Ceratostema Kiatana Ceratostema kiatana

A newly described epiphytic shrub from the Andean cloud forests of Ecuador, Ceratostema kiatana was formally published in January 2025 along with several new Ceratostema species in rapid succession as Ecuadorian cloud forest biodiversity continues to be documented. The species is named in honor of Dr. Kiat Tan, past director of the Botanical Garden of Singapore, who contributed significantly to Neotropical botanical research and conservation — a fitting honoree for a genus that represents some of the most extraordinary ornamental plants in the Ericaceae family. Like its genus-mates, it is a pendant epiphytic shrub producing the characteristic tubular, waxy, vividly colored flowers that have made Ceratostema such an object of collector fascination, dangling from arching, leafy stems in a curtain of botanical drama that is unlike almost anything else grown as an indoor or greenhouse plant.

As a cloud forest epiphyte from the eastern Andean slopes, C. kiatana demands conditions that faithfully replicate its cool, perpetually moist, high-humidity native environment. Provide bright indirect light replicating dappled forest canopy — 70-80% shade cloth equivalent — with good airflow at all times to prevent fungal issues in the high humidity required. Cool to intermediate temperatures are essential: 65-77°F during the day with a meaningful nighttime drop to 50-60°F, which in cloud forest epiphytes often triggers or supports flowering. High humidity of 60-80%+ is non-negotiable. Keep the medium consistently moist but never waterlogged in a very open epiphytic substrate — cork bark or tree fern mounting with sphagnum, or a mix of coarse bark and perlite with excellent drainage. Use rainwater or reverse osmosis water to avoid mineral buildup on the sensitive root system. Not known to be toxic to humans or pets.