The Enchanting Encyclia Orchids

Encyclia Orchids Fast Facts

Botanical Name: Encyclia Orchid (en-SIK-lee-ah)
Abbreviation: Encycl.
Common name: Butterfly-orchid, Upside-down orchid
Family: Orchidaceae
Tribe: Epidendreae
Subtribe: Laeliinae/ Bletiinae
Number of recognized species: 147 to 188 recognized species
Origin: New World tropics – including Argentina, Ecuador, Florida, and the Bahamas – up to West Indies.
Blooming season: All season, mostly spring to summer
Color: Purple, brown, yellow, green, and fuchsia pink
Growing classification: Epiphytic orchids

Origin of Encyclia Orchids

Encyclia was derived from the Greek word "enkyklein," which means to encircle.

Initially, Encyclia was initially filed under the big and broad orchid genus known as Epidendrum, as is the case for almost all epiphytic orchid plants during that time.

It became its own orchid genus when it was first described by the English botanist, Sir William Jackson Hooker, in 1828. It was Hooker who also established Encyclia viridiflora as the type species. Today, it has more or less 200 orchid species (depending on the source) scattered abundantly all over the New World tropics – including Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, South Florida, and the Bahamas – up to West Indies. They’re found thriving up on trees in seasonally dry forests.

Encyclia Orchids Plant Description

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Encyclia orchid species vary greatly from one another. When it comes to size, it goes anywhere from a petite 2-inch orchid plant up to that with leaves as long as 2 feet tall.

Though different in many aspects, Encyclia orchids are recognized with their single distinct feature: their lip encircles the column and looks upside down. This is why it’s sometimes fondly called “Upside down orchids.”

Encyclia orchids do not have big, showy flowers, although they are abundant in tiny, interesting blooms that resemble common sea creatures, perhaps a squid or an octopus. The itsy, bitsy flowers are nothing more than 4 centimeters in diameter and come in various combinations of purple, brown, yellow, green, and fuchsia pink. Plus the flowers of these orchid plants also smell really nice.

Encyclia Orchids Classifications

According to Ortho’s Complete Guide to Orchids, a DNA evaluation divides Encyclia into three groups:

Encyclia – Onion-shaped pseudobulbs, composed of about 100 orchid species
Protheschea- Usually flattened pseudobulbs, composed of more than 100 orchid species
Euchile – Some onion-shaped pseudobulbs with grayish white leaves.

There are also some Encyclia orchids that are sold under the Protheschea and Epidendrum name tags. However, it’s also worth mentioning that an article by the American Orchid Society calls Protheschea as a separate orchid genus formed by W. E. Higgins in 1997.

Encyclia Tampensis, the Florida Butterfly Orchid

Probably one of the most popular Encyclia orchid species in the country is Encyclia Tampensis, otherwise known as the Florida Butterfly orchid and synonymous to Epidendrum tampense. It’s a native beauty of South Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas and is commonly spotted abundant near bodies of water.

This orchid plant has pseudobulbs that clump together to form a sort of mat and support its leathery green leaves that can go up to 15 inches long. Its fragrant flowers are usually an inch-wide in diameter and have a mix of brown and apple green, with a lip that’s a mix of white and fuchsia pink. Encyclia Tampensis blooms in spring or summer and can produce up to 45 flowers at the same time. It is typically grown mounted on a bark.

Orchid Care: How to Maintain Encyclia Orchids at Home

If you’re having great success taking care of a Cattleya orchid indoors, orchid experts say you’re probably not going to break a sweat with Encyclia orchids.

A few orchid care tips specific for Encyclia orchids:

These orchid plants love a moist environment. Water generously every 5 to 7 days.
Allow the roots to dry in between watering.
Maintain 50 percent humidity. This can be achieved by misting your orchid plant in the morning or at noon. You can also use an indoor humidifier.
Give your Encyclia orchids bright, indirect light.
Keep it away from direct sun or heat exposure, which can burn and brown its flowers and leaves in a snap.
Encyclia orchid can handle warm to an intermediate temperature. Anywhere between 21 to 29 degrees Celsius is tolerable during the daytime. Protect with a sheer curtain during the intense afternoon heat. At night, somewhere between 12 and 21 is ideal.
Feed as you would any of your orchid plant: weekly and weakly with a balanced 20-20-20 orchid fertilizer solution. Do it after watering session.

Encyclia Orchid Species

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The type species for this orchid genus is Encyclia viridiflora Hook., Bot. Mag. 55: t. 2831 (1828).

