Eulophia

John Lindley firstly described Eulophia in 1821.

The genus Eulophia includes around 250 species that are found in the rainforests, open scrubs or woodlands of predominantly Africa, but also found in America, Asia, India and Australia.

Almost all species are terrestrial but there are also some epiphytes and rarely lithophytes.

Eulophias can survive the dry season through their large bulbous corms and some species like E. petersii can survive in desert conditions (evolved to grow in deserts).

Eulophias can be grown outdoors in warmer areas; however, there are Eulophia species that can be grown outdoors all year-round, in frost-free, low rainfall during the winter, semi-arid areas.

Eulophias have either swollen rhizomes underground, or pseudo-bulbs above the ground. Eulophias are easy to divide and propagate.

The leaves can be long and narrow and are mostly deciduous in cultivation, rarely evergreen.

The inflorescence arises from the base and is upright, tall and with numerous flowers. Some species have non-branching spikes that can support as many as 50 flowers other species have branching inflorescences that support up to 150 plus flowers.

The flower size differs from species to species but rarely exceeds 5cm in width. Some flowers are beautiful and others look very ordinary or a bit odd (for my test).

I grow E. spectabilis with underground, swollen rhizomes and stunning flowers and E. andamanensis with above ground “pseudobulbs” and boring flowers. I do not treat the any different to other plants, spray them with liquid fertilizer every week, and water them every second day. Very little or no watering during the winter.

The only problem I had my first year was "rust" on the leaves and spider mites. Now, I am prepared. Late autumn, the leaves turn yellow and I ussually, cut them off.