Most of our orchids are epiphytes (grow up trees) but we do have a number of interesting terrestrial species and this miniature (plant here in a 3cm pot) with very long lasting flowers is a very rewarding one.

Malaxis kobi is endemic to Java where it is found as a terrestrial in evergreen forests from 900-2100m and so is a species that likes to grow cool, damp and shaded. A terrestrial grows in the ground but in this habitat the ground is more leaf litter than soil and so we pot the species in moss and bark similar to our epiphytic damp loving species.

Although the species is Asian we find it does best amongst our masdevallias, in our Cool Americas Section, as they enjoy the same cool, damp, shaded conditions as Malaxis kobi.