# Orchids of summer



## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 22, 2008)

Summer's cranking right now and there is little relief in sight. The first possibility of cooler weather is sometime mid September - until then it is life in the oven. One bit of joy comes from the summer flowering native orchids. Here is a sampling of them in my garden.

_Gastrochilus japonicus_ - this small epiphyte is an easy clumping species. The flowers hang directly toward the earth, so this shot was taken with the plant upside down. Note the seed pods from last year that have yet to open!







_Sedirea japonica alba_ - this Phal relative is pretty easy, but given to rots if kept too wet. The alba form doesn't seem to be more difficult than the normal plant to grow or flower.






_Ponerorchis graminifolia_ - a small terrestrial species that is fairly easy to grow and bloom. This one is the original plant I bought 4 years ago. It is still doing well.






Finally, a near weedy species, the purple flowered _Spiranthes, S. sinensis_. This plant grows anywhere there is sun - along rice patties, roadsides, and lawns. Seedlings keep showing up in my other orchid pots as well. A lovely, easy species.






Hope you enjoyed these. Fuukiran shots to follow.

Tom


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## ohio-guy (Jul 22, 2008)

Beauties. Are the last 2 cold hardy? I like the way the last one's flowers spiral up the stem.


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## Heather (Jul 22, 2008)

Oooh, yay! Fuukiran!!! I mean...um, nice! I really want to try some Ponerorchis graminifolia one of these days.


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## fbrem (Jul 22, 2008)

That _Ponerorchis_ is mind blowing, thanks for sharing


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## goldenrose (Jul 22, 2008)

:clap::clap:All are nice, how could you pick just one?!


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## NYEric (Jul 22, 2008)

Great photos thanx for sharing.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 22, 2008)

ohio-guy said:


> Beauties. Are the last 2 cold hardy? I like the way the last one's flowers spiral up the stem.



Both the Spiranthes and Ponerorchis should be cold hardy to US cold hardiness zone 7. The Spiranthes is winter green and flowers in the summer, so the leaves shouldn't be too challenged by frost, snow, etc. The Ponerochis is dormant in winter, but requires a long, warm season (May through October) to grow and flower well.


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## Elena (Jul 22, 2008)

Lovely! I don't think I've ever seen an alba Sedirea japonica, it's a cutie.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 22, 2008)

Elena said:


> Lovely! I don't think I've ever seen an alba Sedirea japonica....


Me either. Now I'll have to watch for that one!!!
Lovely photos, Tom.


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## paphioboy (Jul 22, 2008)

I love the Ponerorchis most...   All the others are nice too...


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## kentuckiense (Jul 22, 2008)

Thanks Tom. I'd kill for those Spiranthes.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 23, 2008)

SlipperFan said:


> Me either. Now I'll have to watch for that one!!!
> Lovely photos, Tom.



Dot and Elena, give Jason Fischer a call - he regularly imports from Japan and these are actually quite common and not expensive. What's even cooler about them is that the leaves are much lighter in color as well. The emerging growth is in fact lemony-green fading to light green. Very nice!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 23, 2008)

Oops, did a double post. Well, here's another summer bloomer, _Eria japonica_:


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## SlipperFan (Jul 23, 2008)

That's really sweet!

Thanks for the info, Tom. I'll do that.
BTW, I have a flask of Gastrochilus matsuran, thanks to you!!! Tiny, cute little plants in a very small flask -- and they are just about ready to be taken out of flask.


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## streetmorrisart (Jul 23, 2008)

All are spectacular--wow...very fine growing of things one rarely gets to see. Thanks!


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