Stanhopea costaricensis

Here is another of my stanhopea's that was flowered later in the season, its stanhopea costaricensis, one of the oldest documented stanhopea species. It was first described in 1860's from a plant collected in prior years. It grows in wet forsests of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica in altitudes up to 15000m.

Its beautiful orchid with large bulbs and leaves and nicely sculptured blooms of mustard/pale yellow color with many spots and blotches and dark distinct black pair of eyes. The scent is very strong herbal mixture of clove, spices and at times smells like old fashion medicine mixture. There are many layers to the scent, its plesant and unusual.

Stanhopea costaricensis old time favoured and loved and admired by collectors of these special orchids for it's unusual appearance, sculptured blooms and strong and remarkable scent.