RHS Award of Garden Merit
Tropical, temperate & hardy orchids March 2020 ®
The AGM criteria FOR CULTIVATION UNDER GLASS OR AS HOUSEPLANTS Intended as a practical guide for See page 4 for hardy orchids the gardener, the AGM is only awarded to plants that are: • excellent for ordinary use × ALICEARA in appropriate conditions Peggy Ruth Carpenter gx (H1a) H • available A reliable and tolerant plant, found • of good constitution regularly at orchid nurseries and shows • essentially stable in form and occasionally in supermarket and and colour DIY stores. Compact grower and • reasonably resistant to pests suitable as a houseplant. Pink sepals and diseases and petals marked with deep red and an attractive white lip. Key to hardiness ratings BRASSIA Each award includes a hardiness Eternal Wind gx (H1a) H rating, which is an integral part of More compact and manageable hybrid the AGM, and should be included spider orchid. Yellowy petals and sepals in any citation of the award: with chestnut barring and chestnut spots on a frilly lip. Good next step Paphiopedilum Pinocchio gx. Photo H1a tropical: heated greenhouse after Phalaenopsis. © RHS / Sarah Cuttle. (more than 15C) H1b subtropical: heated COELOGYNE that of a modern hybrid. Blooms are greenhouse (10C to 15C) cristata (H1a) H produced on long, arching stems. H1c warm temperate: heated Can be grown as a houseplant when Strong grower. greenhouse (5C to 10C) small and young. Does not need much Nagalex gx (H1c) H H2 tender: cool or frost-free heat or attention during winter. Can A very floriferous and compact greenhouse (1C to 5C) form a very large clump with several oriental-style Cymbidium; the flowers H3 half hardy: unheated hundred fragrant flowers displayed on are an attractive yellow-green with a greenhouse or mild winter pendulous racemes. contrasting white lip and are sweetly (−5C to 1C) scented. Can flower continuously for H4 hardy: average winter (−10C CYMBIDIUM up to three and a half months; easily to −5C) Dorothy Stockstill gx (H1c) re-flowered. H5 hardy: cold winter (−15C to Pendent racemes of numerous small, Sarah Jean gx ‘Ice Cascade’ (H1c) −10C) pink-brown flowers with a maroon lip. Very floriferous, with attractive erythraeum (H1c) white flowers; an excellent example H Suitable for use as An easy to re-flower species with green of a pendulous mini Cymbidium. The houseplant flowers, striped bronze, and a white lip plant is best kept outdoors in semi- R Suitable for rock & alpine use in autumn or winter. shade after the frosts have finished Golden Elf gx (H1b) H and brought indoors again to a cool For information on orchid Summer-flowering. Vibrant yellow position before winter. cultivation, go to rhs.org.uk/advice blooms, fragrant and tolerant. Tiger Tail gx (H1c) and search on “orchid”. Please email lowianum (H1c) Attractive olive-green flowers with [email protected] with any Larger-growing Cymbidium species. contrasting white-tinged pink lip; very queries. Clear green sepals and petals. Dramatic floriferous, holding its flowers above shape of the flower is quite unlike the medium-sized leaves.
For the full list of AGM plants visit rhs.org.uk/AGMplants
RHS Registered Charity No: 222879 / SC038262 RHS Award of Garden Merit
Orchids (page 2) ®
ONCIDIUM Wildcat gx (H1a) H Jairak Fragrance gx (H1a) H Found in many colour variations Well suited for growing indoors from ruby-red to yellow with brown as a house plant, its purple blooms are markings. Often sold as a “Cambria”. chocolate-scented and have a Can be grown successfully as a distinctive central white spot on the lip. houseplant throughout the UK. Plants can produce displays of flowers twice a year. PAPHIOPEDILUM Jungle Monarch gx (H1a) H Clair de Lune gx (H1a) H Fragrant flowers, light yellow-brown Made and registered by Sanders in with large purple-brown blotches and 1927, this has stood the test of time. a white lip with a large purple-brown Classic Paphiopedilum in apple- spot at the centre. green and white with stiff upright naevium (H1a) H stem. Popular with flower arrangers. Sweetly scented, star-shaped white Generally available as a young plant of flowers, each spotted with red and single or two growths. with a yellow spot at the centre. insigne (H1b) H Mature plants may produce six or more To 30cm tall, with narrowly lance- 30cm spikes for an impressive display. shaped green leaves and solitary Sharry Baby gx (H1a) H Oncidium Jungle Monarch gx. Photo © Sometimes called the chocolate Johan Hermans. orchid, as its small burnt-red flowers have a cocoa fragrance. Twinkle gx (H1a) H DENDROBIUM Compact, undemanding plant in Berry gx (H1b) H several colour forms varying