Spathoglottis plicata, commonly known as the Philippine ground orchid, or large purple orchid is an evergreen, terrestrial plant with crowded pseudobulbs, three or four large, pleated leaves and up to forty resupinate, pink to purple flowers.
Spathoglottis is a genus of about 40 orchids with a wide natural distribution; they occur throughout the Pacific, in India, and in many other diverse locales around the world. Sometimes colloquially known as “garden orchids,” many Spathoglottis make great domestic garden plants and are an easy introduction to the world of orchid cultivation for beginners. They are known for their large, showy flowers and come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. They are tropical orchids and will not survive frost; they thrive in a warm, wet environment. All Spathoglottis plants are terrestrial, which means they make an ideal orchid for ground beds in tropical landscape gardens. Many Spathoglottis species can also be easily cultivated in pots. Their flowers range from purple to white to yellow, with lots of variety.
