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Maxillaria
Also called Tiger Orchid
Maxillaria is a large, varied genus of orchids, commonly called tiger, spider or flame orchids; most are epiphytes from Latin American and West Indian rainforests. Grown species vary in size and temperature needs, so care depends on the particular species.
Maxillaria, abbreviated as Max in the horticultural trade, is a large genus of orchids (family Orchidaceae). This is a diverse genus, with very different morphological forms. Their characteristics can vary widely.
They are commonly called spider orchids, flame orchids or tiger orchids. Their scientific name is derived from the Latin word maxilla, meaning jawbone, reflecting on the column and the base of the lip of some species, that may evoke a protruding jaw.
Maxillaria is not one of the popular genera among growers. Only a few species grow big, showy flowers. But some species are nevertheless sought by collectors, mostly for the fragrance of their blossoms, such as Maxillaria tenuifolia.
Maxillaria species are distributed in the rainforest at sea level to elevations of 3,500 m, in Latin America from central Mexico to Bolivia, as well as in the West Indies. This is an indication for the different temperature requirements, from warm growing to cold growing, within the genus.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Maxillaria by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
