Some Australian terrestrials

[emydura]

I have just started growing Australian terrestrial orchids. Here are a couple of my early winter flowering plants.


Mallee Long Tongue Shell Orchid (Diplodium dolichochilum) - this one seems to multiply quite rapidly. It went from 15 tubers to 60 tubers in one year. Interestingly, the tubers produce either a growth or a flowering spike. You can see in the third photo where the spike comes straight out of the soil, not a plant. Out of the 60 tubers I only got 4 spikes.

Bristly Helmet Orchid (Corybas hispidus) - you get these relatively large flowers on a single leaf. This group needs a lot of humidity to develop the flowers so I placed the pot in a small glass container. Otherwise the flower buds will blast. This species multiplies very fast.

 

[NYEric]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Too bad we have a hard time getting these and Thelymitras here.

 

[chris20]

Very cool!

 

[Ozpaph]

well grown, David.

 

[cnycharles]

Cool


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[KyushuCalanthe]

I grew the Corybas, but never managed to keep it going past two seasons Lovely plants!

 

[Don I]

Neat.
Don

 

[JeanLux]

Very interesting plants !!!! Jean

 

[naoki]

Very cool plants, and beautiful photos, David!

 

[emydura]

Pterostylis curta. Probably the easiest of the Australian terrestrials to grow.

 

[NYEric]

Nice. Thanks for sharing. Easy to grow but not to flower. Any tips?

 

[Ozpaph]

lovely in full bloom

 

[emydura]

Nice. Thanks for sharing. Easy to grow but not to flower. Any tips?

I'm don't think P. curta is too hard to flower. I have a few clones and they are all flowering at the moment. Some of the other Australian terrestrials I have are much more difficult to flower or flower more sparsely.

I grow mine outside all year round (under a pergola). In winter the temperature gets below freezing on occasions. If you grow them to too shady they may not flower as well either. Do you grow them inside or outside?

 

[abax]

Australia always has interesting and unique flora and fauna. Must be a fascinating place to live.

 

[cnycharles]

Dave m down in Georgia leaves them outside until a hard freeze is forecast and then moves them to his greenhouse. His get lots of light. I started to make a post about terrestrials but was at work and didnt finish. I put mine on the front entry where they got some good rain and chills and were busting out. Then a squirrel came by and disturbed some of the pots I have plastic hardware cloth screening over the top now to keep them out


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[Ozpaph]

Australia always has interesting and unique flora and fauna. Must be a fascinating place to live.

In many ways, not that different to the USA.................just a lot more of the "10 most venomous creatures" on Earth.....LOL

 

[Guldal]

Beauties from downunder - and very interesting to see!

The only aussie in my collection, a remnant from before my paph-tunnel-vision struck hard, is Sarchochilus fitztgeraldii....it's growing like a madman, out of the quite big pot...but I can't get it to bloom...dammit!

Any good advice on that one?

Kind regards,
Jens, DK

 

[emydura]

Beauties from downunder - and very interesting to see!

The only aussie in my collection, a remnant from before my paph-tunnel-vision struck hard, is Sarchochilus fitztgeraldii....it's growing like a madman, out of the quite big pot...but I can't get it to bloom...dammit!

Any good advice on that one?

Kind regards,
Jens, DK

I'm not sure I can help much Jens as I have the same problem with Sarcs. They are fantastic orchids. Some of the modern hybrids are just incredible, especially when you see specimen plants in flower. I grow mine in the same glasshouse as my Paphs which I think is the problem. I think it is too warm and the plants don't get enough light. I think they need a bit of a chill to flower well. I am planning to build a cool house shortly where I can move my Sarcs too. I will find out then.

 

[emydura]

King Greenhood - Pterostylis baptistii

Here is Australia's biggest greenhood Pterostylis baptistii. You can see the relative size in the third photo in comparison with one of my P. curta. My one isn't actually that big. There was one at our show that was on spikes almost twice as tall as mine and ended up getting an AM award.

I am interested whether this species is commonly available outside of Australia. It is certainly worth growing if you can get it. Pretty easy to grow and fast to multiply.


King Greenhood - Pterostylis baptistii

 

[Dandrobium]

Great pics David! I just love these, wish they were available here. Sadly, I've not seen any Canadian vendors ever offer them.