Name: Stanhopea connata Klotzsch

Etymology: The genus name Stanhopea honors Philip Henry Stanhope, 4th Earl Stanhope. The Latin specific epithet connata means “grown together” or “joined” and refers to a morphological feature of the flower.

Origin/Distribution: Andean region of South America.

Location/Habitat: This species grows epiphytically in humid montane forests. We recommend bright to partially shaded, filtered light, high humidity, and very good air circulation. Temperate conditions of approximately 14–25 °C during the day and 10–18 °C at night are favorable. During active growth, the plant needs regular watering and nutrients.

Description and Notes: Stanhopea connata produces robust pseudobulbs, each with a large, folded leaf. Its fleshy, showy, and often fragrant flowers emerge on downward-growing inflorescences. For this reason, we prefer to grow the species in an open basket, allowing the inflorescences to grow downward through the potting medium without obstruction. We use a coarse, airy medium that also retains a little moisture. During growth, we water and fertilize regularly, using water that is as soft as possible; once the new growth has matured, watering can be reduced somewhat without allowing the pseudobulbs to shrivel significantly.