Burrageara Nelly Isler 'Swiss Beauty'
- Height × spread
- 0.3m × 0.25m
- Position
- Part shade
- Hardiness
- Heated greenhouse 5C & above (RHS H1c)
- Flowers
- Winter, Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
A flamboyant orchid that has fragrant, long-lasting flowers. Several individual blooms are carried on one or more stalks above the strappy upright green leaves. The flowers have big open faces. They have five vivid red rear petals and a large red, partly spotted lip. At the base of the lip is a yellow, red-streaked 'tongue' with a small white area above. This orchid has a complex parentage involving four different orchid species - Oncidium, Odontoglossum, Miltonia and Cochlioda. It was reared in Switzerland by its namesake and introduced in the early 1990s. This needs a minimum room temperature of 10C (50F) and enjoys bright indirect light. The plant should be watered regularly and fed fortnightly whilst in growth with a standard orchid fertiliser. The roots should never be allowed to dry out. It should be repotted in a bark-rich orchid compost every two years or so.
- Flower colour
- Red, Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, fragrant
- Shape
- Bell
- Height
- 0.3m
- Spread
- 0.25m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Winter, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Indoors, Exotic garden, Conservatory
- Sun or shade
- Likes part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Heated greenhouse 5C & above (RHS H1c)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Indoor light
- bright spot, no direct sun
- Indoor temperature
- 10C minimum temperature
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring-Winter · Indoors
Water regularly during growth
Water regularly while the plant is in growth. The watering should be reduced as the leaves start to die. It should be kept just moist during its rest period (generally winter) and watering resumed when new growth starts.
Summer
Summer-Autumn · Indoors
Feed with orchid feed
Use a standard orchid feed regularly at every third watering during summer, applying it as directed on the packet.
For specialist feeding, you can buy a group of orchid feeds. Apply a high nitrogen feed in spring as the plant is coming into growth, a balanced feed during growth, and a high potash feed in autumn.
Planting & general
Indoor temperature · Planting
10C minimum temperature
This plant requires a minimum temperature of 10 Centigrade.
Indoor plant · Planting
Position in a bright spot, no direct sun
Give this a bright position away from the direct sun, especially direct sun at the height of the day. (Direct sunshine is too hot and can burn the leaves.) Move the plant to a brighter position in the room during winter and early spring.
Compost · Planting
Orchid compost for repotting
Use orchid compost designed for plants that are terrestrial, i.e. they grow in earth.
You can create your own using a mixture that includes equal measures of a coarse peat and grit with ten percent perliite and charcoal. Opinions vary on 'recipes' and if your interest develops, you can research the views of specialist growers.