# Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)



## silence882 (May 21, 2013)

I ran across a patch of these while looking for Cyp. acaule in a park here in Gaithersburg, MD, just north of DC. Most were pretty small, but there were a good number of them. 





Didn't actually manage to find any cyps.

--Stephen


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## Leo Schordje (May 21, 2013)

This is a pretty little orchid. I am surprised there hasn't been more interest in bringing these into cultivation. They are really sweet especially when you have a whole colony of them in bloom. I don't see them in many places around here. They are not endangered, but you don't see them everywhere either. Nice to see one, thanks for the picture.


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## cnycharles (May 21, 2013)

I tried to find someone who would propagate them from seed, or could point me to someone who knew how to, and nobody knew how to grow them. I have access to light colors, redder colors and white (and would like to make lots of seedlings)


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## NYEric (May 21, 2013)

Thanks Stephen. Charles, if you can legally harvest the pods you should at least try to send some to Troy Meyers.


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## SlipperFan (May 21, 2013)

Sweet.


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 23, 2013)

cnycharles said:


> I tried to find someone who would propagate them from seed, or could point me to someone who knew how to, and nobody knew how to grow them. I have access to light colors, redder colors and white (and would like to make lots of seedlings)



Ron Burch might be willing to try them. He's pretty busy, but I'd give him a try.


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## Ozpaph (May 23, 2013)

i can see they would look good en-mass.


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## cnycharles (May 24, 2013)

they can make nice clumps where the deer aren't around to chew them down


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## Dido (May 25, 2013)

they do well from seed, mine will not bloom this year I think


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## cnycharles (May 25, 2013)

Dido said:


> they do well from seed, mine will not bloom this year I think



how do you sow the seed?


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## Dido (May 26, 2013)

was not me but as normal cyps my friend did it. 

From 5 seedling I could establish 2 but one never flowered till today, no idea why


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## cnycharles (May 26, 2013)

if your friend could pass along the recipe they use, that would be very helpful. I've heard from people who hadn't had success trying to propagate it from seed


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## The Orchid Boy (May 30, 2013)

Nice! We have some in a small forest here.


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## Jim734 (May 30, 2013)

Dr. Nevins Aspinwall
(http://www.cypripediums.com/Ordering of Orchids.html) lists it on his website as being for sale. The ordering date has passed for this year. I emailed him about a week prior to April 15 about making some purchases but never got a response. Maybe I need to try earlier in the year.


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## cnycharles (May 31, 2013)

Thanks. Quite a list he has!


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## Linus_Cello (May 31, 2013)

Thanks for the link to Dr. Aspinwall! Will try to order some non-cyps from him next year or this fall.


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## PaphMadMan (Jun 14, 2013)

I'm slow getting around to posting on this thread, but things have been busy.

I had a chance to talk to my favorite native orchid expert, Scott Weber of Bluestem Farm in Baraboo, Wisconsin; a native plants / ecological restoration nursery and organic farm. Orchids are his personal favorites but not a large part of his business. He just had his first success with Galearis spectabilis, a single seedling transferred to replate flask. He doesn't think it is really a difficult species, but there are a couple complications. He probably won't try again soon since he needs to concentrate on more profitable things, but he had some suggestions.

Seed viability seems to be limited from natural pollination, so hand pollinate to get the best chance, and you can check for viable seed with a microscope. And he recommends out-crossing between populations when possible.

He would suggest any germination and replate media suitable for other North American terrestrial orchids, and he emphasized low salts for germination. I wouldn't ask him for his actual media recipes, but I know he likes to use amino acids and micro-nutrients from human nutritional supplements. 

He thinks there may be an extended or complex seed dormancy, so don't give up on a seed flask as long as it doesn't get contaminated or dry out, years if necessary. 

My comment... Of course, there are things you can try to overcome dormancy; green pod seed, chilling, hormones, etc.


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