15 Different Types of Orchids in India

Each flower of Orchids is symmetrical in shape. Isn’t it interesting? Orchids are flowering plants with colourful and fragrant blooms. Also known as cosmopolitan plants, due to their presence in almost every habitat excluding glaciers. They come under the largest family of flowering plants, Even though they have the smallest seed in the world among flowers, their lifespan is far more than 20 years under the right conditions. There is a rare chance of any anthophile who doesn’t like these captivating flowers. The given below are some of the most popular ones along with intriguing facts about different types of orchids in India, that one will ever get to know about.

Different Types of Orchids in India

It is always difficult to choose an orchid variety among so many types. So, for an orchid novice, the following are the best types of orchids to grow at home.

Bee Orchid:

These orchids of 10- 40 cm in height, mimic the shape of a female bee by the flower’s velvety look, hence the name humble bee orchid. It appears like that real bee is feeding on the 3 pink petals. They flower only once in their lifetime which is the main reason for their appearance in large numbers for some years and disappears after that. Wasp orchid is one of the most profound varieties of bee orchid.

Common Name	Humble Bee Orchid
Scientific name	Ophrys apifera
Flower colour	Pink sepals

Fragrant Mini Orchid:

Just a few Inches tall plant is also known by the name of Taiwan mini Orchid and is usually mounted on a cork slab in appearance. They got their name by the quality of being fragrant on sunny days due to more diffusion of volatile oils on warm days rather than on shady days. They offer various fragrances that range from spices like cinnamon and vanilla to chocolate and citrus, hence the name.

Common Name	Taiwan Mini Orchid
Scientific name	Rhynchostylis gigantea
Flower colour	White/Burgundy Red/ peach

Cattleya Orchid:

These more popular plants among types of orchids are epiphytic (grow on trees) and are the national flower of many South American Countries. Small and large-flowered cattleyas are the variations found among them. These big-sized plants with a pleasant smell bloom more than once a time in a year. Many of the species of the cattleya tribe are easy to grow and are considered a good choice for orchid beginners.

Common Name	Brazilian Orchid, Cat Orchid, Corsage Orchid, Queen of orchids
Scientific name	Cattleya labiata
Flower colour	Purple/Pink/Yellow/White

Brassia Orchid:

Commonly known as Spider Orchid, this epiphyte plant produces pseudobulbs with two shiny, long, green leaves that extend out from the apex portion. The large spindly flowers of spotted white, yellow and light brown colours along with long slender yellow-green sepals that spread out like legs of a spider are the main point of attraction, hence correctly nicknamed spider orchid.

Common Name	Spider orchid
Scientific name	Brassia caudata
Flower colour	Brown/Green/Yellow

Dendrobium Orchid:

yet another epiphytic and lithophytic orchid is the Dendrobium Orchid which produces blooms of pink, brown, white, purple, green and maroon shades. One of the easiest varieties of orchids to grow as house plants due to their long life span of flowers and can be used as cut flowers too.

Common Name	Noble Dendrobium
Scientific name	Dendrobium nobile
Flower colour	Pink/White/Purple/Yellow/Maroon Shades

Vanda Orchid:

Known by the name of an air plant (they don’t require soil to grow) due to the presence of aerial roots that act like sponges and can absorb a huge amount of moisture. The same roots also ensure the epiphytic nature of the plant i.e provides the plant an anchorage to the tree on which it is spreading. These rare orchids are widely available all around the year with small and large-flowered cultivars. These flowers are also extravagant because of their long lasting nature and appealing colours like blue, pink, red and yellow.

Common Name	Blue Orchid/Blue Vanda/Autumn Lady’s Tresses
Scientific name	Vanda coerulea
Flower colour	White/Violet Blue/Pink to Yellow/Red

Phalaenopsis Orchid:

Owing to their appearance of the bloom, these variety of orchids are known as moth orchids (in the shape of pretty moth) that are most commonly found. In reality, they grow naturally on the trees because of the presence of their aerial roots that curl the plant around tree trunk and branches.it has small leathery leaves with flat flowers in the shades of white, cream, purple-pink and light- yellow and is another popular easy to grow house plants among types of orchids.

Common Name	Moth Orchid/Moon Orchid/Mariposa Orchid
Scientific name	*Phalaenopsis amabilis*
Flower colour	White/Soft Pink

Maxillaria Orchid:

This is again a well-known orchid but is not that popular among orchid enthusiasts. The only reason is that barely a small portion of the plant produces striking and fragrant flowers.it is renowned for its coconut cream pie scent, therefore also known as the coconut orchid. This delicate orchid among all orchids has a small size among the orchids and is easy to cultivate which is a welcome addition for all the novice anthophiles.

