Calanthe Lindl.

The word “Calanthe” means ‘beautiful flower’.

There are two groups of Calanthe recognized: the evergreen types and the deciduous ones. Both grow over a wide area of distribution: Africa, India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Polynesia, Australia and a single representative in Central America.

The very first, manmade hybrid orchid was Calanthe Dominyi (Cal. furcata x masuca), created in 1853 by one of Veitch’s gardeners Mr. Dominy, who acted on the advice of Dr. Harris of Exeter, England. The next Calanthe hybrid to be registered was Cal. Veitchii (Cal. rosea x vestita). This brings us to the deciduous group, which includes Cal. cardioglossa, labrosa, rosea, rubens, vestita and its many varieties.

Calanthe rubens

When I first started growing Calanthes, I felt that since their leaves look much like Lycaste leaves (large, soft and with heavy ribs), they wanted to grow under similar conditions: intermediate to cool and always moist. I made the same erroneous assumption with Spathoglottis. In the meantime I have learned that “Calanthes like it warm!” Actually, some Idas and Lycastes also like it warm and some also like rest periods; this applies especially to the Mexican yellow Lycastes. But these plants are exclusively from the New World, whereas almost all Calanthes are from the Old World.

The deciduous Calanthes grow in the tropics as forest terrestrials and have a short, dry winter rest and a long, moist summer season for growing. They also have large, conspicuous pseudobulbs which remind me of pre-Columbian pottery with a large angled basal part topped by a similar, smaller one.

These top parts of the pseudobulbs snap off easily, particularly during the resting period, while they are placed below the benches in our warm greenhouse. If they do break off, you can try to pot them up – often they will grow. It may weaken the mother plants a little and it certainly will change its appearance. Next time, try to be more careful and keep the plant intact.

Most winters, the large leaves dry and fall off, sometimes not. Any plant without leaves should not receive any more water than needed to keep it from shrivelling. Now you start watching for flower spikes to appear from the base of the newest pseudobulb. This happens usually in late winter to spring. Once the spikes are visible, set the plant on the bench again to give it good light; water it lightly during the flowering period. The flowers will open in succession on stems about 40cm long, several being open at one time and will last for 2–3 months. You may repot (in a terrestrial mix) as soon as the new growth is about 5cm high and then you have to water and fertilize regularly. Make certain that no moisture is left standing in the tubes formed by the immature leaves.

Calanthes used to be popular from about 1880 until the beginning of WW2 and many hybrids have been made. They last well as cut-flowers and lately have been used again in hybridizing, especially in England, to produce stunning 7cm flowers in colours from pure white to the deepest ruby red you can imagine. Try growing a Calanthe – a ‘Beautiful Flower’ and see how you like it.

Ingrid Schmidt-Ostrander - Canadian Orchid Congress