Butterfly Egg Orchid - Miniature wild orchid, small but mighty

Butterfly egg orchid (Schoenorchis fragrans) - a rare miniature wild orchid, with small, pretty purple-pink flowers and a sweet, pleasant fragrance, very popular.

The Butterfly egg orchid (Schoenorchis fragrans) is one of the most popular rare miniature wild orchids today because of its small size, lovely flower color and pleasant, sweet scent. With the shape of the flower like butterfly wings and a gentle purple-pink color, the butterfly orchid not only has high aesthetic value but also has high collection value.

In today's article, let's orchid learn in detail about the characteristics, planting, care and value of Schoenorchis fragrans butterfly orchid - the "mini treasure" of the tropical forest .

Origin & distribution of butterfly orchid

Learn about butterfly orchids.

The butterfly orchid has the scientific name Schoenorchis fragrans, a species of orchid belonging to the genus Schoenorchis in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). They were first scientifically described in 1825 by Carl Ludwig Blume - a German botanist.

Butterfly orchids have a wide distribution range throughout tropical and subtropical Asia, common in some of the following regions and countries:

• Vietnam: Mainly distributed in the Central Highlands, northern mountainous areas with altitudes from 400 - 1500 m above sea level.
• India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka
• Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China,...

This is an epiphytic orchid, living on large tree trunks in the forest, preferring a cool, humid climate with gentle light.

Currently, in Vietnam, although butterfly orchids are not as popular as many other ornamental orchids, they are still collected by many orchid enthusiasts because of their small flowers, beautiful clusters, and very fragrant scent, suitable for growing in mini hanging pots.

How to identify butterfly orchid

Different colors of butterfly orchids.

Butterfly orchid is one of the tropical orchid species that is very small in size but has delicate beauty and pleasant fragrance. Let's learn more about the characteristics of this orchid species below.

Butterfly orchid :

• Super small flowers, diameter only 3 - 4 mm
• The flower has 3 sepals, 3 small oval petals, slightly convex lip, grooved in the middle, usually ivory white or pinkish white, looks like a spoon.
• Flowers are usually pale purple-pink, sometimes dark purple or white mixed with pink, some mutant individuals are pure white.
• Has a characteristic, slightly sweet aroma that is extremely pleasant.
• Flowers grow from the inflorescence, which grows from the leaf axils, forming a short inflorescence with many small flowers growing densely around the flower stem.
• Flowers usually bloom from late spring to mid summer (March to July)

Leaves :

• Leaves are diamond-shaped, thick, stiff and slightly curved.
• Leaves are 1.5 - 4 cm long and 0.2 - 0.8 cm wide.
• Leaves grow opposite or alternately on the stem.
• Leaves are dark green, slightly shiny on top, without clear veins

Close :

• The body is very small and short, only 3 - 8 cm long.
• Round or flat stem, straight or slightly curved, no pseudobulbs.
• Leaves grow close to the stem forming small clumps

Roots :

• Aerial roots, growing from the base of the stem
• The roots are silvery white when dry, green when moist, and covered with a layer of velamen.

Techniques for growing and caring for butterfly orchids from A to Z

Detailed instructions for planting and caring for butterfly orchids.

Right below we have shared detailed techniques for planting and caring for butterfly orchids. If you are new to orchids, don't miss it.

Detailed butterfly orchid growing techniques

To grow butterfly orchids properly, you need to pay attention from the selection, processing of seeds and preparation of substrate to the steps of growing orchids. Specifically, please refer to the following.

Choose quality breeds :

• Choose healthy seedlings, preferably with stable roots and 2-3 or more branches.
• Do not choose plants with yellow leaves, rotten roots, or signs of pests or diseases.

Seed treatment :

• Soak the plant in Physan or Ridomil Gold solution for 15 - 30 minutes to disinfect.
• Use scissors to cut off diseased, damaged, rotten roots, then apply scar healing glue.
• You can soak the tree roots in Atonik or B1 solution to stimulate root growth.
• Dry the seedlings in a cool place for 1-2 hours before planting.

Prepare the substrate :

• Butterfly orchid is a miniature epiphytic orchid so it is not suitable for planting in deep pots, it is best to graft on wood/driftwood or plant in a mini terracotta pot.
• Grafting trees onto wooden boards, driftwood: Star apple wood, longan wood, non-rotting driftwood, moss, white coir,...
• Planting in pots: Pots are 5 - 7 cm in size, well-drained, pumice, charcoal, coconut fiber,...
• The growing media should be boiled or soaked in lime water solution to disinfect, then dried before being used to grow plants.

