Bulbophyllum lindleyanum

Bulbophyllum lindleyanum is a species native to tropical Asia, occurring from India and Sri Lanka through Myanmar, Thailand, and into southern China. It grows in warm, humid forests, typically on trees at low to mid elevations. The plant produces a creeping rhizome with small, clustered pseudobulbs, each carrying a single leaf. Its most distinctive feature is the erect inflorescence, which can reach up to 60 cm tall and bears numerous small reddish-purple flowers densely arranged along the spike. The flowers are adapted for fly pollination, with a hinged lip mechanism characteristic of the genus. This species is appreciated in cultivation for its tall, floriferous displays.

Care Tips

• Light: Prefers shaded to moderately bright, indirect light.
• Water: Requires frequent watering; keep roots evenly moist without allowing them to dry out.
• Media: Suited to mounting on cork or tree fern, or grown in a fine orchid mix with sphagnum moss to maintain moisture.
• Fertiliser: Apply a dilute orchid fertiliser regularly during active growth.
• Temperature: Thrives in warm to intermediate conditions, ideally 18–28 °C, with consistently high humidity.
• Air circulation: Needs steady airflow to prevent fungal or bacterial problems around the dense inflorescences.
• Repotting: Refresh medium or remount every 2–3 years, ensuring rhizomes have space to spread.