The Coconut Orchid-- Maxillaria tenuifolia

An orchid to look for, the Maxillaria tenuifolia has interesting foliage and colorful blooms, but it is not the primary reason people purchase this plant. This Maxillaria is widely sought after due to its strong fragrance, and can fill a home with the smell of sweet coconuts for the entirety of its blooming period.

The warm-loving tenuifolia ranges from Mexico to Nicaragua, an epiphyte growing in forests at low elevations. It prefers medium-high light, good moisture and warm temperatures. In the home, the plant needs some of those conditions replicated if it is to bloom and thrive.

Therefore, I place it in a south facing window, and with its long slender leaves it does very well hanging in a clay pot. Metal hangers for clay pots can be found at many garden center and conservatory shops. Some growers with greenhouses mount this plant onto cork oak or tree fern bark, but keeping this orchid moist when mounted would be a lot of work for the indoor grower- so pot it in either a mix of coconut husks & sphagnum or medium bark & sphagnum. With that mix, I'd recommend watering 2 times per week- more during the hottest and driest days of summer.

If treated properly, the tenuifolia will bloom every year in spring/early summer and should continue blooming for a couple of months. And the blooms are a treat; as I previously mentioned, they smell of sweet coconut and can fill a room as well as any candle.