Favorite Orchid Foliage

[ashley05]

We all know we love the blooms, but the foliage is around a lot longer. Which if your favorite? I know there are some obvious ones like Ludisia discolor, but I was curious to see if there were others.

Personally, I am in love with the "fan" orchids. I just got a Podangis dactyloceras that is adorable. I also have a Paph villosum that has neat foliage.

[801229001]

Hands down Paph. vietnamense!!!!!!!
Beautiful glossy mottled leaves, the prettiest i have ever seen, the undersides are also a deep purple!
I like the leaves more than the flowers!

[cbuchman]

I would also add the variegated Neos which come with several striped configurations.

I also think that the jewel orchids can be outstanding. I have both the regular Ludisia discolor and the alba version and the leaves are like velvet with lovely variegation.

Some of the Chinese Cymbidiums are also variegated. I have ensifolium which has a red striping on new foliage which unfortunately fades as the leaves mature and a sinense which has yellow/white striped leaves.

[camille1585]

I have a Phal Wiganiae (stuartiana x schilleriana) which is a hybrid that inherited the amazing mottled foliage. It's a beautiful Phal to look at, whether in or out of bloom!

[My Green Pets]

I agree with the spotted Phal foliage like stuartiana, philipinense y schilleriana.

Mottled-leafed Paphiopedilums are also beautiful foliage plants.

To be honest, I rather like most sympodial orchid foliage. Even though they are not exactly pretty in a traditional sense, the way they grow from little nubs to large, sophisticated structures is really fascinating to me.

[wintergirl]

I like my new Doritis buyssoniana because it gets really a red tint and has speckled leaves.

[Paul]

Hands down, the most spectacular foliage, IMO, is that of Macodes petola.

You'll need to scroll down a mite .....
Ever buy an orchid just for its foliage? - Page 4

[Subrosa]

Dendrobium reflexitepalum.

[Trollsvans]

Oh, there's so many!
As most growers, I like mottled Phals and jewel orchids.
There are leaves that are attractive in coloration, for example said mottled phals, jewels and, a species of Malaxis I saw years ago with a deep beetrot/magenta colored foliage.
There are leaves that are impressive, like Bulbopyllum phalaenopsis, or the large lanceolate leaves of a Phaius or Catasetinid.
I'm also a sucker for the "heart-on-a-stalk" type of Pleurothallids

But if I could only choose one? Macodes something (they're all nice).

If we extend it to non-orchids, I'm rather fond of Hoya imbricata.

[theloyalplum]

Contrary to most others' opinions, I'm quite fond of the Dendrophlax.

All jokes aside, a very nicely pruned and kept bifoliate Cattleya type always looks great at specimen sizes.