Orchid of the day: Encyclia tampensis

Encyclia tampensis

We were visiting the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel, Florida, and, lo and behold, we saw a native orchid, Encyclia tampensis, growing in situ on the trees around the entrance of the visitor center. It was amazing to see the orchid blooming in the dry and hot weather.

A) As close as I can get to the orchid.

Most orchids native to the US are terrestrial.  Some epiphytic species do exist but they are all found in Florida as they do not tolerate frost. Encyclia tampensis is an epiphytic orchid native to Florida.  It grows at sea level and wants warm conditions year round.  It is also frequently found in orchid collections.

B) Perched on a tree with some bromeliads

C) From a different angle.

D) Fascinating to see an orchid in its natural environment.

I hope you enjoyed reading my 'extra' post. It was pure luck to find this Encyclia tampensis growing in situ in a wildlife refuge. I thought I should share it with you all. By the way, we saw a 'baby' gator too!