Techniques for growing butterfly orchids in pots :

• Line the bottom of the pot with a layer of pumice, charcoal, and coconut fiber to increase ventilation and drainage.
• Place the orchid root in contact with the growing medium, cover with another layer of growing medium around the root, do not compact, leave space for the roots to breathe.
• After planting, place the pot in a shady place, do not water strongly for the first week, use a mist sprayer to help keep moist.

Technique of grafting butterfly orchid onto wooden board/coir :

• Use staples or nylon rope to gently secure the tree trunk to the wood surface, avoiding breaking the roots or crushing the trunk.
• Add some white moss or sphanum moss to the roots to help retain moisture better.
• Hang the orchid pot in a cool place, spray lightly with mist for the first week.

Butterfly orchid care techniques in each stage

Butterfly orchids are grafted onto wood.

For each stage of development of butterfly orchids, you need a different care regimen to help the plant grow strongly, flower beautifully, and bloom abundantly. Learn the techniques below.

New grafting/planting stage (0 - 2 weeks after planting) :

• Plant location: Place the plant in a cool, airy place, away from direct rain and wind.
• Watering: Spray mist 1 - 2 times/day to keep moist
• Fertilizer: After 1 week, you can spray diluted B1 to stimulate roots.
• Observation: If you see the roots firmly attached to the substrate, it is a sign that the plant is adapting well.

Development stage :

• Light: 60 - 70% scattered light
• Watering: Water once a day in the early morning, reduce watering during rainy season.
• Fertilizer: NPK 30-10-10, 20-20-20 diluted ½ recommended dose, spray once a week, combine Atonik, B1, Humic alternately
• Disease prevention: Spray Physan 20SL solution periodically once a month to prevent fungus.

Flowering stage :

• Watering: reduce watering to 3-4 times/day for 3 weeks to create dry shock.
• Light: Increase light intensity to 70 - 80%, but still scattered light helps flower buds differentiate.
• Fertilizer: NPK 6-30-30, flower stimulant like Dau Trau 701
• Temperature: Create a temperature difference between day and night of 6 - 8 hours for bud differentiation.
• Do not move the pot: At this stage, avoid moving the orchid pot.

Flowering & post-flowering stage :

• Watering: Water every day, do not water directly on the flowers.
• Fertilizer: Stop using nitrogen-rich fertilizers, switch to flower fertilizers such as NPK 10-30-20, add organic fertilizers such as fish manure, goat manure, and decomposed cow manure to provide nutrients for orchids.

How much does a butterfly orchid cost?

According to the information we have consulted and compiled from large orchid forums and websites, the price of butterfly orchids will range from several hundred thousand to several million VND, depending on the age and condition of the plant. Specifically as follows:

• Small butterfly egg orchid (keiki): 100,000 - 400,000 VND/pot
• Medium sized butterfly orchid: 500,000 - 1,000,000 VND/pot
• Mature butterfly orchid, flowering: 1 - 2 million VND.

Questions and answers about butterfly orchids?

Are butterfly orchids difficult to grow?

No, this is an easy-to-grow, easy-to-live orchid. They just need a humid, airy environment and no direct sunlight.

When do butterfly orchids usually bloom?

Normally, this orchid species often blooms in spring - summer, each flower cluster lasts from 2 - 3 weeks.

Are butterfly orchids fragrant?

Yes, this orchid has a light sweet fragrance, very pleasant, the fragrance is most obvious in the early morning.

Beautiful butterfly orchid pictures

Please enjoy the collection of super beautiful butterfly orchid images with tiny flowers and bright colors shared right below, we guarantee you will fall in love with these lovely mini orchid pots.

Super small butterfly orchid pot.

Image of butterfly orchid grafted on natural wood.

Image of stem, leaves, flowers of butterfly orchid.

Super beautiful butterfly orchid grafted on wood.

Close-up of butterfly orchid face with dreamy purple pink color.

A beautiful purple-white butterfly orchid cluster.

Super small butterfly orchid grafted on wood.

Although it does not have large flowers or colorful colors like other orchids, the butterfly egg orchid (Schoenorchis fragrans) still conquers orchid lovers with its unique beauty and characteristic sweet scent. With good adaptability, beautiful and abundant flowers, the butterfly egg orchid is always a perfect choice for those who love to collect unique orchids.

Don't forget to visit the Blog section of orchid-vn.com to discover more beautiful and unique orchid species to add to your orchid collection!