Autumn and winter flowering evergreen and leaf-losing Orchids natives of Asia, Africa and Australasia. The name Calanthe is derived from the Greek kalos, beautiful, and anthos, a flower. Calanthe belongs to the family Orchidaceae.
Of these, the two most important species are C. rosea and C. vestita. The latter has the larger flowers, with usually white segments, and the lip is divided into three lobes; at the base of the lip, there is a yellow or blood-red blotch, the color distinguishing two favorite varieties, luteo-oculata, and rubro-oculata. The original species C. rosea and C. vestita, are seldom grown; they have been superseded by hybrids.
The earliest of these hybrids, C. Veitchii, bears forty or more flowers in an inflorescence, the flowers varying in color from soft to deep rose. Numerous other hybrids have since been raised: they include C. bella Harrisii, white; C. William Murray, with deep red lip and rose colored sepals and petals, and C. bella, deep rose.
These Orchids require repotting each spring, when fresh growth begins, in a mixture of four parts fibrous loam and one part leaf mold, sand and chopped sphagnum moss. Some growers add dried cow manure. The pots must be well drained. To produce flowers, pseudobulbs formed the previous year are selected and planted individually. The older pseudobulbs (back bulbs) may be used for propagation. If potted and treated in the same way they will produce new pseudobulbs that will bloom the following year.
After repotting watering must be done carefully, for if the new compost becomes sodden, root action is prevented. When the pots are full of roots, however, water may be given freely and the plants benefit then from weekly applications of dilute liquid fertilizer. When
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