Prosthechea cochleata

The clamshell or cockleshell orchid is a widespread epiphyte of seasonally dry to wet forests from Mexico, Florida and the Caribbean to northern South America, and the national flower of Belize. Its upside-down, dark purple lipped flowers open in succession over months; it is an easy intermediate-to-warm grower that likes bright filtered light and a somewhat drier winter.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Epiphytic on trees in lowland and lower montane forests, including seasonally dry forest, swampy woodland and oak-pine forest.

Recorded at 5–2,249 m, median about 515 m.

MexicoBelizeGuatemalaHondurasNicaraguaCosta RicaPanamaCubaDominican RepublicHaitiJamaicaPuerto RicoBahamasUnited States (Florida)ColombiaVenezuela

🔒 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. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 3.0 licence, unmodified.