Bulbophyllum beccarii

I was speaking to a peer of mine today about this blog and somewhere in the conversation they said something about how they loved the sweet smell of orchids. Imediatly i thought of Bulbophyllum beccarii. If someone said to me, "Daniel, would you please describe Bulbophyllum beccarii to me in 2 words" I would respond with "Smells awful". Well, to be honest I most likely wouldn't say awful, however the word I would use can't be posted on here. Children might be reading.

I know, your curious as to what it smells like. Imagine your walking through the forest of Borneo when all of a sudden your are overwhelmed by the unmistakable stench of rotting Borneo Pygmy Elephant, (lets be honest who hasn't been there). So you start searching around because their just isn't anything more exciting then dead elephant corpse hunting. Then you come across this flower, disappointed that you have not found your elephant.

Well don't be disappointed, this is one crazy discovery. The smell is just a ploy to lure in corpse flies to aid in pollination. beccarii is the largest species of Bulbophyllum; it grows by slowly creeping up the tree, circling it as it goes. The pendant spikes can grow up to 15" long with tight bunches of flowers. The flowers themselves are off pink with red dots.

This Orchid is native to Borneo and grows at an elevation of 5000 meters in elevation. They need to be grown on multiple slabs tied all together to form a faux trunk. They also require bright light and plenty of room for expansion. It is also important to make sure that they are not watered to often for they are susceptible to rot. (Go figure).

Works Cited

"Bulbophyllum." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulbophyllum>.

Fischer, Jerry. "Orchid Web: Bulbophyllum Beccarii." Buy Orchids and Orchid Supplies. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidweb.com/detail.aspx?id=1221>.

"IOSPE PHOTOS." Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidspecies.com/bulbbeccarrii.htm>.

Pridgeon, Alec. "Bulbophyllum." The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Portland, Oregon: Timber, 2006. 42. Print.