Delicate Violet Orchid
Ionopsis utricularioides
- Native to:
- Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
Maarten Sepp
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Genus:
- Ionopsis
- Species:
- Ionopsis utricularioides
- USDA Symbol:
- IOUT
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 30 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jan,feb,mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov,dec
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained organic material
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found on tree branches in humid forests
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Orchid seeds require symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi for germination; typically propagated through tissue culture or division rather than seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI