Calanthe: An Orchid for All Seasons
My fascination with orchids began in my childhood, wandering through the vibrant markets of Hanoi, where vendors displayed a dazzling array of these exotic blooms. Among the many genera that caught my eye, Calanthe holds a special place in my heart. These terrestrial orchids, often called “Christmas orchids” or “Prayer Plants,” boast a diversity and beauty that continues to captivate me.
Calanthe is a large genus, with somewhere 244 species. They’re found in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe, but Southeast Asia, in particular, is a hotspot for Calanthe diversity. This geographic preference makes them feel like a personal connection to my heritage.
What strikes me most about Calanthe is the sheer variety within the genus. Some are evergreen, their leaves a constant source of lush greenery, while others are deciduous, shedding their foliage in a seasonal rhythm. This deciduous characteristic is unusual among orchids and gives them a unique appeal. The leaves themselves are often large and pleated, adding a textural element to their beauty. But it’s the flowers that truly steal the show.
A Spectrum of Floral Delights
Calanthe flowers come in a breathtaking array of colors, from the purest white to vibrant yellows, oranges, pinks, and even deep purples. They’re often borne on tall, erect stems, creating a striking display. Some species have a delicate fragrance, adding another layer to their allure. The lip of the flower, a modified petal that serves as a landing platform for pollinators, often features intricate patterns and colors, further enhancing their beauty.
One of my favorite aspects of Calanthe is how they bridge the gap between the familiar and the exotic. While they possess the undeniable allure of orchids, their terrestrial habit makes them more approachable than their epiphytic cousins. They can be grown in pots or even in the ground, making them a versatile choice for gardens and homes.
Cultivating Calanthe: A Rewarding Challenge
Growing Calanthe can be a rewarding experience, though it requires some understanding of their specific needs. They prefer a well-draining medium, such as a mix of bark, perlite, and sphagnum moss. Watering needs vary depending on the species and whether it’s deciduous or evergreen. Deciduous Calanthe require a dry resting period when they lose their leaves, while evergreen species prefer consistent moisture.
Light is another crucial factor. Most Calanthe thrive in bright, indirect light, similar to what they would receive in their natural forest habitat. Direct sunlight can scorch their leaves, so it’s best to provide some shade during the hottest part of the day.
A Closer Look at Calanthe Species
The diversity of Calanthe is truly remarkable. Here are species that grace this genus:
- Calanthe abbreviata (Blume) Lindl.
- Calanthe aceras Schltr.
- Calanthe alba W.Suarez & Cootes
- Calanthe × albolilacina J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe albolutea Ridl.
- Calanthe alismifolia Lindl.
- Calanthe alleizettei Gagnep.
- Calanthe alpina Hook.f. ex Lindl.
- Calanthe alta Rchb.f.
- Calanthe angustifolia (Blume) Lindl.
- Calanthe aquamarina Schuit. & de Vogel
- Calanthe arcuata Rolfe
- Calanthe arfakana J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe argenteostriata C.Z.Tang & S.J.Cheng
- Calanthe arisanensis Hayata
- Calanthe aristulifera Rchb.f.
- Calanthe aruank P.Royen
- Calanthe aurantiaca Ridl.
- Calanthe aureiflora J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe balansae Finet
- Calanthe baliensis J.J.Wood & J.B.Comber
- Calanthe beamanii P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe beleensis Ormerod & P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe bicalcarata J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe biloba Lindl.
- Calanthe bingtaoi J.W.Zhai, L.J.Chen & Z.J.Liu
- Calanthe bivalvis P.J.Cribb & Ormerod
- Calanthe brassii Ormerod
- Calanthe brevicornu Lindl.
- Calanthe burkei P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe calanthoides (A.Rich. & Galeotti) Hamer & Garay
- Calanthe camptoceras Schltr.
- Calanthe candida Bosser
- Calanthe cardioglossa Schltr.
- Calanthe carrii Govaerts
- Calanthe caulescens J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe caulodes J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe ceciliae Rchb.f.
- Calanthe celebica Rolfe
- Calanthe chevalieri Gagnep.
- Calanthe chloroleuca Lindl.
- Calanthe chrysoglossoides J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe clavata Lindl.
- Calanthe clavicalcar J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe claytonii P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe coiloglossa Schltr.
- Calanthe conspicua Lindl.
- Calanthe coodei P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe cootesii Naive
- Calanthe cremeoviridis J.J.Wood
- Calanthe crenulata J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe crispifolia Ormerod
- Calanthe cruciata Schltr.
