Coelogyne speciosa

This beautiful Coelogyne has single sequential flowers in a variety of colours. It does well planted in containers and kept moist. A neat grower that forms tidy clumps and is less prone to crawling or climbing than others in the genus.

Quick Look:

• Light: best grown in light to medium shade year round
• Water: Typical water needs for a Coelogyne, needs year round moisture
• Size: Grows up to 30cm high forms a tighter clump than most
• Temp: a cool to warm grower that handles frost free conditions and some heat if kept moist.
• Propagation: Best propagated by large 6-10 bulb divisions.
• Flowers: Autumn through winter
• Origin: A
• Growth Cycle: flowers in early spring followed by new growth over summer, winter dormant.

Care Information

General Care for Coelogyne Unchained Melody

Coelogyne speciosa is a great species for those who have mastered the more common species such as Coelogyne cristata or Coelogyne flaccida. It its ability to flower over many months along with the variety available within the species making it a key acquisition for the collector.

It is relatively pest and disease resistant but avoid letting water sit in the new growth particularly as the spikes are forming as it may cause the spike or the growth itself to rot.

Watering and fertilising

Coelogynes for the most part like to be kept moist year round and can be watered more heavily when they are actively growing in summer.

While not fatal they can form brown tips where you use water high in dissolved salts or over fertilise so use rain water or water if your water source has particularly high salt levels.

Not a heavy feeder by camparison it does however appreciate regular feeding with a weak fertiliser to support larger growth and more flowers.

Where to Grow

This plant does well in shaded areas outside in frost free areas. It does particularly well under a pergola or deciduous tree in a hanging basket. It has bood tolerance of heat and rarely shows stress even during Sydney's occasional 40 degree celcius days if kept moist and in a high humidity environment.

It can also be grown inside provided it gets good light and humidity but beware it multiples relatively quickly so is not a small space plant.

Growing season

Coelogyne speciosa flowers at any time of year but in my experience is most prolific in the Autumn through winter and flower from the new growth. These growths then mature through the spring months.

A neat sequential flowerer

Coelogyne speciosa flowers sequentially over several months and while single flowers only last for about two weeks with a well grown plant producing around a dozen flowers per inflorescence an individual plant can be in flower for many months.

Loads of variety

Coelogyne speciosa is highly variable when it comes to colour with plants available from off white through to tan and some loosely described as green all are worth collecting for the contrast they provide.

There is even a salmon coloured variation that is particularly attractive and very nuch worth trying to find. It is sometimes referred to as var. salmonicolor sometimes referred to as a completely different species Coelogyne salmonicolor.

Propagation

Coelogynes make great specimen plants and a large pot full in full bloom is sure to impress. Unless you need or want to give away some to a friend, keeping your plant in one piece is recommended. If you do want to propagate the best way is to divide the plant immediately after flowering and ideally into divisions of at least 6 bulbs as some plants can be set back during division.

Similar species worth trying

There are several species similar to Coel. speciosa worth trying. if you can provide some heat in winter then Coel. usitana is worth tracking down with its dark pendulous flowers always attracting attention.

Coel. xyrekes is another part of the Coelogyne to look out for that is part of the speciosa group it too has interesting dark marking particularly on its lip.