Chondroscaphe amabilis

Chondroscaphe amabilis is one of those orchids that announces itself before you see it. Soft, fan-shaped growths of pleated, pale green leaves spill outward, and from their base emerge waxy, cream-to-ivory flowers with a fringed lip and a sweet, carrying perfume that fills a room in the cool of the morning. A member of the Zygopetalinae from the humid cloud forests of the northern Andes, it stays compact enough for a shaded windowsill or a corner of the greenhouse, yet it never looks ordinary.

Care Guide

• Light: Bright shade. Filtered light similar to a Phalaenopsis or Masdevallia, never direct midday sun, which scorches the thin leaves.
• Temperature: Cool to intermediate. Days around 18-24°C (65-75°F) with a distinct night drop to 12-16°C (54-60°F).
• Humidity: High, 70-85%. Pair with gentle, constant air movement to keep the fan-shaped growths clean and free of spotting.
• Water: Keep evenly moist year round. This orchid has no pseudobulbs and dislikes drying out, so water with low-mineral water as the medium approaches dryness, never letting it go bone dry.
• Medium & potting: Fine to medium bark with sphagnum or perlite in a well-drained pot, or mounted with a moss pad if humidity stays high. Repot every one to two years as the mix breaks down.
• Fertilizer: A balanced orchid fertilizer at quarter strength with most waterings, flushing the pot with clear water monthly to prevent salt buildup.

Grown in our nurseries in the Ecuadorian Andes, where the climate this species loves comes free with the mountain air, each plant is selected and inspected before it ships. Give it steady moisture, cool nights, and a little patience, and Chondroscaphe amabilis will reward you with fragrant blooms and a presence few orchids can match.