Description
This is a widely spread species in its native Japan and it is also found in both Korea and parts of China. Plants described from the Amani Islands within the Japanese Ryukyu Island chain have been described as Calanthe amamiana but are now accepted as C. discolor var amamiana. This has very pale flowers said to be pale pink by Clayton and Cribb, but they appear to frequently be white or pale yellow in horticulture in Japan. There does appear to be a great deal of colour variation within this species with its wide geographical range. Recorded sepal colours include yellow, green (var viridialba), russet and pink, lips colours are usually white or pale pink. Some colour forms have been propagated in horticulture.
The more typical and most well-known variety discolor has spikes of 2cm flowers with petals of olive-khaki, russet-brown or warm reddish-orange which form a hood around the cleft lip, which is usually white, although this can develop a pink tinge as it matures. If anything this enhances an already good flower.
An easy and tolerant species which increases pleasingly and takes to garden conditions well, especially in more sheltered areas, out of direct burning sunlight (as with all of the hardy species). It also thrives under cool glass, if potted in leafy soil and kept shaded.
This is one of the best of the species to start growing the genus with.
NOT available for E.U., Japan, U.S.A., Norway, Switzerland, etc.
Calanthe are no longer shipped outside of the UK.
