Aganisia cyanea
Object Details
- Description
- It is well known in the orchid world that there is one color which an orchid can never be – blue. And yet, Aganisia cyanea seems to be an exception to the rule. Coveted by collectors searching for a blue orchid, this flower’s appearance has been endlessly described. Some say this orchid is blue, others that it is purple on the outside but blue on the inside, that it needs to be grown in low light to be more blue, that it is blue only when it first opens but then quickly develops some pink, or that it has some pink which is not noticeable to the eye but shows up so strongly in photos that it changes the flowers’ color. Whatever the case, there is no denying that it has a small cult following. This orchid is also interesting in its growth habit. Since it grows in areas with a monsoon season, people have frequently reported seeing this orchid growing in its native habitat almost completely underwater, hanging onto a tree with just its flowers and perhaps a leaf above water. Add the fact that Aganisia cyanea has a lovely scent, and it really is quite a fascinating orchid.
- Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
- March to May, July, October; peaks in July
- Pollination Syndrome
- Likely bee
- Provenance
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Range
- E Colombia to S Venezuela and E Bolivia
- Habitat
- Low-lying, seasonally flooded forests; 330-1640ft (100-500m)
- Topic
- Orchids
- Living Collections
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2020-0072A
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Common Name
- Blue Orchid
- Blue Water Orchid
- The Dark Blue Acacallis
- The Dark Blue Aganisia
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Lilianae
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Genus
- Aganisia
- Species
- cyanea
- Life Form
- Epiphytic
- Bloom Characteristics
- Erect to arching inflorescence is 10-15" (25-38 cm) long with up to 10 flowers that can have a bluish cast. Flowers last 1-3 months and are 2.5" (6.5 cm) across.
- Fragrance
- Fragrant
- Plant Size
- 10-18" x 5-8" (25-46 x 13-20 cm), excluding inflorescence
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2020-0072A
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