Lion's Angraecum (Lion Orchid) care

Light

Bright but filtered. Lion's Angraecum burns within days in unfiltered south-facing summer sun, and stops growing within months in deep shade. Needs bright filtered light — a high-light windowsill shaded from harsh afternoon sun. Leaves should be a healthy pale to mid-green; very dark leaves indicate insufficient light and will reduce flowering. If you only have a south window, set the plant back 1.5 m or hang a sheer curtain — both knock the intensity down into the right range.

Watering

Watering lion's angraecum: when roots are silvery and the medium approaches dryness, roughly every 7-10 days in summer. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Water thoroughly during the growing season. Provide a distinct drier rest from late autumn through winter, reducing watering to every 2-3 weeks. This dry-cool rest is critical for flower initiation.

Soil and pot

Lion's Angraecum grows best in mounted on cork bark or in coarse bark with charcoal. Mounting on cork or tree-fern slab best replicates its natural epiphytic habitat in Madagascar. In pots, use a very open bark mix with good drainage. Small pots are preferred; overpotting causes root problems. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Lion's Angraecum sits happiest at around 50-70% humidity and 13-28°C (55-82°F). Moderate humidity suits this species well. During the winter dry rest, slightly lower humidity is tolerated. Maintain good air movement at all times to prevent fungal rot. If you keep the room above 13 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed lion's angraecum sparingly. Feed with a dilute balanced orchid fertiliser at quarter strength every 2 weeks during spring and summer. Halt fertilising from late autumn through winter during the dry rest. Resume feeding in spring as new growth appears. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on lion's angraecum in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Failure to flower — This species absolutely requires a cooler, drier winter rest to set flower spikes. Without it, plants remain vegetative.
• Root rot from winter over-watering — Continuing summer watering frequency in winter quickly kills roots. Reduce dramatically once temperatures drop.
• Scale insects — Inspect the succulent fan-shaped leaves regularly. Treat with alcohol swabs and follow with neem oil or a systemic insecticide.
• Leaf dehydration — Leaves may wrinkle slightly during the dry winter rest — this is normal. Persistent wrinkling in summer signals a watering problem.
• Bud blast — Developing buds drop due to sudden temperature changes or ethylene exposure. Keep away from ripening fruit and draughts.

Companion plants

Lion's Angraecum pairs well with Aerangis, Jumellea, Angraecum sesquipedale, and Cynorkis. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Monopodial growth means division is not practical. Occasional basal shoots or keikis can be detached once they have 3-4 roots of their own. Seed propagation requires sterile flask conditions and specialist facilities. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Lion's Angraecum is pet-safe. Not individually listed by the ASPCA; however, the Orchidaceae family is broadly considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, and Angraecum leonis belongs to this family. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Lion's Angraecum deep-dive guides

Every aspect of lion's angraecum care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common lion's angraecum problems & fixes
• Lion's Angraecum watering schedule
• Lion's Angraecum light requirements
• Best soil mix for lion's angraecum
• Lion's Angraecum fertilizing guide
• When to repot lion's angraecum
• How to propagate lion's angraecum
• How to prune lion's angraecum
• What's eating my lion's angraecum?
• Lion's Angraecum growth rate & size
• Lion's Angraecum cold hardiness
• Lion's Angraecum temperature & humidity
• Is lion's angraecum toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is lion's angraecum toxic to cats?
• Is lion's angraecum toxic to dogs?
• All 14 Angraecum varieties

Featured in these plant shortlists

Lion's Angraecum qualifies for 12 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
• Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
• Best succulents for beginners — The easiest succulents and cacti to keep alive — selected by documented growth habit, each with the light and watering it actually wants.
• Best pet-safe succulents — Succulents the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — low-water greenery that is also safe around a curious pet.
• Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Best small pet-safe plants — Compact, tabletop houseplants that are also ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe greenery for a desk or shelf.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Lion's Angraecum is also commonly called Lion Orchid or Comet Orchid relative.

• Trim Greenhood care — light, water and common problems
• Pink Fingers Orchid care — light, water and common problems
• Cowslip Orchid care — light, water and common problems
• All 11687 plant care guides in the Growli library