Smithsonian Gardens

Common name: The Atacazo Epidendrum, Flor de Cristo

Family: Orchidaceae subfam. Epidendroideae (Orchid)

Distribution: Ecuador

Habitat: Upper montane wet forests; 1246-9515ft (380-2900m)

Life form: Epiphytic

Bloom Time (northern hemisphere): May

Bloom characteristics: Inflorescence is 9" (32 cm) long with branches that are 6" (15 cm) long and up to 200 pink flowers. Flowers are .25" (6 mm) across.

Description: While the flowers of this large orchid are tiny, the sheer number of them still makes its inflorescences a striking site in full bloom. The species name for this orchid comes from the Atacazo volcano in southwest Quito.

Comments: Epidendrum atacazoicum