Purple Orchids in the Rain Forest

Cattleya

• Cattleyas are native to Central America. They thrive in rain forests located above sea level to around 4,000 feet, from southern Mexico all the way down to Costa Rica. Cattleya skinneri, a purple Cattleya species, is Costa Rica's national national flower. Growing along tree trunks, as well as rock faces, Cattleya skinneri have long and skinny sepals topped by wider petals and a trumpet-shaped lip. The lip is white in the inside. There can be five to 12 flowers on one stalk, known as the spike.

Phalaenopsis

• Phalaenopsis are available in many different colors, including purple. Phalaenopsis are commonly known as the moth orchid because their round-shaped petals look like a butterfly's wings. They can be found in Asia's tropical rain forests, as well as Australia and Papua New Guinea. Unlike Cattleya, the lip of Phalaenopsis is cut open at the top. Up to 20 flowers can bloom along one spike. Phalaenopsis is one of the most popular orchids used by florists and grown at home because of its ability to flower throughout the year with minimal care.

Paphiopedilum

• Paphiopedilums are commonly known as lady slippers because their lips look like slippers. They can be found growing on the floors of rain forests in China, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Paphiopedilums deviate from the typical orchid pattern. They have one large and wide sepal at the top, a petal on each side and a bucket-like lip. The side petals sometimes tip downward. There is usually only one flower at the end of each spike. Paphiopedilums come in many different colors including purple. One species, Paphiopedilum vietnamense, is white and light purple.

Miltonia

• Miltonia is found in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, north of Rio de Janeiro. Miltonia is has sepals and petals of similar size. The lip, however, is wider. Several varieties of the species Miltonia spectabilis have purple coloring. The moreliana variety is dark purple with a veined lip that is dark and light purple. The semi-alba variety is white with the exception of its lip, which resembles the lip of a moreliana. The clowesii variety is rust-colored with a light purple and white lip.