Stanhopea graveolens

Being discovered in 1840’s in high altitudes of forests of Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, stanhopea graveolens remains firm favorite orchid with stanhopea growers all over the world. Its one of the easiest to grow varieties that once starts flowering rewards one year after year with large showy flowers.

My stanhopea graveolens always flowering at the beginning of autumn when majority of stanhopea’s in my collection finished its blooming season. The flowers are large and the scent (uniformly agreed upon by anyone who smells it) reminds of “mothballs” – strong, penetrating and long-lingering.

One of the Nature’s creations, I am sure, to preserve its genetic makeup and to be pollinated by a specific moth that finds “mothballs” scent irresistible - and for the collector another special stanhopea.