Date: 22 Oct 2025
💞 Cassia or Bauhinia?
Looking for a small tree that blooms like fireworks but still fits on your patio? We hear this question all the time at Top Tropicals: Cassia or Bauhinia? Both are tropical showstoppers, but they shine in very different ways.
🌞 Cassias: Sunshine Fireworks
Cassia trees are some of the most rewarding tropical bloomers you can grow. Fast-growing, free-flowering, and surprisingly cold-tolerant, they thrive in full sun and summer heat. Their bright clusters come in shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, and even multicolor blends. The famous Rainbow Cassias show swirls of coral, gold, and rose on the same tree, creating a living fireworks display.
For gardeners in warm regions, these trees become spectacular focal points in the landscape. In containers, compact yellow forms like Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia) and Senna alata (Empress Candles) stay manageable and bloom freely through summer.
Cassias can also be grown in pots with pruning and patience. Once mature, they reward you with breathtaking color that turns any patio or pool deck into a tropical show. Most showy cassias (numbers correspond to the photos in the collage above):
- Cassia bicapsularis (Butterfly Bush) - is a fast-growing, low-maintenance shrub covered in bright yellow, butterfly-like blooms from fall through winter.
- Cassia x natalensis (Rainbow Cassia)
- Cassia grandis (Red cassia) - a medium size tree having profuse blooms of dark pink to crimson flowers throughout the Spring.
- Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia), small tree producing golden-yellow flowers with a distinct scent of peanut butter that open from brown buds in late summer and autumn. Similar to Senna alata (Empress Candles)
- Cassia roxburghii (Ceylon Senna) - graceful tree with spreading, drooping branches appearing to be overweighed by its wealth of clustering red blossoms.
- Cassia x nodosa (Pink Shower) - is a spectacular medium-sized, fast-growing tree with cascading clusters of fragrant pink-and-white appleblossom blooms in spring and summer.
- Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) - to many tropical gardeners, the most beautiful of cassias with masses of bright gold flower clusters appear on almost every branch.
- Cassia javanica (Apple Blossom) - dazzles with dense clusters of pink-to-white blossoms that change shades as they bloom, creating a spectacular display that lasts for months.
"Cassias love the heat and sunshine," says Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert. "They are perfect for anyone who wants big bursts of color and doesn’t mind giving them space and light to grow."
Bauhinia Magic: Orchid-Like Blooms in a Compact Size
Bauhinia orchid trees: top left – Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree), middle left – Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree), bottom left – Bauhinia monandra (Napoleon’s Plume Orchid Tree), top right – Bauhinia madagascariensis (Red Dwarf Orchid Tree), and bottom right – Bauhinia tomentosa (Yellow Orchid Tree)
Bauhinia trees known as Orchid Trees, bring a touch of tropical luxury to any space. Their butterfly-shaped leaves and orchid-like blossoms appear in shades of red, pink, purple, white, and yellow, often lasting up to ten months a year. Bauhinias are ideal for gardeners who want nonstop color in a manageable size. Most species grow well in large pots and bloom young, often within the first season.
The following compact varieties stay neat and flower almost continuously in warm weather:
- Bauhinia madagascariensis (Red Butterfly Orchid Tree). Blooms from winter through fall, up to 10 months a year. The most cold-hardy of all.
- Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree). A large tree in the ground, but compact in pots if trimmed. Grafted trees flower right away. Winter bloomer, cold hardy to light frost.
- Bauhinia tomentosa (Yellow Orchid Tree). Flowers from Winter through Summer, cold hardy to light frost.
- Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree). Blooms from summer through winter. Less cold hardy.
- Bauhinia monandra (Napoleon's Plume Orchid Tree). Almost everblooming with the longest flowering period. Less cold hardy.
The Hong Kong Orchid Tree is especially prized because it is sterile and produces no messy seed pods, keeping patios clean. Grafted Buhinia blakeana trees begin blooming while still small, making them perfect for containers or tight spaces.
"Bauhinias are generous bloomers," Tatiana explains. "They respond beautifully to regular feeding and full sun. If nights turn too cold, just move the pot to a sunny porch - they’ll keep their tropical charm most of the year."
Give them full sun, regular fertilizer, and a well-drained mix such as Sunshine Abundance, and they will reward you with months of vivid blooms. When nights turn too cold, simply move the pot to a sunny porch or bright window. Bauhinias adjust beautifully and keep their tropical grace year after year.
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Date: 20 Mar 2026
Just in time for spring: Nun Orchid blooms for months!