Experts differ when it comes to the current tally of total recognized species of Encyclia orchids. The World Monocot Checklist says 170 while OrchidSpecies.com notes 188.

Encyclia acutifolia Schltr. (1923)
Encyclia adenocarpa (Lex.) Schltr. (1914)
Encyclia adenocaula (Lex.) Schltr. (1918) : Rough-stemmed Encyclia
Encyclia advena (Rchb.f.) Porto & Brade (1935) : Advent Encyclia
Encyclia aenicta Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971) : Bronze Encyclia
Encyclia alata (Bateman) Schltr., (1914)
Encyclia alata subsp. alata : Winged Encyclia
Encyclia alata subsp. parviflora (Regel) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971)
Encyclia alata subsp. virella Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971)
Encyclia albopurpurea (Barb.Rodr.) Porto & Brade (1935)
Encyclia alboxanthina Fowlie (1990)
Encyclia altissima Schltr. (1914) : Very Tall Encyclia
Encyclia amazonica Brongn. ex Neumann (1846)
Encyclia ambigua (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Ambiguous Encyclia
Encyclia andrichii N.L.Menezes (1992)
Encyclia angustifolia (Sw.) Schltr. (1918)
Encyclia angustiloba Schltr. (1921)
Encyclia argentinensis (Speg.) Hoehne (1952) : Argentine Encyclia
Encyclia aspera (Lindl.) Schltr. (1918) : Rough-stalked Encyclia
Encyclia asperula Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1973 publ. 1974) : Asperulous Encyclia
Encyclia auyantepuiensis Carnevali & I.Ramírez (1994)
Encyclia bipapularis (Rchb.f.) Acuña (1939)
Encyclia bohnkiana V.P.Castro & Campacci (1999) : Bohnk's Encyclia
Encyclia bracteata Schltr. ex Hoehne (1930) : Bracted Encyclia
Encyclia bractescens (Lindl.) Hoehne (1952) : Bractescent Encyclia
Encyclia bradfordii (Griseb.) Carnevali & I.Ramírez (1986)
Encyclia bragancae Ruschi (1976)
Encyclia caicensis Sauleda & R.M.Adams (1978)
Encyclia calderoniae Soto Arenas (2002 publ. 2003)
Encyclia candollei (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Candole's Encyclia
Encyclia caximboensis L.C.Menezes (1992) : Caiximbo Encyclia
Encyclia cajalbanensis Múj.Benítez (2005)
Encyclia ceratistes (Lindl.) Schltr. (1919) : Horned-columned Encyclia
Encyclia chapadensis N.L.Menezes (1993) : Chapada dos Viadeiros Encyclia
Encyclia chiapasensis Withner & D.G.Hunt (1994) : Chiapas Encyclia
Encyclia chironii V.P.Castro & J.B.F.Silva (2004)
Encyclia chloroleuca (Hook.) Neumann (1846) : Green-and-white Encyclia
Encyclia conchichila (Barb.Rodr.) Porto & Brade (1935)
Encyclia contrerasii R.Gonzalez (1997)
Encyclia cordigera (Kunth) Dressler (1964) : Large-lipped Encyclia
Encyclia cyanocolumna (Ames, F.T.Hubb. & C.Schweinf.) Dressler (1961)
Encyclia cyperifolia (C.Schweinf.) Carnevali & I.Ramírez (1993) : Sword-leafed Encyclia
Encyclia dasilvae V.P.Castro & Campacci (2000)
Encyclia davidhuntii Withner & M.Fuente (2001) : David Hunt's Encyclia
Encyclia dichroma (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Two-colored Encyclia
Encyclia diota (Lindl.) Schltr. (1918) : Two-eared Encyclia
Encyclia diota subsp. atrorubens (Rolfe) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971)
Encyclia diota subsp. diota
Encyclia distantiflora (A.Rich. & Galeotti) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971)
Encyclia diurna (Jacq.) Schltr. (1919) : Daytime Encyclia
Encyclia duveenii Pabst (1976)
Encyclia edithiana L.C.Menezes (1996) : Edith's Encyclia
Encyclia elegantula Dressler (2004) : Elegant Encyclia
Encyclia euosma (Rchb.f.) Porto & Brade (1935)
Encyclia expansa (Rchb.f.) P.Ortiz (1991) : Expanded Encyclia
Encyclia fehlingii (Sauleda) Sauleda & R.M.Adams (1981)
