Michael Charters, www.calflora.net
Family
Orchidaceae
Botanical Name
ERIA merrillii
Plant Common Name
Eria, Orchid
General Description
Eria merrillii is an epiphytic (tree-dwelling) orchid grown for its attractive leaves and its many-flowered clusters of small white blooms. Also known as Eria ovata and Pinalia ovata, it is native to warm humid lowland forests from the Ryuku Islands to Borneo and New Guinea.
This evergreen perennial forms clumps of erect, fleshy, cane-like pseudobulbs, each topped by four to five leathery, lance-shaped leaves. Long clusters of whitish, somewhat unpleasantly scented blooms arch from the pseudobulb's tip and nodes in summer.
This frost-intolerant orchid thrives in bright dappled shade in a warm, humid, well ventilated greenhouse or tropical garden. Grow it in a hanging pot in a free-draining "orchid mix," or mount it on a tree crotch or wood slab. Water frequently and feed occasionally from spring to fall, reducing water and fertilizer in winter.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 10
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USDA Hardiness Zone
11 - 15
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Plant Type
Epiphyte
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Sun Exposure
Partial Shade
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Height
10"-18" / 25.4cm - 45.7cm
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Width
10"-18" / 25.4cm - 45.7cm
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Bloom Time
Summer
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Native To
Southeastern Asia, China, Japan, Melanesia
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
No