Phaius tankervilleae, Chinese Ground Orchid, Nut Orchid
Phaius tankervilleae, Chinese Ground Orchid, Nut Orchid
Phaius tankervilleae, Chinese Ground Orchid, Nut Orchid
🌷 What a wonderful treat after a long cold winter: Nun Orchid (Phaius tankervillea) is putting on a full show right now in the garden - and it’s been going strong since February.
🌷 These plants were already loaded with buds before our Record 25F Florida Freeze, so I moved the two pots into the garage to protect them. Totally worth it - they came through beautifully and didn’t miss a beat.
🌷 Now they’re in full bloom and should keep going well into April. This is one of those rare orchids that just keeps going.
🌷 Unlike most orchids, Nun Orchid grows in regular soil. Big lush leaves, tall flower spikes, and it’s perfectly happy in filtered light - great for patios, containers, or a shady spot in your garden.
What’s blooming in your yard today?
🛒 Plant beautiful Nun Orchid
📚 Learn more:
💋 Phaius tankervilleae – Chinese Ground Orchid in Plant Encyclopedia
💋 Why is it called Nun Orchid
💋 How to grow Ground orchids
💋 When Bamboo blooms with orchid flowers
💋 The prettiest flower for shade
💋 Ground orchids: all-summer colors
💋 Why do we love Ground Orchids
💋 Epidendrum radicans - Orange Reed Ground Orchid, Sunrise
💋 Terrestrial orchids
💋 What orchids can be grown in the ground
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden
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Date: 13 Sep 2025
🌸 Meet the Most Colorful Ground Orchids
Ground Orchids – Spathoglottis, Phaius, Arundina, Epidendrum
- Chinese Nun Ground Orchid (Phaius tankervilleae)
- Yokohama Ground orchid Kate (Bletilla striata x formosana)
- Tropical Punch, Sorbet Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)
- Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia)
- Snow Angel, Coconut Cloud Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis alba)
- Orange Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum radicans Sunrise)
- Lemon Kiss, Sorbet Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis chrysanta)
- Pink Reed Ground Orchid, Violet Queen (Epidendrum radicans Fuchsia)
- Lavender Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum elongatum x radicans)
- Red Raspberry Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum radicans Red Glow)
Orchids have a mystique that sets them apart — elegant, exotic, almost unreal in their perfection. But let’s be honest, not everyone has luck with the fancy ones that cling to trees or need greenhouse tricks.
Ground orchids are different. They grow in regular garden soil, bloom in sun or shade, and come in all sorts of shapes and colors. They’re the orchids you don’t have to fuss over.
Nun Orchid (Phaius tankervilleae) – Ever wonder why it’s called the Nun Orchid? The flowers really do look like the white veil and brown habit nuns used to wear. The plants send up spikes 3–4 ft tall with 10–20 fragrant blooms that open one after another for weeks. I like them best tucked under trees where they just keep spreading year after year.
Spathoglottis – The nonstop bloomer – If you want flowers that just don’t quit, this one’s it. Spathoglottis clumps up and throws spikes of purple, pink, or yellow that last for weeks, then keep coming back through the summer. In warm spots they’ll bloom almost year-round. Honestly, it’s one of the easiest orchids you’ll ever grow.
💲 Special Offer – 20% off Ground Orchids!
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Hurry, offer expires September 17, 2025!
Date: 13 Jan 2026
A dancing water nymph revealed!
Habenaria repens - Dancing Water-Spider orchid, Floating Orchid, flower spike
Habenaria repens - Dancing Water-Spider orchid, Floating Orchid, flower close up
Habenaria repens - Dancing Water-Spider orchid, Floating Orchid, flower close up
Habenaria repens - Dancing Water-Spider orchid, Floating Orchid, flowers
💃 A dancing water nymph revealed!
Habenaria repens - the tiny Dancing Water-Spider orchid, Floating Orchid, a dancing fairy, sprite, sylph, pixie - or a water nymph?
💞 If you look closely, this native orchid really does look like it is dancing. The tiny, spidery flowers of Habenaria repens seem to hover in motion, giving rise to its charming common name - Water-spider Bog Orchid, also called Floating Orchid.
💞 Habenaria repens is one of the few orchids that can live both on land and in water. It naturally grows in wet ditches, marshes, meadows, and along pond and lake edges, and it can even form floating mats in still water. In warm climates, it may bloom almost year-round, sending up tall flower spikes packed with 10-50 delicate greenish-white blooms. The narrow, spider-like petals and lip are designed to attract pollinators, while the light green sepals blend perfectly into wetland surroundings.
💞 This orchid produces several yellow-green leaves along its stem, with smaller leaves near the flower spike. It prefers consistently moist to wet conditions and slightly acidic soil. In cultivation, it does best in bog gardens, shallow pond margins, alongside carnivorous plants like pitcher plants, or even in containers kept very wet.
