San Marcos Growers LogoSan Marcos Growers
New User
Wholesale Login
Enter Password
Home Products Purchase Gardens About Us Resources Contact Us
Nursery Closure
Search Utilities
Plant Database
Search Plant Name
Detail Search Avanced Search Go Button
Search by size, origins,
details, cultural needs
Website Search Search Website GO button
Search for any word
Site Map
Retail Locator
Plant Listings

PLANT TYPE
PLANT GEOGRAPHY
PLANT INDEX
ALL PLANT LIST
PLANT IMAGE INDEX
PLANT INTROS
SPECIALTY CROPS
NEW  2024 PLANTS

PRIME LIST
  for OCTOBER


Natives at San Marcos Growers
Succulents at San Marcos Growers
 Weather Station

 
Products > Epidendrum radicans
 
Epidendrum radicans - Five-star Reed Stem Orchid
   

 
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Perennial
Family: Orchidaceae (Orchids)
Origin: Tropical America
Evergreen: Yes
Flower Color: Orange Red
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 radicans (Five-star 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 red and orange 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.

This species is a popular plant in coastal California gardens with good year round flower production on stout flower spikes. 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 or otherwise well drained flowerbeds.

Epidendrum radicans is native to Mexico, Central America and Colombia and it is a common roadside weed at middle elevations throughout Central America. The name for the genus is from the Greek words 'epi' meaning "on", "wearing" or "on top of" and 'dendron' meaning "tree" in reference to the epiphytic nature of some species. The genus was first established by Linnaeus in 1754 to cover all epiphytic orchids known at the time yet this particular species is just as often found growing rooted in the ground. The specific epithet means "having rooting stems". Other common names include Fire star orchid, Reed-stem Epidendrum, Ground-rooting Epidendrum, Rainbow Orchid and Crucifix Orchid. 

This information about Epidendrum radicans displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate 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 that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.