Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Conservatory GreenhouseHouseplants

Brassia caudata

A medium-sized, epiphytic orchid with elliptic, dark green leathery leaves up to 30cm long and 2.5-8cm wide. Pseudobulbs are up to 14cm long and 3.5cm wide, flattened with sharp edges, bearing a pair of leaves at the tip. Flowering in autumn and spring, on 45cm long, arching stems, carrying up to 20 flowers. Each flower is 3.5cm wide and 15cm long. Petals and sepals are long and narrow, yellow with darker brown markings. The distinct shape of flowers has evolved to mimic spiders to attract wasp species conducive to successful pollination.

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1B

Botanical details

Family: Orchidaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Brassia are small to very large epiphytic orchids with ovoid to cylindrical pseudobulbs, each bearing 1-3 strap-shaped leaves and often showy flowers in racemes of up to 12 spider-like fragrant flowers from the bases of the pseudobulbs
Name status: Correct
Plant range: S US to Brazil

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in an open bark-based orchid compost with addition of perlite, sphagnum moss or coir. Provide enough bright filtered light, but keep away from direct sunlight or a heating source. Ideal temperatures are around 15°C minimum at night and up to maximum 25 °C during day. Water regularly, when the pot feels light when lifted. Ensure that all water drains away, preventing the plant sitting wet. Orchid fertiliser can be applied regularly throughout the growing season. Reduce watering and feeding in winter months. The orchid will naturally produce aerial roots, growing outside of the pot. As with many orchids, they grow best when well-established and slightly pot-bound. Re-potting should be only done if the plant overgrows its container or before the potting mix starts to deteriorate - approximately once in 2-3 years.

Propagation

Mature plants may be divided when the plant overgrows its container. Each division should have at least 3 older pseudobulbs with a sufficient amount of stored energy and water, to support new growth and reduce stress after repotting.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mealybugs, aphids and scale insects.

Diseases

Generally disease-free.

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.