💞 Small, subtle, and easy to overlook at first glance, Habenaria repens rewards anyone who stops and looks closely. Once you see that little flower dancing, you will never forget it.
❓ What does this tiny flower look like to you?
A dancing fairy, sprite, sylph, pixie - or a water nymph?
🛒 Add Dancing Spider Orchid to your rare plant collection
📚 Learn more:
Habenaria repens - Water-spider Bog Orchid, Floating Orchid in Plant Encyclopedia
#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden
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Family:Lowiaceae
Orchidantha, Orchid-flower
Orchidantha maxillarioides means "Orchid-flower", as one of the petals on the flowers is modified into a labellum, like the flowers of orchids.
Family:Orchidaceae
Pyramidal Orchid
It is a good orchid to put into a meadow or wildflower lawn and usually thrives. Flowering takes place in late June through July. It also grows happily in a cold greenhouse, preferably in a plunged terracotta pot.
Family:Orchidaceae
Leopard Orchid
Ansellia africana, also known as the Leopard Orchid, is a striking epiphytic orchid native to sub-Saharan Africa. It forms large clumps of tall, cane-like pseudobulbs with long, arching leaves, and produces numerous yellow flowers covered with bold brown or maroon spots that resemble the pattern of a leopard's coat. These showy blooms appear in branching sprays and make the plant one of the most distinctive African orchids. The species is highly regarded for its dramatic floral display and the ability to thrive in bright light, often growing high in trees in the wild.
In cultivation, Ansellia africana requires warm temperatures, abundant light, frequent misting to keep aerial roots hydrated, and good air movement to prevent rot. It benefits from regular watering during active growth but prefers a drier rest period after flowering. This orchid is not frost tolerant and should be grown in USDA Zones 10-11, with protection required if temperatures fall below 50 F. Large plants adapt well to baskets or open containers that allow their extensive roots to develop freely, and they reward consistent feeding with impressive floral displays.
See detailed plant profile in new window: https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/ansellia_africana.htm
Family:Orchidaceae
Hyacinth Orchid, Bottlebrush Orchid
Arpophyllum giganteum, commonly known as Hyacinth Orchid, is a type of epiphytic orchid native to Central America. This small shrub typically grows to a height of 2 to 5 ft and thrives in USDA Zone 9-11. Its bright pink flowers appear in the spring and summer, with the single flower head up to 40 cm in length.
The Hyacinth Orchid will grow best when provided with semi-shade and moderate water. For those living in colder regions it can be grown in containers. Place the container in a spot where it will receive filtered indirect sunlight, potted in a well-draining potting mix and watered around once a week, making sure it is not left in standing water. Fertilizer, when needed, should be mixed in with the watering. Allow the orchid to dry out between each watering and maintain a temperature of at least 65°F. Taking care to not overwater, as this can result in the orchid developing root rot.
In summary, the Arpophyllum giganteum, otherwise known as the Hyacinth Orchid, is native to Central America and is an ideal houseplant for those living in USDA Zones 9-11. It is a small shrub, growing up to 2-5 ft tall and producing single flower heads up to 40 cm in length. When caring for, it will require semi-shade, moderate water, and temperatures of at least 65°F. Those living in colder regions should plant in containers and take special caution not to overwater. With the right care, the bright pink flowers of the Hyacinth Orchid will be sure to be brightening your home come spring and summer.
See detailed plant profile in new window: https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/arpophyllum_giganteum.htm
Family:Orchidaceae
Bamboo Orchid, Bird Orchid
The bamboo orchid, Arundina graminifolia, is a species of orchid and the sole accepted species of the genus Arundina. This tropical Asiatic genus extends from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, the Ryukyu Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, China to Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. It has become naturalized in Reunion, Fiji, French Polynesia, Micronesia, the West Indies, Costa Rica, Panama... more
| Arundina graminifolia, Arundina affinis, Bletia graminifolia |  |
Arundina graminifolia is a terrestrial, perennial orchid with reedy stems, forming into large clumps. This orchid blooms in summer and autumn, showing rather open clusters of showy terminal flowers, ten at the most. They bloom in succession on the terminal racemes. These flowers are a rosy lilac and white disk with a purple lip. The bracts are wide triangular and surround the main stalk of the flower cluster. The occasional fertilized seed pods contain minute powdery seeds, and small plants often develop near the cane ends after flowering, and likely aid in propagation if allowed to reach the soil.