from Easy to grow; suitable as a houseplant. cream through pinks to a soft red. Regularly available. Stays fairly Blooms have a spicy vanilla fragrance. compact. Produces sprays of long- Most plants will have several lasting flowers in deep mauve from inflorescences, giving a frothy effect cane-like stems. and successional flowering. kingianum (H1b) H Widely available; divisions often × ONCIDOPSIS found for sale at local orchid society Nelly Isler gx (H1a) H meetings. Good plant to share and Freely produces spikes of long-lasting, very tolerant for the beginner. fragrant, bright red flowers with spotted lips and yellow centres. Makes LUDISIA an ideal pot plant. Also sold under Dendrobium Berry gx. Photo © RHS / discolor (H1a) H Burrageara. Sarah Cuttle. Grown for its velvety leaves highlighted with contrasting veins. Can be × ONCOSTELE flowers to 10cm across, the petals and propagated by stem cuttings. Midnight Miracles gx ‘Masai Red’ pouch golden-brown, the upper sepal (H1a) H yellow with red-brown spots and white LYCASTE Available in the UK under the trade upper margin. aromatica (H1a) name of Masai, sometimes with Leeanum gx (H1a) H Yellow flowers, strongly cinnamon- cultivar epithet ‘Red’. Compact grower Dorsal sepal pure white, with purplish scented; needs good light and with a solid red lip, and suitable for red dotted lines down the middle; intermediate temperatures; must be growing as a houseplant. emerald-green at base, with mauve kept dry when resting in winter. Midnight Miracles gx ‘Masai spots. Petals with reddish brown Splash’ (H1a) H stripes; pouch a shiny brownish red. × ONCIDESA Available in the UK under the trade Pinocchio gx (H1a) H Sweet Sugar gx (H1a) H name of Masai, sometimes with Unusual colour combination of rosy Widely available. Has branching spikes cultivar epithet ‘Splash’. The amount of pinks, yellows and green. Easy to grow; with masses of brilliant yellow flowers. white on the lip will vary according to makes a good houseplant; flowers A good grower and ideally suited to the temperature and light levels under sequentially and can be in bloom for six centrally heated homes. which it has been grown. to nine months. RHS Award of Garden Merit
Orchids (page 3) ®
temperature high enough with an attractive marbled leaf. Compact Phalaenopsis with unusual coloration. ‘Dover’ (H1a) H Plain white flowers with a yellow lip, mauve at the throat. Floriferous, often with 3 spikes. Hsinying Yenlin gx ‘Purple Princess’ (H1a) H A compact, very floriferous and attractive Phalaenopsis. Sepals and petal dark pink-violet with a white edge and a darker purple lip with central yellow callus spotted red. ‘Kleopatra 4’ (H1a) H Cream flowers with purple spots, more Phalaenopsis ‘Picasso’. Photo © Johan numerous on the petals, with a plain Phalaenopsis amabilis. Photo © RHS / Hermans. purple lip. Andy Paradise. ‘New Life’ (H1a) H PHALAENOPSIS Floriferous and compact; small white amabilis (H1a) H slightly scented flowers mauve on the Rong Guan Peacock gx (H1a) H Evergreen epiphytic orchid to 90cm, back with a yellow centre to the lip and A compact plant with many flowering with oval leaves and pendent racemes red spots. Also sold as Pisco. spikes and a large number of flowers of rounded white flowers. ‘Picasso’ (H1a) H on each spike. Sometimes sold as Ariadne gx (H1a) H A large-flowered ‘harlequin’ Rotterdam. Also available commercially as Pink Phalaenopsis (a form where no two ‘Sunshine’ (H1a) H Dancer. The petals and sepals are pink flowers are identical). White flowers, Small pale yellow flowers with an with dark red spots at the edges, the with a burgundy centre and scattered orange lip. Compact, with a high flower lip white, yellow-red at throat. Flowers burgundy spots. The burgundy-orange count. long-lasting with good colour, form lip has a white-yellow edge on the side Taida Sweet gx ‘Stripe Beauty’ and substance. lobes. (H1a) H Be Tris gx (H1a) H Flowers medium in size, cream striped Miniature orchid; white flowers flushed pink, on a compact plant. Sometimes pink at the centre, with a darker pink sold in the trade as Happy Minho or lip. Pink BalanZ. Brother Little Amaglad gx (H1a) H Tiny Tim gx (H1a) H Floriferous, small, extremely A compact plant, producing many long-lasting pink flowers. Shorter spikes of white crystalline flowers with variety. Can be grown in many places contrasting yellow lip. throughout the home. ‘Violet Queen’ (H1a) H Brother Pico Sweetheart gx Striking violet flowers, faintly striped, (H1a) H with a plain darker violet lip. A uniquely Reliable hybrid with masses of flowers. coloured compact Phalaenopsis. White base, pink centre and strong ‘White