Encyclia flabellata (Lindl.) B.F.Thurst. & W.R.Thurst. (1977)
Encyclia flava (Lindl.) Porto & Brade (1935) : Yellow Encyclia
Encyclia fowliei Duveen (1990) : Fowlie's Encyclia
Encyclia fucata (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Brown-veined Encyclia
Encyclia gallopavina (Rchb.f.) Porto & Brade (1935) : Peacock-like Encyclia
Encyclia garzonensis Withner (2000)
Encyclia ghillanyi Pabst (1976)
Encyclia gonzalezii L.C.Menezes (1991) : Gonzalez' Encyclia
Encyclia gracilis (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Graceful Encyclia
Encyclia granitica (Lindl.) Schltr. (1919) : Granite-growing Encyclia
Encyclia gravida (Lindl.) Schltr. (1918)
Encyclia guadalupeae R.Gonzalez & Alvarado (1999) : Guadalupe Encyclia
Encyclia guatemalensis (Klotzsch) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971) : Guatemalan Encyclia
Encyclia guianensis Carnevali & G.A.Romero (1994)
Encyclia hanburyi (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Hanbury's Encyclia
Encyclia hermentiana Brongn. ex Neumann (1846)
Encyclia howardii (Ames & Correll) Hoehne (1952) : Howard's Encyclia
Encyclia huebneri Schltr. (1925)
Encyclia huertae Soto Arenas & R.Jiménez (2002 publ. 2003) : Ground-dwelling Encyclia
Encyclia inaguensis Nash ex Britton & Millsp. (1920) : Inagua Encyclia
Encyclia incumbens (Lindl.) Mabb. (1984) : Aromatic Encyclia
Encyclia ionosma (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Violet-scented Encyclia
Encyclia isochila (Rchb.f.) Dod (1986) : Equal-lipped Encyclia
Encyclia ivoniae Carnevali & G.A.Romero (1994)
Encyclia kennedyi (Fowlie & Withner) Hágsater (1973) : Kennedy's Encyclia
Encyclia kermesina (Lindl.) P.Ortiz (1995)
Encyclia kienastii (Rchb.f.) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971)
Encyclia kingsii (C.D.Adams) Nir (1994) : King's Encyclia
Encyclia kundergraberi V.P.Castro & Campacci (1998) : Kundergraeber's Encyclia
Encyclia leucantha Schltr. (1919)
Encyclia lineariloba Withner, (2001)
Encyclia lorata Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1974) : Strap-leafed Encyclia
Encyclia luteorosea (A.Rich. & Galeotti) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971) : Yellow-pink Encyclia
Encyclia maderoi Schltr. (1920)
Encyclia magdalenae Withner (2000) : Magdalena Encyclia
Encyclia magnicallosa (C.Schweinf.) Pabst (1967 publ. 1972)
Encyclia mapuerae (Huber) Brade & Pabst (1951)
Encyclia maravalensis Withner (1995)
Encyclia marxiana Campacci (2003)
Encyclia meliosma (Rchb.f.) Schltr. (1918) : Honey-sweet Encyclia
Encyclia microbulbon (Hook.) Schltr. (1918) : Small-bulbed Encyclia
Encyclia microtos (Rchb.f.) Hoehne, (1952) : Tiny-eared Encyclia
Encyclia monteverdensis M.A.Díaz & Ackerman (2004)
Encyclia mooreana (Rolfe) Schltr. (1914) : Moore's Encyclia
Encyclia naranjapatensis Dodson (1977) : Naranjapata Encyclia
Encyclia nematocaulon (A.Rich.) Acuña (1939) : Thread-stemmed Encyclia
Encyclia nizandensis Pérez-García & Hágsater (2002 publ. 2003)
Encyclia obtusa (A.DC.) Schltr. (1918)
Encyclia oestlundii (Ames, F.T.Hubb. & C.Schweinf.) Hágsater & Stermitz (1983) : Oestlund's Encyclia
Encyclia oncidioides (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Oncidium-like Encyclia
Encyclia osmantha (Barb.Rodr.) Schltr. (1914) : Capart's Scented Encyclia
Encyclia oxypetala (Lindl.) Schltr. (1918)
Encyclia oxyphylla Schltr. (1925)
Encyclia pachyantha (Lindl.) Hoehne (1952)
Encyclia paraensis V.P.Castro & A.Cardoso (2003)
Encyclia parallela (Lindl.) P.Ortiz (1995)
Encyclia parviloba (Fawc. & Rendle) Nir (1994)
Encyclia patens Hook. (1830) : Spreading-flowered Encyclia
