Also known as the nun's hood orchid, greater swamp orchid, veiled orchid or Lady Tankerville's swamp orchid. Native to multiple areas in Southeast Asia as well as Australia. Lady Tankerville (AKA Emma Colebrooke or Emma Lady Tankerville) was a British heiress, art patron and botanist. Emma's collection of botanical illustrations are held at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. This plant was named in her honor by Sir Joseph Banks as it was the first tropical orchid to flower in England and in her greenhouse. We have included a photo of Emma and her two children Ann and Carla painted by David Gardner as well as a painting by Canaleto of Walton Bridge and Walton House on the hill. This is where her greenhouses were.

Phaius tankervilleae was once quite available to orchid collectors but due to neglect it is not as common as it used to be. If you can find it at all it is usually available as a small seedling. It is a fantastic plant in our view as it is easy to grow and can be planted in bark, New Zealand sphagnum moss or a sterile peat mix with perlite added for extra drainage. It is a intermediate to warm grower and likes moisture at the roots. It only needs to become slightly damp at the roots between watering. The plants are 3-4 feet tall with wide leaves. The flower spikes are equally tall or taller and we have seen them at nearly 5 feet in height. The plants offered are divisions from our collection. These are mature, large, specimen size plants that take decades to grow to this size from seed.