Botanical name: Brassavola nodosa    Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Synonyms: Cymbidium nodosum, Epidendrum nodosum, Bletia nodosa

Lady of the Night Orchid is a medium sized orchid growing on trees or rocks, with cylindrical, short stems enveloped by scarious sheath. That plant has a single, nearly-round (in cross-section), grooved, pointed-apiculate leaf. It has a nice, lemony fragrance at night and the flowers are close to 10 cm across and bloom in the spring, summer and fall but are possible at any time of the year, on a 20 cm long, bracteate inflorescence that arises on a newly maturing psuedobulb, that carries up to 6 flowers. The white to pale green flowers are usually about 7 cm in diameter, but some may be larger, and wonderfully fragrant in the evening. Each flower has long, slender sepals and petals, and a large, heart-shaped lip on the tubular lower petal. The lip may have purple or dark red spotting inside the tube. Lady of the Night Orchid is native to Mexico to Venezuala and SW. & S. Caribbean, cultivated elsewhere.

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The flower labeled Lady of the Night Orchid is ...