I Spy Dactylorhiza

[Tim Harberd]

Hi There,
    I took half an hour off from this week's Tuseday Night Demo at the Menwith Hill Spy Base (www.caab.org.uk) to look at the dactylorhiza on Willow Carr Corner. The site has a wide range of forms in colour and shape. The shapes vary from strongly tri-lobed (Dact 5) (the local name for these is Crow's Foot Orchid.) To ones where the lobes are hard to see (Dact 3). My favourite of the colour forms is Dact 2.
    Sadly the light was rather poor for photography... but I'll be back on Monday   (July 4th... Independance FROM America demo) and if Dact 2 still looks as good I'll mark it for seed collection.

Tim DH

[Maren]

Hello Tim,

these are very fine Dactylorhizas, and I agree, the hyperchromic form of Dact 2 is well worth of seed harvesting, the others aren't too bad either.

Here is an update on growing Dactylorhiza elata from flask in pure sponge rock. I took a peek at the root situation and can confirm that nice little tubers are forming. Hope they get though the winter and flower next year. 

[Peter Maguire]

Maren, am I correct in thinking that you have small pots with the inorganic matrerial plunged in a larger pot filled with peat (or an eco-friendly substitute  ) to ensure they don't get too dry? That looks like a good solution to provding a steady water supply.

[Maren]

Actually, they are small pots sitting on top of larger pots with nothing growing in them, where I put them because I ran out of space. Nothing so considered as your suggestion, I'm afraid.

[Peter Maguire]

I have a garden like that! 

[daveyp1970]

No 2 is incredible,what a thing that is.

[Tim Harberd]

Hi There,
       It took a while to re-locate Dact 2... but sadly it didn't set any seed this year.

Tim DH

[Maggi Young]

I'm noticing that after what seemed to be a promising start, with swelling pods, the Dacts in the garden have not actually gone on to produce much seed either. Very few pods will have seed 

[Peter Maguire]

Not just Dactyorhiza, there's nothing on any of my Cypripediums this year either. 
Must be something environmental, or what we Brits like to call 'the weather'; dunno what though.

[Tim Harberd]

Hi There,
   I was back up at Menwith Hill for the ‘Fourth of July’ Demo, and took the opportunity to try re-locating the hyperchromic Dact 2 (See above). Couldn’t find it, but spotted quite a few Twayblades! I’ve never seen them on this site before. (I’ve been visiting for over a decade!!)
   I did find another hyperchromic plant, in a different area, which appears to be stronger growing and also should be easier to find come seed time! (Dact A)
   I also found an almost lipless form (Dact B) If I’d see this anywhere else I’m not sure I would have recognised it as a Dact!
   The breadth of forms on this site is quite remarkable. One other thing about the site, after a heavy thunderstorm caught me out (a long way from my waterproofs) I was set upon by the worst plaque of horseflies I’ve encountered this millennium!!

Tim DH 

[Maggi Young]

Thanks for the update, Tim.

[daveyp1970]

WOW There are some of the best Dact i have seen on here,thanks for posting and if you manage to harvest seed,Maren could i go at the bottom of the list:)

[Neil]

Tim, well  worth getting wet for some lovely photos there.  Please would you put me on the list for some seed from that hyperchromic one if you manage to get some.

[Tim Harberd]

Add to the collection at this site (see above) a pure white form.

Easily the most interesting Dact colony I know for breadth of forms.

Tim DH

[Maren]

Hi tim,

where did you find the pure white one? I've only seen these in Ireland.