Encyclia pauciflora (Barb.Rodr.) Porto & Brade (1935) : Few-flowered Encyclia
Encyclia peraltensis (Ames) Dressler (1997)
Encyclia perplexa (Ames, F.T.Hubb. & C.Schweinf.) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971)
Encyclia phoenicea (Lindl.) Neumann (1846) : Phoenician Encyclia
Encyclia picta (Lindl.) Hoehne (1952)
Encyclia pilosa (C.Schweinf.) Carnevali & I.Ramírez (1993)
Encyclia plicata (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Pleated Encyclia
Encyclia pollardiana (Withner) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971) : Pollard's Encyclia
Encyclia profusa (Rolfe) Dressler & G.E.Pollard (1971) : Profuse Encyclia
Encyclia pyriformis (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Pear-shaped Encyclia
Encyclia randii (Barb.Rodr.) Porto & Brade (1935)
Encyclia recurvata Schltr. (1919)
Encyclia replicata (Lindl.) Schltr. (1920) : Folded-lip Encyclia
Encyclia rufa (Lindl.) Britton & Millsp. (1920) : Bahama Encyclia
Encyclia rzedowskiana Soto Arenas (2002 publ. 2003)
Encyclia santos-dumontii L.C.Menezes (1992)
Encyclia sclerocladia (Lindl. ex Rchb.f.) Hoehne (1952) : Stiff-stalked Encyclia
Encyclia seidelii Pabst (1976) : Seidel's Encyclia
Encyclia selligera (Bateman ex Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Saddle-lipped Encyclia
Encyclia silvana Campacci (2003)
Encyclia spatella (Rchb.f.) Schltr. (1924) : Spatulate-petaled Encyclia
Encyclia spiritusanctensis L.C.Menezes (1990) : Espirito Santo Encyclia
Encyclia steinbachii Schltr. (1922) : Steinbach's Encyclia
Encyclia stellata (Lindl.) Schltr. (1914) : Starry Alanje Encyclia
Encyclia suaveolens Dressler (1968 publ. 1971) : Sweet-smelling Encyclia
Encyclia subulatifolia (A.Rich. & Galeotti) Dressler (1961) : Awl-shaped Encyclia
Encyclia tampensis (Lindl.) Small (1913) : Florida Butterfly Orchid
Encyclia tenuissima (Ames, F.T.Hubb. & C.Schweinf.) Dressler (1961)
Encyclia thrombodes (Rchb.f.) Schltr. (1921)
Encyclia tocantinensis V.P.Castro & Campacci (1996)
Encyclia trachycarpa (Lindl.) Schltr (1918) : Rough-fruited Encyclia
Encyclia trautmannii Senghas (2001)
Encyclia triangulifera (Rchb.f.) Acuña (1939) : Triangular Encyclia
Encyclia tripartita (Vell.) Hoehne (1952)
Encyclia tuerckheimii Schltr. (1918) : Tuerckheim's Encyclia
Encyclia unaensis Fowlie (1991) : Una Encyclia
Encyclia uxpanapensis Salazar (1999)
Encyclia viridiflora Hook. (1828)
Encyclia withneri (Sauleda) Sauleda & R.M.Adams (1981) : Withner's Encyclia
Encyclia xerophytica Pabst (1976) : Desert Encyclia
Encyclia xipheroides (Kraenzl.) Porto & Brade (1935)

Encyclia Orchids in Los Angeles

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Encyclia orchids are scattered all over tropical Americas and are tolerable of almost any type of environment. In the United States, there are many species that have adapted well in states, such as Florida.

Since it’s almost always bright and sunny in L.A., your chances of bringing home and successfully propagating Encyclia orchids are remarkably high. Many parks and botanical gardens also display gorgeous orchid species for public viewings, such as the Arboretum of Los Angeles County, Descanso Gardens, and South Botanic Garden.

However, if you want your own Encyclia orchids blooming for your personal viewing pleasure, you can also check out Orchid Republic’s stunning orchid arrangement collection. Located conveniently in the heart of Studio City, Orchid Republic offers flower delivery anywhere in Los Angeles and Orange County.

Sources:
http://www.orchidspecies.com/indexe-ep.htm
http://www.aos.org/orchids/orchids-a-to-z/letter-e/encyclia.aspx