Pretty pictures: Phaius tankervillae

When I worked at the garden center, Phaius were very occasionally on the availability list from our supplier, but I never brought any in because . . . I don't remember. Our supplier used to try to push them on me, too, and sounded surprised when I declined to order any.


They've gotten a few in since I left, though, and . . . they're nice. I didn't get pictures of the foliage (which I regret), but I like it nearly as well as the flowers -- it's pleated a bit, like Asplundia, but otherwise long, narrow, and oval (like Canna or Alpinia).


The common name is "nun orchid," because a structure deep inside the flower resembles a nun with a white wimple. I looked, but couldn't actually see this on any of the flowers in this post, so I don't have a picture, sorry. (Garden Adventures does, though, as well as having more information about the plant.)


I didn't buy, because they were out of my price range (like everything else). That may not be such a terrible thing, though: I don't know what they're like to grow indoors, and I don't have room for one anyway. But they're interesting plants. Perhaps someday.