Common Name	Spider/Flame/Tiger/Coconut Orchids
Scientific name	Maxillaria tenuifolia
Flower colour	Black/Yellow/Purple/Red/White colour

Miltonia Orchids:

This orchid has bright, vibrant showy flowers and prefers to grow in cool climates. Another name to it is the Pansy orchid which comes in various shapes and sizes. It blooms two times in a year and comes in various shades of white, yellow, pink, purple and red with a faint floral scent-like fragrance. These brilliantly patterned flowers are again easy to grow and care for which makes them excellent houseplants among the types of orchids.

Common Name	Pansy Orchids
Scientific name	Miltonia spectabilis
Flower colour	Dark Purple

Zygopetalum Orchids:

For all orchid lovers, this is another popular type of orchid in India because of its easy growth and extremely appealing, fragrant flowers, similar to the smell of hyacinth or black pepper. They have large leaves which help them in transpiration and produce flowers of vibrant colours and unique patterns. They are another perfect option for any home or garden.

Common Name	Zygo Orchid
Scientific name	*Zygopetalum maculatum*
Flower colour	Green Petals with purple lip

Cymbidium Orchids:

Generally called by the name of boat orchids, they are the evergreen flowering plants among the types of orchids. It comes under the category of most beloved orchids in the world owing to its stunning, vibrant and colourful sprays of blooms that fills the whole structure. Most plants produce pseudobulbs, have strap-like leathery leaves along with many flowers. This orchid comes in many flower colours, white being the most popular.

Common Name	Boat Orchids
Scientific name	*Cymbidium spp.*
Flower colour	White/Orange/Pink/Yellow

Encyclia Orchids:

These orchids are characterized by the heteroblastic pseudobulbs that are clustered tightly, having 1-3 strap-like leaves (either leathery or rigid), with strongly fragrant flowers in the hues of white, purple and yellow. A well-grown Encyclia plant symbolises both elegance and toughness because they often grow under harsh conditions with their large glossy pseudobulbs that resemble the hen’s egg size, with the latter helping in water storage. These lovable orchids are also known as cockleshell orchids, or similar to an octopus for some growers due to their droopy petals and sepals.

Encyclia Orchid- Types of Orchids — Encyclia Orchid

Common Name	Butterfly Orchid/ Upside Down Orchid
Scientific name	*Encyclia goyazensis*
Flower colour	White/Purple/Yellow

Oncidium Orchids:

The most diverse category among the types of orchids is these plants that reach upto a height 2 m. They have flattened pseudobulbs which help in the storage of water and food. These broad-leaf orchids or dancing lady orchids come in a wide range of colours of mesmerizing blooms. They generally impress any orchid enthusiasts with their vibrant colours and tangled patterns.

Oncidium Orchid- Types of Orchids — Oncidium Orchid

Common Name	Dancing Lady/Bee Orchid/ Tiger Orchids
Scientific name	*Oncidium altissimum*
Flower colour	Yellowish-Brown

Tuberous Grasspink Orchid:

Tuberosus grass pink is another name given to this orchid because of the presence of slender grass-like leaves. This stunning wildflower among all types of orchids has a bulb-like corm which is similar to the tuber, hence the name tuberosus. The slender stem produces more than two flowers that appear in different colours like light pink to magenta, white being the most common. This charming grass pink orchid is again a popular choice to grow as a houseplant among types of orchids.

Common Name	Grass Pink Orchid
Scientific name	Calopogon tuberosus
Flower colour	Light Pink/ Magenta/White

Lady Slipper Orchid:

Due to the slipper-shaped pouches of the flowers, these types of orchids got their name. These are epiphytes in nature with flowers varies in colour, shape and size but common is the slipper-shaped lip. Having waxy and long-lasting flowers, these orchids mostly have mottled foliage which indicates their preference of warm climates. Instead of the presence of pseudobulb, they have fan of leaves with spotted and striped flowers.

Common Name	Slipper orchid, lady’s slipper, moccasin flower, camel’s foot
Scientific name	Cypripedium spp.
Flower colour	White with a pale pink central column

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Conclusion:

These different ranges of flowering plants in the types of orchids represent a symbol of beauty and mystery in the realm of orchids. The strength, pride and boldness that these orchids take in themselves are the only reason for their popularity among the orchid growers. Hence they make one of the best and most beautiful houseplants with their elegant, exotic flowers. Now, if you all wonder about the beautification of your homes, you already know which flowers you have to pick out.

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