Largest orchid flower
- WHO
- Paphiopedilum sanderianum, John Doherty, Assistant Foreman
- WHAT
- 90 centimetre(s)
- WHEN
- 1886
The largest orchid flower is that of Paphiopedilum sanderianum (e.g. Jacob's Ladder), whose petals are reported to grow up to 90 cm (3 ft) long in the wild. It was discovered in 1886 in the Malay Archipelago.
A plant of this variety grown (named Rapunzel) by Dr John Doherty of Windsor, Ontario, had three flowers with petals averaging 88.3cm long, giving a record outsretched length of 176.6cm in Sept 1995.