Encyclia cochleata

Prosthechea cochleata

national flower of Belize

  • Encyclia cochleata
  • Encyclia cochleata
  • Flower name
    Encyclia cochleata
  • Scientific name
    Prosthechea cochleata
  • AliasEncyclia cochleata, クロラン, 黒蘭, Octopus Orchid, オクトパス・オーキッド, プロステケア・コクレアタ
  • Place of originCaribbean coastal countries from North America (Florida) to Central America (Belize) to South America (Venezuela and Colombia) and elsewhere
  • Place of floweringGreenhouse, Overseas, Subtropical region, Specific area
  • Flowering seasonAugust, September, October

What is Encyclia cochleata

Encyclia cochleata (scientific name: Prosthechea cochleata) is a medium-sized, evergreen perennial herb of the genus Prosthechea in the orchid family, native to Caribbean coastal countries from North America (Florida) to Central America (Belize) to South America (Venezuela and Colombia) and elsewhere. It is a native orchid that grows on trees in warm and humid forests. It is the national flower of Belize. It is also known as black orchid, Octopus orchid, Encyclia cochleata, and Encyclia cochleata. The plant is 30-60 cm tall.
In its present habitat, it flowers all year round (especially during the spring and the first six months of the year). It produces two large lanceolate to lance-shaped leaves from an ovate bubble , similar to the hothouse hollyhock(scientific name: Eichhornia crassipes). A flower stalk emerges from between the two leaves, and a raceme extends from the tip of the stalk, producing one to several flowers. The flowers are dark purple with yellow streaks, and about five pale yellowish-green, elongated petals protrude from the bottom of the flower like an octopus foot.

Common name: Encyclia cochleata, scientific name: Prosthechea cochleata, also known as black orchid, Octopus Orchid, Encyclia cochlea, Encyclia cochleata, Origin: North America (Florida) - Central America (Belize) - South America (Venezuela, Columbia), Height: 30 - 60 cm, Leaf color: green, Leaf shape leaf color: green; leaf shape: lanceolate to lanceolate; leaf length: 20-35 cm; lip color: dark purple with yellow streaks; petals: elongated, octopod-like, pale yellowish green; flower length: 8 cm; flower fragrance: fragranceless to spicy.


  • Order
    Asparagales
  • Family
    Orchidaceae
  • Genus
    Prosthechea
  • Species
    P. cochleata
  • Type of flower
    Left-right symmetrical flower
  • Array of flower
    Gross inflorescence
  • Petal shape
    Orchid shape
  • Leaf type
    lanceolate
  • Edge of the leaf
    Entire
  • Life typeevergreen perennial herb
  • Flower colorsGreen Purple
  • Colors of the leavesGreen
  • Fruit color
  • Height30.0 ~ 60.0 cm
  • Diameter of flower3.0 ~ 8.0 cm

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