Zygopetalum maxillare - Zygo Orchid
Sprouts of BristolNative to South America, Zygopetalum maxillare is another remarkable species in the Zygopetalum genus, renowned for its fragrant, intricate flowers that bloom in late winter or early spring. With its distinctive purple hues and striking lip shape that resembles a human jaw, this orchid offers a unique visual appeal. Maxillare thrives in similar conditions to its relatives, preferring bright, indirect light and a well-draining growing medium. It is known for being a hardy species compared to other orchids, making it a good option for intermediate growers looking for a fragrant, eye-catching addition to their plant collection.
Important Note We have tried to identify these orchids but please note that we are doing this by eye and comparing the plants we have in the shop to photos online. The orchids might arrive with the flowers open or closed.
Scientific Name
Zygopetalum maxillare. The genus name Zygopetalum comes from the Greek zygos (yoke) and petalon (petal), referring to the structure of the flower’s lip. The species name maxillare comes from the Latin maxilla, meaning “jaw” or “cheek,” which refers to the shape of the lip of the flower that resembles a jaw.
Zygopetalum maxillare was first described by John Lindley in the 19th century. Native to regions of South America, particularly Brazil, this species is known for its attractive flowers with a characteristic deep purple colour and intricate markings. It is considered one of the more resilient species in the genus, often cultivated for its fragrance and striking appearance. Maxillare refers to the shape of the lip, which bears a resemblance to a human jaw, providing a unique visual signature for this species.
Common Name
Maxillare Zygopetalum, Zygo Orchid
Origin
Native to Brazil and parts of South America.
Light
Zygopetalum maxillare thrives in bright, indirect light. It prefers to be in a location with sufficient light without direct exposure to the sun. A west or east-facing window with sheer curtains is ideal for providing the right balance of light.
Water
Water regularly but ensure good drainage. The soil should dry out slightly between waterings. Over-watering can lead to root rot, so it’s essential to maintain a balance between moisture and air circulation.
Humidity
This species prefers moderate to high humidity levels (50–70%). Keep the air around the plant moist, particularly in winter, by using a humidity tray or placing the plant near a humidifier.
Soil
Plant in a well-draining orchid mix, such as one designed for epiphytic orchids. A mix of bark, perlite, and sphagnum moss is ideal to promote healthy root growth and prevent rot.
Food
Fertilize with a balanced orchid fertiliser every 2–4 weeks during the growing season (spring through summer). Reduce feeding in the winter when the plant is dormant.
Temperature
Zygopetalum maxillare grows best in warm temperatures, ranging from 18°C to 24°C during the day and slightly cooler at night. Avoid exposing it to temperatures below 13°C.
Pet-Safe
While orchids are generally non-toxic, it’s best to keep Zygopetalum maxillare out of reach of pets to avoid any accidental ingestion.
Sprouts Top Tips
• Flowering: This species blooms in late winter or early spring. To help encourage flowers, ensure the plant receives enough light and is kept in optimal humidity conditions.
• Repotting: Repot every 2–3 years or when the plant outgrows its pot. Ensure that the roots are healthy, and trim any rotting parts before repotting.
Did You Know?
The flowers of Zygopetalum maxillare are fragrant and attract a variety of pollinators in its native environment. The distinctive shape of the lip also makes it a striking specimen in any orchid collection.
Important Information
If you have any questions, please check out the below or get in touch via our contact formWe're devoted to sending our customers quality plants with the best service around. Every plant is backed by our 7-day guarantee, so they arrive in good health.
Our team takes extra steps when prepping plants for transportation, but they're still sensitive to changes, so there may be minor cosmetic issues. We always aim to photograph and disclose any flaws before shipping, but a living creature travelling across the country in a box can take a hot minute to adjust to its new life.
If you have any issues within 7 days of receiving your order, holler at our customer support team on our contact form with your order details and some pics of the issue. After the guarantee has expired, though, we can't refund as we can't guarantee care and environmental factors. If you repot the plant during the 7 days, the guarantee is void.
We have been sending plants up and down the country for many year now and we like to think we have our way down to an art.
We protect the plant from falling out of the soil with tissue paper and tape if needed, then we wrap the plant in corrugated cardboard, and sometimes we protect the leaves with extra tissue paper if required. This is then placed into a box and if there is any empty space, we fill this with void fill to stop the plants moving around inside the box. Sometimes we will write a note on your packing slip to water the plant on arrival, so please look out for this. This is due a freshly watered plant going in a box will not only be soggy, but as the plant is in darkness this can sometimes make the plant unhappy when just freshly watered.
If your plant arrives to you unhappy, please send us a photo of the plant and packaging if relevant straight away, so we can advise you.
Online orders are packed and dispatched within a few days. Usually depending on volumes, we aim to get your order dispatched within 1 working day. We have collections from Royal Mail 6 days a week so deliveries tend to be speedy.
Our standard parcel delivery service is £4.99 for Royal Mail Tracked48, you can upgrade to Tracked24 for £2.50.
We do offer a Tracked48 Large Letter option for £2.99, and Tracked24 for £1 extra, but this only applies to products less than 2.5cm thick.
*Deliveries 7 days a week only included Tracked24 parcels.
Link to your shipping policy
We get a lot of boxes, packaging and whatnot at Sprouts from all our various supplier's deliveries. We re-use this packaging material where possible, plus we take in donations from local businesses and customers to our shop to avoid excess packaging going to landfill. Sometimes your delivery might look a little different, or come in a branded box from another company, but rest assured the items inside are carefully packed with love and attention inside. We use paper tape and all our branded materials included are fully recyclable. Sometimes we use polystyrene, bubble wrap or plastic wrap in the packaging, all these items are not new and where possible, please use them again.
We have partnered with Zedify to offer low-carbon deliveries in Central Bristol for £6.99.
Zedify collect and deliver orders from us Monday - Friday and will usually deliver your order the same day its collected. If you place your order before 11am, we will aim to get it collected the same day but this isnt always possible. When you have received your dispatch email, Zedify should be delivering your order the same day, anytime before 6pm.
We cannot give an idea of time, but if you would prefer delivery on a certain date (Monday - Friday) please get in touch or leave a note at check out with your preferred delivery date and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Zedify deliver to the following postcodes BS1, BS2, BS3, BS4, BS5, BS6, BS7, BS8 (1, 2, 3A - 3N, 4), BS9 (1,3,4).
Select click and collect at checkout to collect your order from our Bristol shop.
You will get an email when your order is ready to collect, where possible please come and collect your order the same day as we have limited space. If you are going to collect your order at a later date, please let us know in the message box at check out so we know when to expect you. Some items such as gift sets, kits and pre-order items may not be ready to collect the same day, again please let us know what day you would like to collect and we will let you know if there's any issues.
We do not offer free returns, but if you are unhappy with your delivery, please get in touch. If your parcel or order has been damaged, please take photos and send these over to our team so we can look into this for you.
If you have ordered an item and you would like to exchange it, we should be able to do this for you. There may be an extra charge for delivery, but get in touch to discuss. For plants there is a 7 day return policy and 30 days for everything else, apart from sale items which are none returnable.
You can return or exchange in our Bristol shop for free.
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