Angraecum sesquipedale aka Darwins Orchid

Angraecum sesquipedale is an orchid. It comes from eastern and southeastern Madagascar. Its family is Orchidaceae, the orchid family. Kew lists it as an epiphyte, which grows on other plants. Its home has a tropical climate with a dry season. Names include comet orchid and long-spurred orchid. The RHS also calls it the star of Bethlehem orchid. Chicago Botanic Garden calls it Darwin’s orchid. The RHS says it is not native to Britain or Ireland.

Chicago Botanic Garden says this plant forms a mound. Its blooms sit near the top of the leaves. The petals are creamy white. A long tube holds nectar behind each flower. Chicago gives the tube’s length as about 1.5 feet [0.46 metres]. This tube is a key part of the flower. The supplied accounts give no height or spread at full growth. They give no details of the leaves or stems.

The long tube links this plant to Charles Darwin. Chicago tells how he predicted a moth with a matching tongue. The term for this tongue is proboscis. Such a moth could reach nectar deep in the flower. The account says researchers found the moth decades later. It calls this an example of predictive biology. In this case, a forecast about life proved true. The flower’s shape thus has value for science and gardens.

Chicago lists its bloom time as January through April. Its plant profile lists full sun and moist growing conditions. It gives USDA hardiness zones 11–13. These entries apply to this species. The page also has broader notes on orchids. Those notes do not show this species’ exact needs. Kew’s record of a climate with a dry season describes its home. That alone does not show how much drying it needs when grown.

Chicago lists uses in beds and borders. It also notes butterfly interest and describes how moths pollinate it. The pale blooms and long nectar tubes form its display. The supplied pages give no pest or disease details for this species. They do not state which parts, if any, people can eat. Nor do they establish uses as medicine or whether it is toxic. They give no fruit details or British hardiness rating.