- Calanthe crumenata Ridl.
- Calanthe crystallina P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe curvatoascendens Gilli
- Calanthe davaensis Ames
- Calanthe davidii Franch.
- Calanthe daymanensis Ormerod & P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe decora M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe delavayi Finet
- Calanthe densiflora Lindl.
- Calanthe devogelii P.J.Cribb & D.A.Clayton
- Calanthe discolor Lindl.
- Calanthe dolichopoda Fukuy.
- Calanthe × dominyi Lindl.
- Calanthe dulongensis H.Li, R.Li & Z.L.Dao
- Calanthe duyana Aver.
- Calanthe ecallosa J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe ecarinata Rolfe ex Hemsl.
- Calanthe emeishanica K.Y.Lang & Z.H.Tsi
- Calanthe engleriana Kraenzl.
- Calanthe epiphytica Carr
- Calanthe fargesii Finet
- Calanthe finisterrae Schltr.
- Calanthe fissa L.O.Williams
- Calanthe flava (Blume) C.Morren
- Calanthe floresana P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe forbesii Ridl.
- Calanthe formosana Rolfe
- Calanthe fragrans P.Royen
- Calanthe francoisii (Schltr.) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe fugongensis X.H.Jin & S.C.Chen
- Calanthe geelvinkensis J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe gibbsiae Rolfe
- Calanthe goodenoughiana Ormerod & P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe graciliflora Hayata
- Calanthe graciliscapa Schltr.
- Calanthe griffithii Lindl.
- Calanthe habbemensis Ormerod & P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe halconensis Ames
- Calanthe hancockii Rolfe
- Calanthe hattorii Schltr.
- Calanthe henryi Rolfe
- Calanthe herbacea Lindl.
- Calanthe himalaicum Raskoti
- Calanthe hirsuta Seidenf.
- Calanthe hololeuca Rchb.f.
- Calanthe hoshii S.Kobay.
- Calanthe × hsinchuensis Y.I Lee
- Calanthe humblotii (Rchb.f.) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe hyacinthina Schltr.
- Calanthe imthurnii Kores
- Calanthe inflata Schltr.
- Calanthe insularis S.H.Oh, H.J.Suh & C.W.Park
- Calanthe izu-insularis (Satomi) Ohwi & Satomi
- Calanthe johorensis Holttum
- Calanthe judithiae P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe jusnerii Boxall ex Náves
- Calanthe kaniensis Schltr.
- Calanthe kemulensis J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe kermodei Ormerod & Kurzweil
- Calanthe keshabii Lucksom
- Calanthe kinabaluensis Rolfe
- Calanthe kooshunensis Fukuy.
- Calanthe labrosa (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
- Calanthe lacerata Ames
- Calanthe laciniata (Ormerod) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe lambii P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe lamellosa Rolfe
- Calanthe lancilabris Ormerod & P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe lechangensis Z.H.Tsi & Tang
- Calanthe leonidii P.J.Cribb & D.A.Clayton
- Calanthe leucosceptrum Schltr.
- Calanthe leuseri P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe ligo P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe limprichtii Schltr.
- Calanthe longgangensis Y.S.Huang & Yan Liu
- Calanthe longibracteata Ridl.
- Calanthe longifolia Schltr.
- Calanthe longipes Hook.f.
- Calanthe lutea (Ursch & Toill.-Gen. ex Bosser) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe lyroglossa Rchb.f.
- Calanthe madagascariensis Rolfe ex Hook.f.
- Calanthe mannii Hook.f.
- Calanthe maquilingensis Ames
- Calanthe masuca (D.Don) Lindl.
- Calanthe maxii P.O’Byrne
- Calanthe mcgregorii Ames
- Calanthe metoensis Z.H.Tsi & K.Y.Lang
- Calanthe micrantha Schltr.
- Calanthe microglossa Ridl.
- Calanthe millikenii P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe millotae Ursch & Genoud ex Bosser
- Calanthe mindorensis Ames
- Calanthe moluccensis J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe monophylla Ridl.
- Calanthe morotaiensis (Ormerod & Juswara) Schuit.
- Calanthe musa-amanii J.J.Wood
- Calanthe nankunensis Z.H.Tsi
- Calanthe nephroglossa Schltr.
- Calanthe nguyenthinhii Aver.
- Calanthe nicolae P.O’Byrne
- Calanthe nipponica Makino
- Calanthe nivalis Boxall ex Náves
- Calanthe obcordata (Lindl.) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe obreniformis J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe odora Griff.
