# Is this even remotely possible?



## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 15, 2010)

Interesting offer on Ebay......http://cgi.ebay.com/Corallorhiza-ma...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1e5ae2fea9
Is it remotely conceivable to grow? I have a patch of oak woods at my LI place (where I grow C. acaule). I could conceive of distributing the seed over the richer, more humusy patches. The price is certainly reasonable.....and its only seed, not a collected plant. Another source is this...http://cgi.ebay.com/SPOTTED-CORAL-R...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518efde37c
Would it be possible to just sow it in my woods and hope for the best? Thanks....


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## cnycharles (Mar 15, 2010)

I've never heard of anyone growing corallorhiza from seed, or even if the seed would be viable. Don't know if they legally collected the seed though if it was from their property or someone gave them permission on their land then it would be legal. Maybe there is some online info where someone has tried to propagate them, so that you could tell if just spreading the seed would work.

.. that said, since it's only a buck, it probably wouldn't hurt anything to try


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## kentuckiense (Mar 15, 2010)

It is _possible_ that there could be germination and successful growth. However, when you're purchasing 20 (or 100) seeds, I'd guess your chances are absurdly small.


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## Lanmark (Mar 16, 2010)

I don't know how well this species would grow in Queens. Twenty seeds isn't a lot to go on. I'd feel better if it were 500 seeds or more. Then again, maybe you would be that one lucky person who managed to get something growing from 20 orchid seeds. This particular species is uber cool imho!


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## parvi_17 (Mar 16, 2010)

I agree with the above - I would try, but I would be pleasantly surprised if it worked!


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## NYEric (Mar 16, 2010)

Would man have ever reached the moon if we stopped to wonder instead of forging ahead!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Mar 16, 2010)

NYEric said:


> Would man have ever reached the moon if we stopped to wonder instead of forging ahead!



Actually, no men (or women) have ever walked on the moon. Haven't you kept up with the conspiracy theory vids on Youtube? Get with it man!

Eric, yes, it is possible provided of course that the necessary fungi are at that site. While I'm not even close to an expert on this, I do know that Corallorhiza species have been documented to "swap" fungal partners, or simply put their relationship is not species specific. It is a complicated topic that has only begun to be researched in any depth. Here's a link to a few short articles on the subject of mycorrhiza symbiosis: Botanical Electronic News. See the 3rd article on "Orchids as Cheaters". Plenty more can be found on the net in pdfs, etc.

C. maculata is a widespread and common species throughout the forested temperate areas of North America (and far from being endangered). Given its ranging distribution, I quite sure it has many fungal partners, so perhaps some exist at your L.I. home (east end near the pine barrens, true?). The best method for sowing seed into the wild is by adding them to water with a bit of detergent as a sticking agent and spraying this via any watering can to the desired spot. This method has been successfully used to reintroduce Ophrys species back into appropriate habitats where they had been collected out. With 20 seeds though, that may not be practical.

At a buck a pop, its worth a shot, but I wonder how the guy counts and then packages them!


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## nikv (Mar 16, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Actually, no men (or women) have ever walked on the moon. Haven't you kept up with the conspiracy theory vids on Youtube? Get with it man!


NYEric obviously never saw the movie _Capricorn One_. oke:


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## Lanmark (Mar 16, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Eric, yes, it is possible provided of course that the necessary fungi are at that site. While I'm not even close to an expert on this, I do know that Corallorhiza species have been documented to "swap" fungal partners, or simply put their relationship is not species specific. It is a complicated topic that has only begun to be researched in any depth. Here's a link to a few short articles on the subject of mycorrhiza symbiosis: Botanical Electronic News. See the 3rd article on "Orchids as Cheaters". Plenty more can be found on the net in pdfs, etc.
> 
> C. maculata is a widespread and common species throughout the forested temperate areas of North America (and far from being endangered). Given its ranging distribution, I quite sure it has many fungal partners, so perhaps some exist at your L.I. home (east end near the pine barrens, true?). The best method for sowing seed into the wild is by adding them to water with a bit of detergent as a sticking agent and spraying this via any watering can to the desired spot. This method has been successfully used to reintroduce Ophrys species back into appropriate habitats where they had been collected out. With 20 seeds though, that may not be practical.
> 
> At a buck a pop, its worth a shot, but I wonder how the guy counts and then packages them!



Your optimism is cheering and your advice is good.  I hope to hear someday that Eric has succeeded in establishing a little colony of this species.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 16, 2010)

I might consider it....that 2nd listing is for 300 seed at $3.00...a little more practical. There must be plenty of mycorrhizae...acule is native to the area, although I had to purchase the ones I have..but Indian Pipes pop up everywhere, and I have major mushrooms of all types constantly popping up. Definitely not a species for my Queens garden! Wouldn't detergent damage the seeds?


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## KyushuCalanthe (Mar 16, 2010)

Eric Muehlbauer said:


> I might consider it....that 2nd listing is for 300 seed at $3.00...a little more practical. There must be plenty of mycorrhizae...acule is native to the area, although I had to purchase the ones I have..but Indian Pipes pop up everywhere, and I have major mushrooms of all types constantly popping up. Definitely not a species for my Queens garden! Wouldn't detergent damage the seeds?



No doubt there are plenty of fungus about! Presence of other orchids and saprophytes is promising though other factors could influence success. C. maculata prefers moist sites with deep humusy-loams, not sand based substrates from what I've observed. A touch of detergent shouldn't be a problem, something like a few drops of detergent to a gallon of water should be enough. 300 seeds sounds like better odds!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 17, 2010)

Hmm...my woods have a dense humusy layer about 1- 2" thick, under which is basically acidic sand.


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## NYEric (Mar 20, 2010)

Eric, I got some tipularia discolor tubers, do you want a couple?


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 20, 2010)

I already have one in the fridge...and I ordered a few more on Ebay.


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## NYEric (Mar 20, 2010)

When are you going to plant them?


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 21, 2010)

At my LI place.....even if the soil were OK here in Queens, the squirrels would just dig them up as soon as they are planted......


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## NYEric (Mar 22, 2010)

You need to make the armored covers like I made!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 22, 2010)

I do put wire mesh over my cyps the first fall that I plant them. The squirrels only seem to dig up newly planted things.


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