Aerangis biloba (Lindl.) Schltr.
Two-lobed Aerangis, The Two-lobed Aerangis
Aerangis biloba is a compact, hot-to-warm growing epiphytic orchid from the humid forests and woodland edges of West and Central Africa — from Senegal east to Cameroon and Gabon — where it grows on the bark of trees including cultivated coffee and cocoa at elevations up to 700 m. The plant forms a short monopodial stem carrying 4–12 obovate, leathery, dull dark-green leaves up to 18 cm long, each distinctively notched at the tip into two rounded lobes (hence the name biloba). From spring through summer it sends out pendant to arching racemes 10–40 cm long bearing 2–20 star-shaped, waxy white flowers roughly 2–4 cm across with a slender pinkish spur 5–7.5 cm long; the blooms release a gardenia-to-lily fragrance that intensifies in the evening. It thrives in high humidity (80–85%), warm temperatures (17–31 °C), bright filtered light, and does best mounted on cork or wood where its silvery roots can dry slightly between mistings — making it one of the most rewarding Aerangis species for tropical terrariums and vivariums.
Build a terrarium with this plant
Photo by andreaudzungwa·CC BY-NC 4.0
Care
Light
Humidity
Temperature
Soil
Moisture
Appearance
Growth habit
Leaf shape
Leaf texture
Distribution
Propagation
References
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POWO (Kew) — Aerangis biloba (Lindl.) Schltr. (accepted name, authority, family Orchidaceae; native range West Tropical Africa to Gabon; epiphytic subshrub; seasonally dry tropical biome; 7 synonyms including Angraecum bilobum Lindl., Angorkis biloba (Lindl.) Kuntze, Rhaphidorhynchus bilobus (Lindl.) Finet, Aerangis campyloplectron (Rchb.f.) Garay; distribution: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo)
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:614977-1 - 2
GBIF — Aerangis biloba (Lindl.) Schltr. species page (taxonomy: Orchidaceae; GBIF ID 2836957; distribution cross-reference)
https://www.gbif.org/species/2836957 - 3
Wikipedia — Aerangis biloba (distribution: West Africa — Benin, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon; epiphytic orchid)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerangis_biloba - 4
IOSPE (orchidspecies.com) — Aerangis biloba [Lindley] Schlechter 1915 (distribution: tropical western and central Africa, forests/woodland/thickets, cultivated on coffee and cocoa to 700 m; stem to 20 cm; leaves 4–12, obovate, unequally bilobed apically, fleshy/leathery, dull green with black spots; raceme pendant or arching 10–40 cm, 2–20 flowers; flowers waxy, fragrant, white with pinkish spur; synonyms include Aerangis campyloplectron and Angraecum apiculatum)
https://www.orchidspecies.com/aebilobax.htm - 5
AOS (American Orchid Society) — Aerangis biloba (small-sized, hot to warm growing epiphytic species; spring and summer bloomer; waxy fragrant flowers; white with pinkish spur; gardenia/lily scent at evening; mount on cork or treefern or grow in small bark basket; water daily in warm months; humidity 80–85% spring–autumn, 70–75% winter; medium-bright filtered light; temperature day 26–31 °C, night 17–20 °C)
https://www.orchids.org/articles/aerangis-biloba - 6
Travaldo's Blog — Aerangis biloba care and culture (day temps 26–31 °C, night 17–20 °C; humidity 80–85% late spring–autumn, 70–75% winter; light 15,000–23,000 lux filtered, no direct sun; mount on bark or hang in small basket with loose well-drained substrate; water daily in hot months, every 3 days when cooler; fertilise weekly; thermophilic/hot-to-warm classification)
https://travaldo.blogspot.com/2017/12/aerangis-biloba-care-and-cluture.html - 7
Aquasabi — Aerangis biloba (plant size ~10 cm; leaves 5–12 cm × 3 cm wide, divided at tip into two round lobes; flowers star-shaped waxy white ~2.5 cm, ~10–12 per inflorescence, gardenia/lily scent; summer to autumn blooming; temperature 18–28 °C day; epiphyte on wood/cork; sensitive roots — avoid excessive moisture; ideal for tropical terrariums; common name: The Two-lobed Aerangis)
https://www.aquasabi.com/Aerangis-biloba - 8
Araflora — Aerangis biloba (temperature day 20–30 °C, night 15–20 °C; medium light, no direct sun; dry between waterings; terrarium suited; mounting with sphagnum or bark; fertilise every 15 days with dilute high-nitrogen fertiliser in growing season)
https://www.araflora.com/product/orchid-aerangis-biloba/ - 9
Orchid Bliss — 8 Best Orchids for Terrariums (Aerangis listed as one of the best miniature orchids for closed terrariums; high-humidity loving; palm-sized plant; filtered light)
https://orchidbliss.com/8-best-orchids-for-terrariums/ - 10
Orchid Bliss — 13 Best Orchids for Vivariums (Aerangis recommended for vivarium use; compact size; high humidity requirements align with vivarium conditions)
https://orchidbliss.com/13-best-orchids-for-vivariums/ - 11
Bloomify / Orchid Gene — Aerangis biloba (The Two-lobed Aerangis; wood mounted; common name confirmed)
https://www.orchidgene.com/product-page/aerangis-biloba-the-two-lobed-aerangis-wood-mounted - 12
ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Phalaenopsis Orchid (Orchidaceae confirmed non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses; Aerangis biloba not individually listed but orchids broadly non-toxic within the family)
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/phalaenopsis-orchid