Bletilla striata
Hardy Orchid
Sword shaped leaves in the spring followed by the flowering stems in the summer. They come in a range of colours and flowers. Easy to grow.
Contributed by @cnash
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Partial shade
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Occasional watering
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Not Frost hardy
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Moist and free draining
Common name
Hardy Orchid
Latin name
Bletilla striata
type
Orchid
family
Orchidaceae
ph
5.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
full grown dimensions
Bletilla striata
Sword shaped leaves in the spring followed by the flowering stems in the summer. They come in a range of colours and flowers. Easy to grow.
Planting
From Early Spring TO Mid Spring
Plant in humus rich soil that is light, if the soil is heavy, clay like, dig a hole and add pebbles or like, to and mix with soil and compost. They do well in containers but do not like being wet.
Flowering Season
From Early Summer TO Late Summer
They come in a range of colours and flowers.
Flowering
From Early Spring TO Late Winter
Many orchids do not have a flowering season and flowers may be produced at any time if the right conditions are being met. Terrestrial orchids grown outdoors will mostly flower in the summer months. Flowers can last for several months.
Planting young plants
From Early Autumn TO Late Autumn
Sometimes small plantlets (keiki) appear from the nodes on the flower stems. Detach the plantlets when they have developed several good roots and pot them up in orchid compost. Water them sparingly at first, but mist them daily. Always use a proprietary orchid compost. Ensure good light levels in winter, as these are essential to encourage flowering. An east- or west-facing window would be ideal. Move to a shadier spot in summer and protect from direct sunshine. When planting terrestrial orchids outdoors, plant in semi-shade, no direct sun at midday. A very suitable place would also be on the north side of a building. Most orchids are woodland plants and therefore prefer cool sites, which do not become too dry and hot during summer. Places where ferns thrive are also suitable for. Don’t plant your orchids close to trees or big shrubs because their roots are effective competition for water and nutrients! Autumn is the best season for planting. Spread out the roots in the upper 10 cm (4 inches) of the soil, the rhizome 2-3 cm (1 inch) below the surface, shoot buds upwards. Fill in the remaining substrate without compressing it, and water thoroughly.