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Products > Plants - Browse Alphabetically > Epidendrum 'Purple'
 
Epidendrum 'Purple' - Purple Reed Stem Orchid
   
Image of Epidendrum 'Purple'
[2nd Image]
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Perennial
Family: Orchidaceae (Orchids)
Origin: Tropical America
Evergreen: Yes
Flower Color: Purple
Bloomtime: Year-round
Height: 2-3 feet
Width: 2-3 feet
Exposure: Light Shade/Part Sun
Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F
Epidendrum 'Purple' (Purple Reed Stem Orchid) - This evergreen orchid holds leafy stems growing up to 30 inches tall, producing balls of 30 or more brilliantly colored 1-inch purple flowers on 18 inch terminal spikes.

Strong, sturdy growth comes when plants are placed in bright light, even full sun along the coast. It benefits from fertilizer, and thrives when grown in a rich, fast-draining humus mix. It will tolerate temperatures down to 25-30° F for brief periods. Our plants under tree cover survived a drop below 20° F in the freeze of 1990.

This unnamed variety is locally popular in Santa Barbara as it is extremely floriferous on abundant stout flower spikes that rise throughout the year. In time plants develop keikis (Hawaiian term for "babies"), which are new vegetative growths produced on old stems and flower spikes. Once these keikis develop their own 2- to 4-inch-long roots, they can easily be detached from the stem and planted individually in pots and grow readily in almost any setting, whether in a pot, mounted on a cork slab, or in raised flowerbeds outdoors, as climate permits. 

The information about Epidendrum 'Purple' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.