Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 6a -23.3 °C (-10 °F) to -20.6 °C (-5 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 10b
Plant Height:	18-24 inches
Plant Spread:	12-15 inches
Leaves:	Other: Herbaceous
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Pink Purple White
Flower Time:	Spring Late spring or early summer Summer
Underground structures:	Rhizome Bulb
Uses:	Will Naturalize
Propagation: Seeds:	Other info: this plant may be considered a protected species; check before digging or gathering seeds
Propagation: Other methods:	Division Bulbs
Pollinators:	Various insects
Awards and Recognitions:	RHS AGM Other: UC Davis Arboretum All Star; 2014 Great Plants Picks Award Winner

Common names

Chinese Ground Orchid
Chinese Butterfly
Urn Orchid
Hyacinth Orchid
Peacock Orchid

Botanical names

Accepted: Bletilla striata
Synonym: Bletilla striata f. gebina
Synonym: Bletilla striata var. albomarginata

Photo Gallery

Location: central NC
Date: 05/12/2018
Grows vigorously on the north side of my house.

Uploaded by gregnc

Location: Near Napa Valley (Northern California)
Date: 2021-04-07

Uploaded by AnnKNCalif

Location: In my garden in Oklahoma City, OK
Date: 2004-02-05
Bletilla striata [Chinese Ground Orchid]

Uploaded by jathton

Location: My Garden in PA
Date: 2019-05-25

Uploaded by kousa

Location: Summeville, SC
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by Xeramtheum

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Charleston, SC
Date: 2020-03-16

Uploaded by scvirginia

Location: Houston, TX
Date: 2008-03-21
At the Mercer Arboretum

Uploaded by Marylyn

Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-03

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin, Texas
Date: 2022-04-05

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by gregnc

Uploaded by xeronema

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2016-01-06
The seeds are incredibly tiny, like small fine hairs.

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Charleston, SC
Date: 2020-03-20

Uploaded by scvirginia

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2016-03-01
Zone 9b. First bloom of season.

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Location: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, Virginia
Date: 2017-05-21

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2016-03-21
Zone 9b.

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Date: 2021-05-05

Uploaded by GardensJohn

Location: Norfolk, VA
Date: 2010-05-19
Bletilla striata

Uploaded by delicatustraba

Location: Norfolk, VA
Date: 2009-05-26
Bletilla striata

Uploaded by delicatustraba

Uploaded by Ursula

Location: Barsons Greenhouse, MI
Date: 4-2013

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Central Illinois
Date: 3-31-12
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Central Illinois
Date: 2014-12-17
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2013-02-01

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: My shade garden in Northwest Arkansas
Date: 5/16/2015
First bloom

Uploaded by Dodecatheon3

Uploaded by scvirginia

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by Ursula

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, Virginia
Date: 2017-05-10

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2018-03-06
Our troupe of Ground Orchids spread a bit each year by undergroun

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-12-17

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by sheryl

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by treehugger

Uploaded by Ursula

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by GardensJohn

Location: Opp, AL Z8b
Date: 2017-03-12
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2018-06-15

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by delicatustraba

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: central Illinois
Date: 3-31-12

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Basement, Central Illinois
Date: 2012-04-04
The alba variegata colour form of the species.

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2015-03-23
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: master garden sale
Date: 2017-04-07

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by Joy

Bletilla striata f. variegata. Photo Courtesy of Shikoku Garden I

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by plantladylin

The alba form of the species. Photo Courtesy of Shikoku Garden In

Uploaded by Joy

Date: 2006-05-29
Multiple colour forms of the species.

Uploaded by treehugger

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Photo courtesy of Sunlight Gardens, used with permisson

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Date: 2012-06-20
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by treehugger

Uploaded by rcn48

The alba form of the species. Photo Credit: florum

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by treehugger

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by delicatustraba

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-03-31

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-03-31
(in the basement)

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-07-23
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Central Illinois
Date: 2015-12-14
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by jmorth

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

The alba form of the species. Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nur

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Location: In the basement, Central Illinois
Date: 2013-02-07
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Central Illinois
Date: 2014-05-14
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-02-19

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Rosegal

Location: Lexington, VA
Date: May, 2005
The alba form of the species.

Uploaded by rcn48

Location: Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Date: June
credit: Magnus Manske

Uploaded by robertduval14

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on Apr 28, 2013 10:04 PM concerning plant:

Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B...

"Bletilla species are generally hardy, though some need protection from severe frost. It is better to keep them in pots of well drained media so that water does not sit around the roots during winter when the plants are not actively growing. They should also be watered sparingly at the start of the growing season as the new shoots emerge, as new roots often do not follow for around four weeks afterwards.

The flowers and leaves are at the mercy of late frosts, which are to be avoided if at all possible with coverings of a sheet or newspapers. Resist the temptation to remove the mulch layer even if the new growths are raising up the mulch due to an early Spring, unless no more frosts are likely. Unlike most tropical orchids, B. striata has attractive foliage even when not flowering. The pleated, tapered foliage looks very similar to the juvenile leaves of many palm species. A well established clump of these in flower is quite beautiful and they are surprisingly hardy even into USDA Zone 5 with a heavy mulch. They easily succeed in USDA Zone 6 with only a moderate mulch of straw or leaves. These hardiness ratings only apply to plants in the ground with the idea of preventing the actual root system from being frozen. If potted, they should be placed in a frost-free location if winter temperatures go below freezing. The plant is generally considered hardy without a mulch if minimum winter temperatures do not go below 25°F."

Reply to this comment
Posted by xeronema (Padova - Zone 7b) on Nov 9, 2012 12:09 PM concerning plant:

Bletilla striata from Vietnam

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
jmorth	On February 14, 2018	Bloomed
jmorth	On February 4, 2017	Bloomed in cool basement, under fluorescents/arc light
jmorth	On March 8, 2015	Bloomed
jmorth	On February 19, 2015	Bloomed
jmorth	On December 15, 2014	Plant emerged
jmorth	On December 14, 2014	Plant emerged
MunchkinsMom	On February 18, 2017	Plant emerged Date Approximate. Has multiplied to 5 plants
MunchkinsMom	On April 12, 2016	Transplanted
MunchkinsMom	On April 2, 2016	Miscellaneous Event Flowers Opening, Still Too Wet to Plant
MunchkinsMom	On March 25, 2016	Miscellaneous Event Not planted yet, but budding out.
MunchkinsMom	On March 12, 2016	Obtained plant UCD Plant Sale $10.00 1 Gallon
GardensJohn	On May 2, 2021	Obtained plant Received this plant as a gift from my primary care doctor's husband. Planted it in a woodland part of my garden. First day in the ground a bunny decided to eat the bloom. Will have to wait until next year to see what it will do. The leaves look great.

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Bletilla Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)

Bletilla
Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)