Calanthe Pink & Cream - Garden orchid

Calanthe 'Pink & Cream' is a beautiful flowering terrestrial orchid which is a somewhat delicate plant to grow. It is a perennial plant that produces a flowering stem in late spring bearing beautiful, long-lasting flowers in shades of pink and cream, often enhanced with orange-yellow at their centre. It is grown in mild and humid climates, in thick and well-drained humus which remain moist from spring to the end of summer but is drier in winter, in partial shade. Growing in pots allows for easier control of the composition and moisture of the growing substrate. In dry soil, protected by mulch, it can withstand temperatures as low as -10 °C.

The Pink & Cream Calanthe is a horticultural hybrid. The genus Calanthe, from the Orchidaceae family, includes  150 species native to tropical areas, mainly concentrated in Asia. The flowering of these calanthes is long, and some species and cultivars have a very pleasant fragrance. There are 2 groups of calanthes, some have evergreen foliage in winter and others deciduous. The vegetation of this Pink & Cream variety is deciduous, emerging from the ground in spring and drying up in autumn. The plant forms a clump of foliage about 30 cm (12in) in all directions. This orchid develops a pseudobulb, from which large light green leaves 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16in) long and 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6in) wide emerge in early spring. They are broadly ovate with strongly impressed parallel veins. In spring, between late April and late May, the plant produces beautiful flowering stems about 45 cm (18in) tall, bearing several flowers, generally bicolour. They are widely open, composed of elongated, pointed, pink sepals and petals, and a trilobed cream labellum (lip). The crown produces few suckers. The plant goes dormant in winter when its foliage has completely yellowed. 

In favourable climates, plant your Calanthe in partial shade, sheltered from the wind, in light, humus-rich soil, tending towards neutral or slightly acidic. Plant it in a slightly shady spot, in a cool rock garden, between rocks or at the edge of a moist understory, alongside Arisaema, Cypripedium, Paris, Bletilla and ferns. Due to its poor hardiness, it will be necessary to protect the crown from harsh winters and excessive moisture. This plant grows well in large pots, which can be overwintered in a cold greenhouse.

When you receive your orchids, handle them with care: these plants produce few roots and are delicate!