Pleione orchids

Pleione is a small Asian genus of around twenty species, native to the Himalayas, China, and Taiwan, where they grow at high elevations on mossy rocks and tree branches. Plants are deciduous and seasonal: small cone-shaped pseudobulbs emerge in spring, produce a single flower (occasionally two) on a short stem, develop a single pleated leaf, then die back through autumn and winter. The pseudobulbs themselves are typically repotted or refreshed each year.

The genus is sometimes called "window orchids" for their suitability to cool indoor windowsill growing, or "Indian crocuses" for their resemblance to crocuses in flowering habit. Plants are hardy to zones 7 or 8 in suitable gardens and can be grown outdoors in mild-winter climates.

General care for the genus (species, hybrids and cultivars vary, so check with the grower for a specific plant): cool temperatures, especially a cold winter rest (1 to 5 °C) to trigger spring flowering. Bright indirect light (2,000 to 3,000 footcandles) during the brief growing season, part shade in summer as leaves mature. Potting media: fine bark mixed with sphagnum and perlite, kept moist during growth, dry during dormancy.

Species include Pleione formosana, Pleione limprichtii, Pleione forrestii, and the widely cultivated hybrids. Many named grex hybrids (Tongariro, Versailles, Shantung) flower more reliably than species. Listings below come from the nurseries we index, most of them re-checked nightly; prices are shown in USD.