This week we feature a truly amazing species, the infamous Pleurothallis tarantula!
Pleurothallis is a huge an interesting neo-tropical genus - the largest group of orchids restricted to the Western Hemisphere. Over 200 species are recorded from Colombia alone.
"Robert Brown described this genus as monotypic in 1811 when he removed Jacquin's Pleurothallis ruscifolia from Epidendrum, or Dendrobium to which it had been transferred. Over 2000 epithets encompassing dozens of various alliances or affinities have been added since that time." (Carlyle Luer, 1986)
Plants from this genus may be tiny or huge, short or tall, clumping or creeping. Flowers vary wildly, encompassing all sizes and shapes. Really, the only thing common to all species is that they have two pollinia.
"Epiphytes or terrestrials in moist or wet forest (rarely in dry forest) from sea level to 3500 meters elevation but most frequest from 1000 to 2500 meters in wet cloud forest." "Most of the plants can be grown under intermediate to cool conditions with abundant water throughout the year." (Calaway Dodson, Native Ecuadorian Orchids, 2003)
However, Pleurothallis must be very forgiving plants, as our conditions here at Tropical Orchid Farm are not really "cloud forest" at all. In fact, when we became the first nursery in Hawaii to grow pleurothallis, we were admonished that "you can't grow pleurothallids in Hawaii." After all, the elevation at our farm is only 500 ft. But we now grow hundreds of pleurothallid species successfully and our featured plant Pleurothallis tarantula seems particularly easy to grow.
Not too long, this species fetched $200 - if you could get it at all. So we are very pleased to be able to offer these healthy vigorous blooming-size plants at a very reasonable price.