The Dracula is a wonderfully fascinating orchid species with monkey faces, long tails and sometimes even hairy blooms. The name means “Little Dragon” and these dragons are as unique as their ancestors and never raise their faces in the daylight hours.
Dr. Carlyle Luer created this strange and intriguing genus in 1978. Prior to this time they were included with the Masdevallia genus. There are approximately 124 species found in the Dracula genus. Of these ten species originated here in Panama including the Dracula roeslii ‘Finca Dracula’.
The Finca (farm) Dracula in Cerro Punta, the highest village in Panama, started as a hobby in 1969 by Andrew Maduro of Maduro Tropical Flowers and covers 22 acres of lush tropical forest often bathed in clouds. It is one of the most important orchid farms in Central America. There you will find greenhouses full of orchids, not just the Dracula, that will have you searching out the gems you will discover hidden among the baskets and mounted slabs of moss.
Finca Dracula has one of the most complete collections of rare orchids numbering over 2,200 from all over the world – about 25 percent of them are exported overseas and many are grown to be introduced back into their natural habitats while others are endangered species that are protected for the future as they are an orchid sanctuary as well as a business.
The Dracula species itself is difficult to grow and should only be grown in a greenhouse environment for their best development. If you think you can replicate this in your home, then you are indeed fortunate. They hate the sun so no direct sunlight, like it cool with ideal temperatures ranging from 50 F at night and not over 78 F during the day and would love a place to hang as a lot of the blooms come out the bottoms or sides of the baskets on some of these orchids. They have minimal water storage available so it is critical that you watch how often you water and since they do like to live in a humid environment, spraying with water at least once a day will keep them happy. Growing them in baskets lined with sphagnum moss or mounted on cork slabs with moss are two ways of displaying them depending on if the blooms tend to go upwards or hang down. Good air movement around them is also vital.
Finca Dracula serves a very important purpose here in Central America…orchids represent the wonder and diversity of our planet, and are at risk from tropical deforestation like our trees and other flora. To visit these and the many other orchids on display and for sale, call Finca Dracula 507-771-2070. |
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