With only 200 of the plant to be recorded growing naturally in Singapore, the species is close to extinction there, largely caused by the destruction of its natural habitat, namely the rainforests and mangrove forests. The remaining plants, commonly called Tapah weeds, can be found in the secondary forests or at the forest fringes. It is however very common in road cuts and other disturbed areas in full sun in Sarawak, East Malaysia, where it often is the most common flowering plant to be seen along the roadsides.
Bamboo Orchid produces pinkish flowers at the top of tall cane-like pseudobulbs. It's the only species in the genus. The plants are quite tall; they'll reach at least hip level, possibly over your head, and their vegetative resemblance to bamboo can be uncanny. The long pseudobulbs have leaves alternating along their length, similar to Epidendrum orchids. The flower stems, which emerge from the top of the canes, produce several flowers sequentially, so that there will be one at a time over an extended period. The flowers are white with a purple-to-pink lip, and shaped similarly to a Cattleya orchid flower. They are 2-3 inches across, and can appear for much of the year, especially in summer.
Arundinas readily propagate themselves by keikis, which frequently develop along the pseudobulbs. Once a keiki has roots a couple inches long (several cm), you can carefully cut it off and pot it separately. The canes do not grow rigidly upright, they'll sometimes tip over; in nature, this allows the keikis to get established nearby, so it's a major vegetative propagation strategy for these plants; it helps them rapidly grow into large clumps. These plants like colonizing disturbed habitats, often growing as roadside weeds in much of Southeast Asia; being able to grow quickly helps them succeed in such places.
These plants are tough: they are quite robust and forgiving of less-than-attentive care. They are terrestrial orchids, so they like a denser potting mix than most orchids. It should still drain freely, however, and not be as dense as soil. A good starting point is equal parts sand, sphagnum moss, and fine fir bark. Bamboo orchids should be watered as they approach dryness; don't let them dry out too thoroughly. If you grow them outdoors, either if you live in a warm climate or if you just brought it outdoors for the summer, rainfall might water it often enough in some areas; but if it's starting to dry out water it thoroughly. If you grow orchids indoors, these plants are often too big to take to the sink; the easiest way to water will often be to dunk the pot in a bucket, then pull it out. Any aerial roots, such as on keikis, should be misted regularly. Fertilize regularly; the usual recommendation is to use a fertilizer especially formulated for orchids feeding weakly. Most orchid fertilizers are designed to be dissolved in the plant's water. They like high light: 2000-3000 footcandles is ideal, similar to the low end of Cattleya lighting. In nature, they commonly grow in direct sunlight. As long as the lighting isn't too dim you're probably fine. If it doesn't bloom, try increasing the lighting. You'll get the best results growing them at warm temperatures. It's OK if the temperature varies more widely than this; they can actually withstand mild freezes occasionally, though it's quite stressful for them. Any temperature that's reasonably comfortable (or a bit hot and muggy) for humans is going to be fine for bamboo orchids. They like good humidity, perhaps 70%, though this isn't critical. If the humidity is low, the plant should be misted regularly, especially if it has any keikis.
See video about Ground Orchids.
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Family:Orchidaceae
Hyacinth Orchid, Chinese Ground Orchid
Bletilla striata is a perennial, deciduous orchid of open environments.
It is hardy in gardens from USDA Zones 5 (with protection) to 9.
Family:Orchidaceae
Spider Orchid
.
Brassia sp. (Spider Orchid) is a small shrub that typically grows 2-5 ft in height. It is a tropical plant native to Central America but can be grown in USDA Zones 9-11. This orchid is semi-shade loving and is an epiphyte, meaning it naturally grows attached to trees or other plants. The flowers of Brassia orchids are extremely unusual in color and can range anywhere from a yellow-green to a deep purple.
Besides its unique coloring, the Brassia orchid also attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators from the nearby surroundings. Brassia sp. has a unique floral structure that consists of long and spreading tepals. This structure also helps attract pollinators, but at the same time it is a reminder of the watering needs Brassia orchids require.
When planting this species, it is best to plant the orchid in a well-draining medium. Good air circulation is also key to the successful growth of the orchid, as this prevents the leaves and roots from getting too wet and developing brown spots. When growing in a pot, it is important to use a pot with ample drainage holes, as this ensures that any excess water is quickly expelled. In cold regions, it is best to move the orchid to a sheltered position in the winter, preferably in a greenhouse or indoors.
Overall, Brassia sp. (Spider Orchid) is a unique and desirable tropical plant that adds a unique touch to any garden, especially for its unusual color and shape of its blooms. It requires a bit more care than other orchids, but with the right maintenance and care, this plant will provide you with weeks of glorious blooms.
Detailed plant profiles: 197 plants found