Maxillaria tenuifolia is found in nature in Mexico, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Guatamala and Nicaragua growing on trees at altitudes up to 1.500 meters. The flowers of this orchid have a deep red colour, which give it a striking appearance. The lip is white with red spots, contrasting it beautifully. It is probably not surprising that Maxillaria tenuifolia is often called 'Coconut pie orchid'. Each flower stem carries one flower. The leaves grow from thick oval bulbs. They are quite fragile, but extremely beautiful.

This orchid is relatively easy to take care of. With the proper humidity of at least 50% it is even possible to keep Maxillaria tenuifolia on your windowsill. The ideal temperature is around 22⁰C. During the night it should be slightly colder to stimulate the production of flowers. The temperature should never drop below 10⁰C or rise above 30⁰C. Maxillaria tenuifolia likes a light spot, but should be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent it from drying out. Airflow is very important to prevent infections and disease. Water the plant four to five times a week using rainwater or distilled water, to prevent the accumulation of minerals in the roots. During winter you should give the substrate time to dry in between watering sessions. Orchid-mix is a suitable substrate, but you can also attach Maxillaria tenuifolia to a piece of bark. You can find this and other components in our ‘Plant Accessories’ section. You can add plant nutrition every now and then. Old flowers can be cut from the plant.