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Species library › Bulbophyllum › Bulbophyllum nocturnum
Orchids Partly documented

Bulbophyllum nocturnum

A small epiphytic Bulbophyllum of section Epicrianthes known only from lowland rainforest on New Britain, Papua New Guinea, described in 2011 as the first orchid known to flower regularly at night. Its flowers, about 2 cm long with yellowish-green sepals and a dark red lip, open after dark and close by the following morning. It needs constantly warm, very humid, shaded conditions like other Epicrianthes.

At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light ShadeDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Epiphytic on trees in lowland rainforest in West New Britain, originally collected in a logging concession near the upper Argulo River. It is assessed as Vulnerable because of logging and conversion of forest to agriculture. Detailed notes on its position in the forest are not published in the sources we could access.

Known from 240–300 m elevation. There are no georeferenced GBIF records.

Bismarck Archipelago: New Britain (West New Britain Province), Papua New Guinea

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.