Reed Stem Orchid

Reed Stem Orchid
Epidendrum cv.
(ep-ih-DEN-drum)
Synonyms: Star Orchid, Crucifix Orchid

This orchid picture was taken at the Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu last year. It is one of my favorite places on the island of Oahu. Located right in the city it was laid out a long time ago and has a lot of mature plantings. The garden is always one of my first stops when visiting. They had an interesting collection of Orchids in bloom on our last visit. I used to kind of look down on Reed Stem Orchids because the flowers are small and not as showy as some of their relatives. The flowers have kind of won me over with their colors, detailed clusters of blooms and ease of cultivation. This cultivar seemed particularly bright and happy. It reminded me of the candy corn that you see on Halloween.