- Calanthe okinawensis Hayata
- Calanthe × oreadum Rendle
- Calanthe otuhanica C.L.Chan & T.J.Barkman
- Calanthe ovalifolia Ridl.
- Calanthe ovata Ridl.
- Calanthe parvilabris Schltr.
- Calanthe pauciverrucosa J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe pavairiensis Ormerod
- Calanthe perrottetii A.Rich.
- Calanthe petelotiana Gagnep.
- Calanthe peyrotii (Bosser) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe plantaginea Lindl.
- Calanthe poiformis P.J.Cribb & Ormerod
- Calanthe polyantha Gilli
- Calanthe × porphyrea Rchb.f.
- Calanthe puberula Lindl.
- Calanthe pulchra (Blume) Lindl.
- Calanthe pullei J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe punctata Kurzweil
- Calanthe reflexilabris J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe rhodochila Schltr.
- Calanthe rigida Carr
- Calanthe rosea (Lindl.) Benth.
- Calanthe rubens Ridl.
- Calanthe rubra S.H.Oh, H.J.Suh & C.W.Park
- Calanthe ruthiae (P.T.Ong & P.O’Byrne) Schuit.
- Calanthe ruttenii J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe saccata J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe sacculata Schltr.
- Calanthe salaccensis J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe sandsii P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe scaposa Z.H.Tsi & K.Y.Lang
- Calanthe secunda P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe seranica J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe siargaoensis M.Leon, Naive & Cootes
- Calanthe × sibuyanense Cootes & G.Tiong
- Calanthe sieboldopsis B.Y.Yang & Bo Li
- Calanthe simplex Seidenf.
- Calanthe simulans (Rolfe) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe sinica Z.H.Tsi
- Calanthe solomonensis P.J.Cribb & D.A.Clayton
- Calanthe spathoglottoides Schltr.
- Calanthe speciosa (Blume) Lindl.
- Calanthe steinhardtiana (Senghas) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe stella P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe striata R.Br. ex Spreng.
- Calanthe × subhamata J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe succedanea Gagnep.
- Calanthe sylvatica (Thouars) Lindl.
- Calanthe taenioides J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe tahitensis Nadeaud
- Calanthe taibaishanensis M.Guo, J.W.Zhai & L.J.Chen
- Calanthe takeuchii Ormerod & P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe tenuis Ames & C.Schweinf.
- Calanthe torricellensis Schltr.
- Calanthe transiens J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe tricarinata Lindl.
- Calanthe trifida Tang & F.T.Wang
- Calanthe triplicata (Willemet) Ames
- Calanthe trulliformis King & Pantl.
- Calanthe truncata J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe truncicola Schltr.
- Calanthe tsiana Y.Q.Chen, J.W.Zhai & S.R.Lan
- Calanthe tsoongiana Tang & F.T.Wang
- Calanthe tuberculosa (Thouars) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe uncata Lindl.
- Calanthe undulata J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe unifolia Ridl.
- Calanthe × varians J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe velutina Ridl.
- Calanthe ventilabrum Rchb.f.
- Calanthe versteegii J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe vestita Wall. ex Lindl.
- Calanthe × villegentei M.Pignal
- Calanthe villosa J.J.Sm.
- Calanthe villosagastris (Thouars) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Calanthe wenshanensis J.W.Zhai, L.J.Chen & Z.J.Liu
- Calanthe whiteana King & Pantl.
- Calanthe womersleyi P.J.Cribb & Ormerod
- Calanthe woodii P.J.Cribb
- Calanthe wuxiensis H.P.Deng & F.Q.Yu
- Calanthe yaoshanensis Z.X.Ren & H.Wang
- Calanthe × yarlungzangboensis P.P.Wu & Zi Wang
- Calanthe yueana Tang & F.T.Wang
- Calanthe yuksomnensis Lucksom
- Calanthe zollingeri Rchb.f.
Conservation Concerns
While Calanthe are a source of beauty and fascination, it’s important to remember that many species are facing threats in the wild. Habitat loss due to deforestation and illegal collection for the horticultural trade are major concerns. By choosing nursery-propagated plants and supporting conservation efforts, we can help ensure that these orchids continue to thrive for generations to come.
My journey with Calanthe is an ongoing one. With each new species I encounter, my appreciation for this remarkable genus deepens. Whether you’re a seasoned orchid grower or just starting your journey, I encourage you to explore the world of Calanthe. You might just find yourself as captivated by these orchids as I am.
