Cockleshell orchid
Prosthechea cochleata
Also called Prosthechea, Clamshell orchid and Black orchid
Houseplant · OrchidsIT FLOWERS UPSIDE DOWN — the lip sits at the TOP instead of the bottom, which is why it looks like a shell with tentacles hanging below. It is the national flower of Belize and one of the easiest orchids there is.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Once a weekSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 0.5 m tall · 0.4 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Central America and the Caribbean
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-22. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.