Coelogyne cristata is an epiphytic orchid that comes from cool, moist areas of the eastern Himalayas and Vietnam. It blooms every spring, before the snow begins to melt. Its genus name Coelogyne originates from two Greek words, (hollow) and (woman), because of the orchid's pistil. Cristata takes its species name from , the Latin word for comb, because of the look of the flower's lip.