Flor de Cera (Mexico) - Wax Orchid

Description:

This species has fat, fusiform pendulous canes concealed by white, scarious sheaths and carries several apical, linear or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, undulate leaves that bear flowers from the base of a new growth as it appears in the spring with a pendulous to arching, robust, 12" [30 cm] long, racemose inflorescence with 1"+ , foliaceous, ovate or acuminate, concave bracts that carries up to 10 waxy, fragrant flowers.

Habitat:

This beautiful species is found in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua and is a large sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte found on trees and occasionally calcareous rocks in humid forests at elevations of 800 to 1500 meters, semi-deciduous with a drier winter to insure blooming, and is best grown mounted on tree fern or in baskets to accommodate the pendant canes .