Deleting this collection CANNOT be undone. It produces small, cattleya-like, pinkish-purple flowers, 2 in. Mix in peat and leaf mold to the soil. Up to fourteen flowers per shoot. Family: Orchidaceae. Half hardy perennial. Blooming for about 4-6 weeks in mid to late spring, the flowers open from the bottom of the raceme and progress to the top. You may also enjoy the following growing guides: How to grow Orchis and Martynia plants. Orchid-like. Growing Region: Zones 9 to 10. For a cheerful displayl! Germination may take up to a whole year, but as little as a month. Green seedheads follow the blooms, but gradually turn brown as they mature. Blooms mid to late spring. Orchid seeds should be placed on damp blotting paper in a dish. Spacing 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm). They should be transplanted at a distance of 20 to 25 cm in well drained peat rich soil in a shaded area of the garden. Erect racemes. Bletilla striata. Transplant outdoors following the last frost. Bletilla striata, commonly called Chinese ground orchid, is a terrestrial orchid which produces small, cattleya-like, pinkish-purple flowers (to 1.5” long) in 3-7 flowered racemes atop naked scapes typically rising to 18” tall. With sufficient mulching, these can be cold hardy orchids down to USDA zones 5-6. Bletilla Growing and Care Guide. This perennial plant grows on a tuberous rhizome and can be divided as the clump grows larger. If you enjoy the information on this site, then you'll love my book: The Gardener's HQ Plant Growing Guide. Unlike many orchids, award-winning Bletilla striata is an easy-to-care-for hardy terrestrial orchid. To be planted in spring, 4 in. Unlike many orchids, it is an easy-to-care-for hardy terrestrial orchid that grows well in gardens in most temperate regions of the world. Join now and start creating your dream garden! Late winter to early spring. Requirements: Partial and full shade. Synonymous with Bletilla hyacinthina.Genus name honors Luis Blet, a Spanish apothecary who had a botanic garden in Algeciras towards the end of the 18th century.Specific epithet means striped. Life Cycle: Hardy perennial. To create additional collections, you must be a paid member of our site. Bletilla striata, commonly called Chinese ground orchid, is a terrestrial orchid which produces small, cattleya-like, pinkish-purple flowers (to 1.5” long) in 3-7 flowered racemes atop naked scapes typically rising to 18” tall. Cut back to the ground in autumn. Divide in early spring. Provide support. In zones 6 to 7 provide a moderate mulch made from straw or leaves. The author’s garden showing various color forms of Bletilla striata growing in one patch. To zone 5 with a lot of loving care. Create spectacular spring borders like this one. The Bletilla striata is known as the Chinese ground orchid or hardy orchid. Some afternoon shade is essential in hot St. Louis summers. GardenersHQ © 2005-2020 Dean Ravenscroft / Thank you for visiting my gardening site; 2020 - 11 - 11 : Privacy Policy. Transplant emerging seedlings to pots. Regular feed. Best grown in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil in part shade. The Garden wouldn't be the Garden without our Members, Donors and Volunteers. An alternative is to grow Bletilla in containers and bring them indoors for the winter. Propagate: clumps can be divided once flowering has finished. Growing Bletilla (Hardy Chinese Ground Orchid) Latin Name Pronunciation: bleh-till'-ah. Chinese Ground Orchid. Unlike many orchids, award-winning Bletilla striata is an easy-to-care-for hardy terrestrial orchid. */. Rising artfully above the foliage, each exotic-looking flower has five spreading petals with an undulating, furrowed lower lip. Orchids bloom in spring and resemble corsage orchids. In zone 5 provide a heavy mulch. Flower Details: Purple, white, yellow. It is not very easy to grow Bletilla from seeds indoors, but certainly possible. Flowers: Early summer. Though there are many types of orchid Bletilla flowers in the early spring with white or purple flowers. Orchids can then be transplanted outside after the last frost of spring. Once seeds germinate they should be transferred to pots with moist soil and kept in light at about 20 degrees Celsius. Each pseudobulb produces 3-5 upright, pleated, sword-shaped, pale green leaves which add interest and distinction to the landscape from early spring until the frost cuts them down. apart (10 cm) and 2-3 in. This beauty will naturalize and spread modestly by creeping rhizomes and by seed dispersal in ideal growing conditions. No serious insect or disease problems. Sow Outside: Seeds: Surface. The flowers, which can number up to 10 or more per stalk, have a very classical orchid shape, something like a Cattleya, and are about 6 cm across. Native: Oriental. As attractive in pots and containers as it is in beds and borders. Available for Kindle (MOBI), iPad (ePub) and as a PDF. Chinese Ground Orchid. Hardy Orchid. They are beautiful plants and should be grown where they can be seen, such as by shaded paths or even in barrels. Miscellaneous: Inflorescent shoots are annual in nature. The stem of the orchid is typically 30 to 50 cm in height, and Bletilla has leaves that are lance shaped. It produces small, cattleya-like, pinkish-purple flowers, 2 in. Flowers of hardy orchid plants range in shades of white, pink, purple and red. Plants should then be cut back to the ground following flowering. Orchids can be grown from either seed or root stocks, if growing Bletilla outdoors then seeds should be sown in the surface from early spring on to the middle of summer. To use the website as intended please A deciduous terrestrial Orchid for woodland gardens, with blossoms that resemble little Cattleyas opening in June and July. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas. The clusters of long-lasting flowers on slender stems and the deeply veined, Iris-like leaves arise from tuber-shaped rootstocks (corm-like pseudobulbs). Flowers come in purple, white, pink and amethyst red. Plant corm-like pseudobulbs to 4” deep in spring. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources. high (30-45 cm) and 6-12 in. Fairly easy to replicate and requiring low care, this... Use our interactive toolsto design your dream garden. Common Names: Orchid. More plants can be created by dividing large clumps of plants after they have flowered. Only plants will be removed from the collection. Green. Height: 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm). While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. Bletilla is a half hardy perennial, and is commonly referred to as the orchid. wide (15-30 cm). Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device. Will naturalize over time in optimum growing conditions by short rhizomes. 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