Acineta chrysantha

Acineta is a genus of orchids that is part of the Stanhopeinae, and is native from Mexico to South America.  They are large plants with big pseudobulbs that have 2-4 leaves per pseudobulb.  The inflorescences can be 11.8 to 27.5 inches (30 to 70 cm) long.  This orchid is native to moist cloud forests of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama. It is found at elevations from 4,265 feet (1,300 m), and is a warm to cool growing orchid.  I grow this species outside with Stanhopea on the north facing side of my house in partial shade.



Acineta chrysantha inflorescence

The flowers of this species are waxy and up to 2.5 inches (6 cm) wide.  They open partially and are carried on long inflorescences to 27.5 inches (70 cm) long with up to 30 flowers.  The flowers have a base color of deep or golden yellow with reddish spots on the petals and sepals.  The labellum has large deep red spots and splotches.  The column, in contrast, is ivory white and minutely hairy at the base.  The fragrance of these orchids is rather complex, but ranges more toward a ginger or ginger beer fragrance.  I have heard of this species having a vanilla fragrance, but my variety has a more complex and intense scent.



Acineta chrysantha flower

This orchid has always bloomed for me in late summer and early fall.  The flowers last much longer than most Stanhopea, from two weeks, sometimes up to three weeks if the weather is cool.  The plant requires a cool and semi-dry rest period in early winter to induce blooms.  The first inflorescences grow out of the basket in July and take about 2-3 months to mature and open.

Stanhopea ruckeri

This orchid is native to Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.  It grows in intermediate to warm mountain forests 2,625– 4,593 feet (800-1400 m) in elevation.  This is also one of the easiest species of Stanhopea to grow outdoors here in southern California, and can take early morning sun and dappled shade the rest of the day.  The form pictured here is one of the spotted forms with pale red eye spots on the hypochile and small red spots on the petals and sepals.  There are also small red spots on the epichile and column.  There are some forms of this species that are alba forms and lack red color on the flower.  The fragrance of this Stanhopea is a light cinnamon scent and is consistent with the fragrance study done that includes trans-cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl-alcohol, and cinnamyl-acetate.  These provide a fragrance that is similar to a candy known as “Hot Tamales”, and the flowers have a similar fragrance to the candy.  There are other forms that have different compounds as the main fragrance components such as phenethyl alcohol which provides a sweet to floral, rose fragrance, or even one like freshly baked bread.  It is interesting to note that the form that I have exhibits a change in the fragrance as the flower ages and smells more like cinnamon French toast, so some phenethyl alcohol must be produced at that time as well.



Stanhopea ruckeri with five inflorescences

The flowers are 4.5 to 5.5 inches (11.4 to 14.0 cm) wide with several flowers (5-10) on an inflorescence.   The inflorescences can be quite long, 9 to 15 inches (22.9 to 38.1 cm) in length.  Because the inflorescences are so long, this species can make a very nice specimen placed in a large basket that enables the inflorescences to grow out and down.  The leaves of this orchid are a deep green, and are 7.9 to 24.0 inches (20 to 61 cm) long and 3.9 to 4.7 inches (10 to 12 cm) wide.  The pseudobulbs are 1.6-2.2 inches (4.0 to 5.6 cm) long and deeply furrowed.  This Stanhopea is also one of the more easily grown species and is readily available in the orchid nursery trade.  Stanhopea  ruckeri  grows rapidly, and is a reliable bloomer every year.  It produces several inflorescences at a time and quickly grows into a specimen plant.  These attributes make this Stanhopea a good candidate to grow for a beginner, and several Stanhopea growers rate this species as the one that we should all have.

Stanhopea ruckeri flower