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The Restrepia Gallery
This a wonderful genus from the subtribe Pleurothallidinae. It comprises of about 48 species or more, distributed from Central America down into the Andes Mountains of Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia.
They are small bulbless epiphytic perennials, usually found in moist montane forest and cooler cloud forests. Most are found at elevations of around 2000-3000m, although they do occur as low as 750m and as high as 3600m.
In the right environment, species from this genus can be in flower intermittently year round, but usually with a bit of a lull during the peak summer months. They are very colourful orchids, and very easily grown, even for the total novice. As long as you provide adequate shade, air movement and moisture, i.e. in a shady, cool, moist part of the garden, or an experienced growers airy bush house, you will find them very rewarding and of easy culture.
Below is just a mere selection of the species from within this wonderful genus, but the colour variation and form in some taxa can be clearly seen.
MANY MORE COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS, CULTURAL HINTS AND TEXT ON THE GENUS RESTREPIA CAN BE SEEN IN THE COMING ISSUES OF OASIS. SUBSCRIBE HERE.
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