Restrepia cuprea

Here is another Restrepia from Colombia, Restrepia cuprea.   The growths are approximately 15 cm long with a 6 cm heart-shaped leaf on a stem that is wrapped in flattened bracts.  The flowers appear out of the topmost bracts from the joint of leaf and stem and each growth flowers successively over a long period of time. The flowers are bearly 6 cm tall.  They have the typical Restrepia shape with a narrow dorsal (upper) sepal and very thin, spidery petals.  The most prominent parts of the flower are the joined lateral (lower sepals which are a bright coppery orange, to which the name cuprea refers.  The flower, head on, looks like the face of little gnome with the dorsal sepal looking like a tall hat, the column a long nose, the petals two long eyebrows,the lip a long beard and the spots at the top of the lateral sepals two eyes.

Restrepia sanguinea 'Walter'

This plant was awarded by the American Orchid Society as Restrepia sanguinea but I've been told it's actually Restrepia guttulata.  If it is the latter species it is from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.  The plant is about 10 cm tall and the flowers are 5 cm from tip to tip.  My plant is grown in a plastic net pot in sphagnum moss and is very easy to grow.

Restrepia flosculata

The common name of this species, if translated, would be "Small-flowered Restrepia," a fitting name for this species since the flowers are small in comparison to other species in the genus, especially in relation to the rather large plant.    The flowers are 1.5 cm and the plant 20 cm tall.  The flowers bloom on the underside of the leaves which makes them even more difficult to appreciate.  I did not even realize the plant was in bloom until I moved several other plants next to it.  The species is from Columbia and Ecuador and likes cool temperatures and good humidity.

Restrepia sanguinea 'Walter'

The "Blood-red Restrepia," for that is what sanguinea means, is from Colombia and in plant habit and size is typical for the genus.  The erect growth, around 10 cm tall, carry a single lanceolate leaf and the 5-6 cm flowers come from the base of the leaf on rather long stems.  This particular flower is from the clone, "Walter," which has been awarded five times by the American Orchid Society for its large and deeply colored flowers.  Like all Restrepias each growth produces a succession of flowers over a very long period of time and is seldom without flowers.

Note: this plant was awarded by the American Orchid Society as Restrepia sanguinea, but I am told it is actually Restrepia guttulata.

Restrepia cuprea

This lovely orchid is from Colombia and is typical of the genus both in plant habit and in form and colorfulness of its flowers.  The growths are approximately 15 cm long with a 6 cm heart-shaped leaf on a stem that is wrapped in flattened bracts.  The flowers appear out of the topmost bracts from the joint of leaf and stem and each growth flowers successively over a long period of time. They are close to 6 cm tall.

The flowers are the typical Restrepia shape with a narrow dorsal (upper) sepal and very thin, spidery petals.  The most prominent parts of the flower are the joined lateral (lower sepals which are a bright coppery orange, to which the name cuprea refers.  The flower, head on, looks like the face of little gnome with the dorsal sepal looking like a tall hat, the column a long nose, the petals two long eyebrows,the lip a long beard and the spots at the top of the lateral sepals two eyes.

Interestingly, Restrepia is on of the few orchids that can be grown from leaf cuttings.  Indeed, new plants will sometimes spontaneously begin to grow at that point on the mother plant.  If the leaf with a bit of stem is placed in moss or something similar a new plant with eventually start from the juncture of leaf and stem.  They seem to do best for me in small pots and are not at all difficult to grow.