflow. You can use a piece of bark or cork as substrate, but orchid-mix is also an option. You can find these and other components in our ‘Plant Accessories’ section. Make sure moisture is able to drain from it. If your Brassavola flagellaris gets too big you can prune it. Fertilize with caution.