Apple’ (H1a) H deep pink-red lip. Ideal houseplant and Small white flowers, mauve on the suitable for a beginner. reverse, with a yellow lip spotted red at ‘Chengdu’ (H1a) H centre. Compact and floriferous. Pale pink flowers with a round shape, Yellow Lightning gx (H1a) H with faint spotting on sepals; heavily Easy-growing and very floriferous, with spotted orange lip. Very floriferous. attractive bright yellow flowers edged Chingruey’s Goldstaff gx (H1a) H in red and with a purple lip. Sometimes Very floriferous, yellow striped red, sold in the trade as Bee Sting or with a pink-orange lip. Papagayo. ‘Diffusion’ (H1a) H Pink-mauve flowers with yellow on the Prosthechea cochleata. Photo © RHS / lip; pleasantly scented when ambient Carol Sheppard. RHS Award of Garden Merit
Orchids (page 4) ®
HARDY ORCHIDS reginae (H5) R Late-flowering, to 50cm tall; sepals and Including those for Rock & Alpine use petals white, contrasting with white rounded pouch heavily dotted and suffused with magenta. Quite easy to BLETILLA grow. Forms large clumps. striata (H4) Sabine gx (H5) R Hardy and reliable garden plant. To 35cm tall. Cream lip with pink Fragrant flowers, usually vivid rose- coloration and strong red veins in the pink / magenta but can be found in petals and upper sepals. Quite easy to shades of purple / lavender. The white grow. form is not quite as vigorous. Plants Ulla Silkens gx (H5) R grow to 30–60cm. Late-flowering, to 45cm tall, sometimes with two flowers per stem. CYPRIPEDIUM Variable lip colour of white and pink. Dietrich gx (H5) R Needs deep soil. Large flowers with twisted brownish burgundy laterals and a cream pouch. DACTYLORHIZA formosanum (H3) R elata (H5) R Cypripedium Hank Small gx. Photo Creeping herbaceous perennial, with A robust herbaceous perennial © RHS / Joanna Kossak. stems to c.150mm, and two fan- with erect stems to 1m tall, bearing shaped, untoothed but wavy-edged, narrowly oblong leaves. Flowers PROSTHECHEA pleated leaves. A solitary nodding reddish purple, 2cm wide, opening in a cochleata (H1b) H flower, white, with reddish speckling dense spike to 20cm long in late spring Unusual hooded flowers bloom towards the base; white inflated and early summer. successively, providing a long flowering labellum blotched reddish purple, foliosa (H4) R period. Mature plants may flower mostly showing through from the An erect herbaceous perennial to for most of the year. When small can inside but spilling out around the 70cm tall, with spirally arranged lance- be grown on a windowsill in indirect almost closed mouth, through which shaped leaves and bright rosy purple sunlight. yellow streaking is visible. flowers 2.5cm wide, in a dense spike to Gabriela gx (H5) R 12cm long. PTEROSTYLIS Burgundy petals and sepals, with curta (H2) H cream pouch overlaid with burgundy PLEIONE Its common name (blunt greenhood) veins and suffusions. Sold under the formosana (H3) R describes its flower shape. Robust; Garden Orchids brand as Kentucky Deciduous perennial to 15cm in height, easy to grow and increase. Maxi and widely available. with globose pseudobulbs, each bearing Hank Small gx (H5) R a single lance-shaped leaf and solitary STENOGLOTTIS Deep yellow lip, with dark brown pale or rose-pink flowers 8cm in width, longifolia (H1b) H twisted petals and sepals. Forms a the lip blotched with red or brown. Very floriferous light to medium compact and floriferous clump. limprichtii (H3) R lavender flowers with darker spots. kentuckiense (H5) R Deciduous perennial with ovoid Undemanding. Well-grown plants Stems 80cm; 1–2 flowers with twisted pseudobulbs, each with a single lance- can carry up to 60 flowers per drooping laterals spotted purplish red; shaped leaf and solitary or paired, deep inflorescence. lip c.60mm long, pale yellow, much rosy pink flowers 8cm wide, the lip inflated and in profile resembling a paler, ridged and with reddish blotches. VANDA rather deep, blunt-nosed boot. Shantung gx ‘Muriel Harberd’ (H3) Princess Mikasa gx (H1a) H Michael gx (H5) R R Available in pink, white and blue forms, Cream with pink coloration and veins. A deciduous perennial to 15cm in and suitable for growing in the home Often produces two flowers per stem. height, with dark green pseudobulbs, in a bright position away from direct Prefers slightly alkaline growing media. each bearing a single lance-shaped leaf sunlight. In the right conditions, plants Philipp gx (H5) R and 1 or 2 very pale yellow flowers can flower up to three times a year. Large flowers with white purple-dotted 8cm wide, tinged pale pink; lip yellow, pouch and pink to purplish sepals and marked with orange. petals. Sold as Kentucky Pink.