Cischweinfia popowiana

Cischweinfia popowiana packs a surprising amount of charm into a very small plant. Slender, glossy leaves rise from compact flattened pseudobulbs, and short arching sprays hold pale, softly waxy flowers with a wide flaring lip washed in warm rose and fine veining. A cloud forest member of the Oncidiinae from the Andean slopes, it needs barely any bench space, blooms willingly once settled, and looks right at home in a terrarium, on a mount, or crowded onto a humid windowsill.

Care Guide

• Light: Bright, filtered light at Phalaenopsis to light Oncidium levels, shielded from direct midday sun.
• Temperature: Intermediate. Days of 19-26°C (66-79°F) with nights easing to 14-18°C (57-65°F).
• Humidity: 60-80%, with gentle, steady air movement so the fine roots stay healthy.
• Water: Water regularly with low-mineral water, letting the roots approach dryness between waterings but never stay dry. Mounted plants need daily watering in warm weather.
• Medium & potting: Fine bark with perlite in a small pot, or mounted on cork or tree fern with a thin moss pad where humidity is high. Repot every year or two before the mix breaks down.
• Fertilizer: Balanced orchid fertilizer at quarter strength with most waterings, plus a monthly flush of clear water to clear accumulated salts.

Grown in our nurseries in the Ecuadorian Andes, in the same cool, humid mountain air this species comes from, every plant is hand selected and inspected before it ships. Give it warmth, humidity, and regular water, and Cischweinfia popowiana will reward the smallest corner of your collection with delicate, finely marked flowers.