Many years ago, I discovered a wonderful orchid which produces some of the most exotic lacy sprays of flowers in the orchid family. They are called Odontoglossums and are very popular with many orchid hobbyists. One look at the flowers will show you why Odontoglossums are so popular. The flowers may be white, yellow, brown, red, purple, or even be a blend of many colors. The blooms have ruffled sepals and petals. Some Odontoglossums produce flower spikes over four feet tall! Many of the species have nicknames that describe the flower or the scent. For example, Odontoglossum grande is called The Tiger Orchid because the name describes the unique striping and flower coloring. Odontoglossum pulchellum is named the "Lily-of-the-Valley Orchid" because the flower and the fragrance reminds you of the Lily of the Valley flower.
Odontoglossum's natural habitat is in the South American Andes and Colombia, while others originated in the mountainous regions of Mexico and Central America. Many of the species require cool temperatures typically found in those regions. The cultural requirements are really not that hard to obtain. They grow best in day temperatures up to 80° F (27° C) and night temperatures of 55 to 60° F (13 to 16° C) at night. I successfully grow mine positioned in front of the air conditioner in my greenhouse. If they are grown in too high of a temperature, the blooms will sometimes not fully open. Odontoglossums do not require a lot of light. They require only 1,000 to 1,500 foot-candles to grow and bloom into beautiful specimen plants. You need to keep them moist (not soggy), and once planted, they do not like to be disturbed. Try growing some of the smaller species or hybrids on tree-fern plaques. The new hybrids can be grown in a much wider temperature range.
I would like to point out an interesting fact about Odontoglossums. Even though many of the original species have been moved to different genera, they are still known as Odontoglossums for hybridizing purposes.
In 1898 C. Vuylsteke produced the first Odontoglossum hybrid. In 1904, the first genera cross was achieved. Both of these discoveries opened the door to many beautiful hybrid and genera crosses. Here are just a few genera crosses.
- Odontioda - Odontoglossum X Cochlioda
- Odontocidium - Odontoglossum X Oncidium
- Wilsonara - Cochlioda x Odontoglossum x Oncidium
- Maclellanara - Brassia x Odontoglossum x Oncidium
- Odontonia - Miltonia x Odontoglossum
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