Embreea rodigasiana

Huge flowers, mysterious heavy scent reminiscent of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, dramatic color and structure of the blooms and a very close relative of stanhopea’s - this is embreea rodigasiana.

Until 1980’s it was part of stanhopea’s range and then been re-classified in the specie of it’s own.

This one is not an easy orchid to bring to flower - it demands huge amount of water during it’s growing cycle and strongly dislike change of temperature, making it really difficult during our winter time to look after it properly. If it’s growing requirements not met completely  it just refusing to flower - a lot to do with it’s natural habitat of hot, misty, clouded forests of  Colombia and Ecuador.

I am forever learning with this one, trying to find the best conditions for it’s growing and blooming cycle, don’t mind the challenge because the rewards are huge - seeing this dramatic looking orchid in bloom and smelling it’s mysterious scent I can more appreciate Nature for creating such beauty.

Embreea rodigasiana 1

Emreea rodigasiana 2

Embreea rodigasiana 3

Embreea rodigasiana – the close relative

This beautiful orchid closely related to stanhopea’s and in fact, until about 1980’s was called stanhopea rodigasiana, but then been re-classified as a separate genus.


The difference is in the number of inflorescences and horns– stanhopea’s producing multiple number of flowers on each spike and embreea’s carry only one flower. These orchids native to Colombia and Ecuador and growing in very wet, misty clouded forests and in cultivation have to grow in open planters, just as stanhopea’s.


Early this morning another flower opened on my embreea rodigasiana and I took this picture to capture its beautiful flower. The flower spike is about 30cm long and the flower is rather large and fleshy, creamy with burgundy color spots on petals. The scent is very strong and spicy and reminds me of combination of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. My plant currently developing more flower spikes and I am anticipating seeing more of these rare and dramatic flowers.