Terrestrial Orchids

Hi Mark,

I'm just hoping that everything survives the wild temperature swings we have been getting over the past week, and into the week ahead  (+9 c today, -7 tomorrow, and down to a high of -12 c by Thursday).

From what I have read, Cypripedium acaule requires an extremely acidic medium for its root zone. I've heard of folks amending the plant site with masses of pine needles to drop the pH as far as possible. I remember visiting a patch of them as a child, seeing them growing in rock crevices filled with mosses and the like. To be honest, I thought they'd perish from drought, but I guess these spots collected enough rain runoff to keep the plants happy.

Hi Cohan, tanks for the Spiranthes photos. There are a few species locally, though none on our property. I hope to add Spiranthes cernua var. odorata 'Chadd's Ford' to the garden, along with a handful of Dactylorhizas and Cypripediums over the next few years.

This year we seem to be having a Calgary style winter... snow, then chinook-like conditions- snow vanishes overnight, and the cold descends again. It was -18 C overnight- the coldest it has been since we moved here in 2009. There are a couple of plants in the garden which will have a real challenge pulling through this cold. Euphorbia 'Tasmanian Tiger' is out there, braving the cold, and I somehow doubt it will survive (rated zone 7-8).

Who knows what will pull through this winter... but I'm definitely looking forward to adding a few new gems to the place come springtime.

Here are three of the lesser and one of the more flashy orchids growing wild "everywhere" although not at my acreage of course.

Coeloglossum viride, Corallorhiza trifida, Listera cordata and Orchis mascula.

Coeloglossum viride is very variable in colour and the ones I picture are darker than most.
Listera cordata is very common in moist spruce forrests but do not flower every year. Some years they are everywhere other years you don't find any.
Although you don't have Orchis mascula you do have Calypso!

I have some catching up to do with you all.... have been busy clearing driveways for the neighbours.  Mark- I visited Fraser Thimble Farm when I lived in Vancouver. The only reason I'm not still in the poorhouse was because I was a student at the time, and had no place to build the woodland garden of my dreams. They have such an incredible assortment of plants for the conoisseur. I would have loved to walk out of there with at least a dozen Cyps, Dactylorhizas, Calanthes, and a few pots full of Pleiones as well. Was also drooling over the Dicksonia antarctica ferns. They used to carry a hybrid Pleione 'Shantung' that was an amazing peachy golden tone. I can still dream of the day I have a bulb pan full of them. They also regularly offer discounted mature Trilliums for sale- Trillium 'noid', bags of them. Maybe I'll take them up on it one of these years and see if we can come up with who they all are!
Cohan, we have been here since October 2009, and this is the first time we've had extended cold below -10 C. The average winter high is at this time of year is -1 C, and we haven't had anything warmer than -13 for the past week. It will be interesting to see if Acanthus mollis, and Euphorbia 'Tasmanian Tiger' manage to pull through. It wouldn't be all that hard on things if only the snow would stick around.

Trond- Nice photos! I've always liked the genus Orchis, and would love to try growing a few. The other European genus that has caught my attention is Ophrys. I haven't seen many in my travels, but remember reading articles on their pollination biology. One local plant that sadly is not on our acreage is Arethusa bulbosa. This little gem, and a few other of our local plants can be found on Brier Island,  a great spot for plant and bird lovers. Here is a link to a photo page in the Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society showing Arethusa and several other gems:

http://www.nswildflora.ca/specPics/jSwift/Brier1/Brier1.html

You are welcome, Lis!
Coeloglossum viride is rather common both at the coast and in the lower alpine region here although I have only seen the alpine forms. It is not always rocky where it grows as it can be rather boggy too but not very acidic.

All these are growing on rocky outcroppings but with plenty of alkaline water seeping in the cracks. The first picture shows the companion plants.

Cohan, the last plant you show (marked Platanthera) looks like a Coeloglossum. The others do look like Platanthera! Genetically Coeloglossum is close to Dactylorhiza and may be sunk into it.

Hey, orchid junkies,
Did you know you can germinate Bletilla seed on peat pellets?  I started some on agar but had to move them out of test tubes once contamination set in and found the seedlings seemed to take transplanting well.  After reading that Bletilla is one of the few orchid seeds with an endosperm I decided to give the old peat pellet method a whirl.  It's what I do for fern starting.  I take peat pellets, put them in a heat proof clear plastic container (like a plastic shoe box of The Container Store's accessory box), pour boiling water in and slap the lid on.  This more or less sterilizes it and slows down the growth of moss and other undesirable crude.  Once I've sowed my seed under the lights it goes.  I had bletilla germination, little bitty green protocorms, in under a month.  It'll be interesting to see how they do. 

Jan

I have only four different kinds of pleiones but this one, 'Tongariro', is a rapid multiplier and a precocious bloomer.  I usually have plenty of bulbils to spare and would be happy to trade them.

Cockcroft wrote:

I have only four different kinds of pleiones but this one, 'Tongariro', is a rapid multiplier and a precocious bloomer.  I usually have plenty of bulbils to spare and would be happy to trade them.

claire I have tried Pleione a couple time and always manage to kill them!  :P I would love to trade with you for one and any growing tips you might have to pass along.
I've got loads of Cyclamen hed., named Primula auricula, Primula sieboldii and other things.

My biggest tip for growing pleiones (from my experience killing a few!) is that they seem to like cool.  I grow them on the north side of my house in pots on a sand bed.  In the winter they are covered to keep excessive rain off but are outside in the frame, where they have survived many cold spells.  They like to be cool and dry in the winter -- don't store them in the house unless you have some very cold rooms.  I repot every year with fresh mix and I top them with dried spaghum to keep the soil damp because I use a very coarse mix.

Nice! No need of a fungus partner?

Beautiful!
I have tried to establish different orchids in the garden but with little success :-\ 

Very choice, Tony.

Until now, I had always thought that Calypso leaves were sessile.

I have tried both Platanthera, Dactylorhiza and Orchis in the garden and they grow well for a year or two but then disappear. I suspect slugs are to blame - as usual!

Calypso, she is beautiful!

As dactylorhizas are budding up, I get an opportunity to enjoy their leaves.  I started with D. fuchsii, D. maculata, and D. majalis and now have a hybrid swarm with various leaf patterns.  Think of it as promises of things to come!

Bravo Claire! They look healthier and more decorative than the ones I usually find in the nature!

I love the variation that arises in these plants.  Those leopard spots in  P1050903 are really different. 8)

The first of the dactylorhizas are blooming -- hybrids -- D. fuchsii crossed with something, I assume.  Regardless of the parentage, they are a delight to see.

And really nice markings on those, too, Claire.

Much more showy than most, I'd say. :)

Don't think D. sambucina is difficult. It's a native of Norway and although rare it is abundant where it is found. I do see it in the road verges where I drive every spring. It flowers in May here. They seems to like the mulch of sand they get every winter from the road! In Sweden they have the red form too but in Norway we have only the yellow form.