Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Epiphyte
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
Lowland evergreen rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-134-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Yellow, Red, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
ALNUS rubra
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
red alder
In German
Clamshell Orchid
rot-Erle
In French
Clamshell Orchid
aulne rouge
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
aliso rojo
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
amieiro vermelho
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
czerwony olcha
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
red alnus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Fagales
Family
Orchidaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Alnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Epidendreae
-
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
-
Number of Species
5035
1
27800
👆🏻