Dimorphorchis lowii

I believe that every orchid enthusiast has that one flower that changes the way that they look at orchids. For me that flower is Dimorphorchis lowii. I was gonna save this one for a little bit later, but as I was tying up something for Phal lueddemanniana this one kept popping up into my head.

So what makes this one so special. Well the first reason is in the name, di meaning two, morph meaning form, and orchis meaning orchid. It has been given this name because it is one of the only orchids with two morphologically different flowers on the same spike. Depending on the length of the spike, the first several flowers are yellow with with maroon or purple dots. These flowers also have smother edges and a more uniform shape. The yellow flowers are not fragrant. As you move further down the spike the flowers switch into red ones with a white or tan back drop. These red flowers are fragrant! I have spoken to several people about how a plant might develop such a feature. Some say that it attracts to different insects to pollinate it. Works for me! This plant is said to be able to reach a height of 8' with an equal leaf span, they are able to produce even longer spikes! 

Pictured of the right is Jerry Fischer, owner of Orchids Limited in Plymouth MN. Jerry is an excellent grower and has been working on his crop of Dimorphorchis lowii for years.

This plant is native to Borneo, where it is very difficult to find in the wild. This plant can be difficult to cultivate, they like temps around 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit, however Jerry has come across a variety called Dimorphorchis lowii 'Farmington' that will grow and thrive in temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another reason I am writing these blogs is so that maybe one day as you read them you will find one that speaks to you, it won't be like seeing it in real life. But maybe it will point you in the correct direction so that you too can find that one flower that makes your heart beat a little bit quicker.