Encyclia odoratissima

[Frdemetr]

I pic this Encyclia (also called Encyclia patens) in a children school yard, when we went this sunday for a 'country party' (June is the 'country month' in Brazil, to celebrate St John and the others June saints, St Anthony and St Peter). It is mounted on a mango tree, jointly with Xylobium, Oncidium, bifoliate Cattleya (without flowers) and bromeliads. A nice vision in a urban area!

[Ross]

I am amazed at how much the native Encylias look alike! This looks amazingly like tampensis (and probably others too.)

[flhiker]

Nice Picture, I agree with Ross it looks the same as tempensis, I have only seen one that was that large here. Pre-Digital camera

[Charles]

I would like to know how you keep the insects off your orchids. I tried doing the tree thing years ago in Florida. American Cockroaches ate my roots. I could not stop them.

[Frdemetr]

Encyclia is a genus very easy to identificate, but the species sometimes are very similar! I never saw a tampensis in vivo, but looking the pics in the web they are very look-alike! (except the frontal part of the lip, broader and more magenta in tampensis). About the insects, this plant (and the whole mango tree!) unfortunately aren't mine, but in the few orchids I have mounted in trees (Trigonidium), I've used regular insecticides and works OK (Actara, Confidor - systemic, and Decis - contact)

[Tindomul]

Amazing to find orchids in a school yard. I just think that is too cool!!!! Thanks for sharing!

[flhiker]

The Encyclia tempensis here in Florida can range in color. This is from the book Wild Orchids of Florida: up to 45; sepals and petals similar, various shades of yellow, copper, green or bronze, often suffused with purple; lip white veined with purple and with a central purple spot or striping on the midlobe; or in the forma albolabia, the petals and sepals light green and the lip pure white; individuals flower size 3.6-4.2 cm. Hope this helps.

[thakshila smith]

this is how we grow orchids too. a trunk full of orchid bushes. We grow pigeons., cattleya and vandas and many more this way. they live very happily .. Actually less flowers I think . big bushes we get.
I think when comparing Brazilian climate is more similar to us,

[Toddybear]

Impressive display! And to think it's essentially growing wild!

[fisx]

Great photos and thank you for posting them here!
Yes, this Encyclia does look a lot like tampensis. It's one of my personal favorites: easy to grow and flower. It lives next to tampensis and a bunch of other E. species in my greenhouse and does fine.