Orchids of summer

[KyushuCalanthe]

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

 

[ohio-guy]

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

 

[Heather]

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

 

[fbrem]

That Ponerorchis is mind blowing, thanks for sharing

 

[goldenrose]

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

 

[NYEric]

Great photos thanx for sharing.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

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.

 

[Elena]

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

 

[SlipperFan]

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.

 

[paphioboy]

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

 

[kentuckiense]

Thanks Tom. I'd kill for those Spiranthes.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

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!

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Oops, did a double post. Well, here's another summer bloomer, Eria japonica:

 

[SlipperFan]

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.

 

[streetmorrisart]

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