Terrestrial orchids 2024

[Anders]

Two Ophrys flowering now. Both from seeds from a kind forumist - thanks Steve G.

Anders

[aldo]

Cynorkis angustipetala, Ridl. 1885 ( Kew )

[mellifera]

Thank you for your photos.
Great homepage Anders. I like it very much!
Kind regards,
Patrick

[FrazerHenderson]

Bird's Nest Orchid taken in Albania

[Anders]

Dactylorhiza Foliorella and  Cypripedium Ulla Silkens are two superplants that produce more shoots every year. Very easy if they get enough water.

Anders

[Anders]

Fotos of Epipactis from the last three weeks. They like the rainy summer.

[Anders]

More Epipactis...

[ashley]

Lovely epipactis Anders
What conditions do you find suit them best in the garden?

[Anders]

Hi Ashley. They are all easy to grow, full sun or semi-shade and plenty of water, except helleborine and atrorubens, they prefer drier conditions. My soil is a silty loam, but I don't think soil type matters, I have seen nicely grown plants in both sandy soil and peat. Palustris has shallow roots and needs some sort of soil cover to keep the soil moist and cool, I use wood chips. Veratrifolia is a bit frost-sensitive and needs winter mulching. I don't recommend gigantea, it is very weedy and has the potential to become an invasive species in nature, its hybrid Catalina is almost as bad.

Anders

[ashley]

Thanks Anders. That's really helpful 🙂

[ian mcdonald]

Seen today, Epipactis helleborine and E. atrorubens.

[Anders]

Last week, I visited an orchid friend who propagates some terrestrials with the cardboard method. Anacamptis morio seeds were harvested when mature, stored dry for a couple of weeks, sown early July, and now they are small plants with leaves and roots after only 3.5 months. That is impressive. I have also attached a picture of protocorms of a slower growing species - unfortunately he didn't label the box.

Anders