For those of you who grow hardy, terrestrial orchids such as the Bletilla 'Chinese Butterfly', would you please tell me what variety you grow, what zone you grow them in, and whether they make good landscape plants for you.

My daughter and I both grow Bletilla striata - it does very well here. (zone 6 and 7). In California (Zone 8) they were almost a weed.

We are also growing Epipactis gigantea, Dactylorhiza purpurella and Dactylorhiza fuchsii, all doing great.

My daughter covers her outdoor orchids with bark in the winter (Zone 6). I don't (zone 7).

My daughter also has Pleione formosana and Bletilla ochracea in her temperate greenhouse (temps fall to close to freezing) because it is too cold for them outside.

The biggest problem with all of these orchids is that their bloom season is relatively short and they are gone during the winter. The Epipactis and Dactylorhiza need to be grown in what is essentially a fortified gravel bed that holds water. We have them in 20 gallon stock tubs buried in the ground with holes poked in the tubs about 4 inches down so the crowns don't sit under water. My Epipactis has completely filled my tub in two years. The Dactylorhiza grow equally fast.

Daisy

I have an opportunity to purchase either/both Bletilla ochracea and Bletilla Yokohamo 'Kate'. I have never grown either. My understanding is that ochracea does well in zones 7-8 and 'Kate' in zones 6-10. Their flowers are completely different and the 'Kate' has a much taller scape. As you have pointed out, oshracea does grow in zone 6. I wonder whether the ochracea does well in zone 9/10 or whether the plants need more cold to go dormant. Questions, questions.

To me "Hardy orchids" means cypripediums.

If you want the best care directions see; http://greatlakesorchids.com/

If you want the price leader see: http://www.spanglecreeklabs.co... and get notices of what coming out of flasks next.

What gorgeous links!! Oh my, one of each please!

Holy cow, Great Lakes Orchids sells their Bletilla for $18.95! And that's for plants in 3"x3" pots. But they don't even have any available. This company appears to deal mostly with orchids that are practically impossible to grow in the south, at least outdoors.

Holy cow, Great Lakes Orchids sells their Bletilla for $18.95! And that's for plants in 3"x3" pots. But they don't even have any available. This company appears to deal mostly with orchids that are practically impossible to grow in the south, at least outdoors.

Spangle Creek Labs is the same, growing seedlings that are best grown I the northern tier of states. At least they do warn us Southerners that their orchids are not well suited (or even impossible) to grow down here.

Bletilla striata, when you can find them, are incredibly expensive but they grow like weeds. That 3 x 3 pot probably holds one bulb. Go figure. I dug up enough to fill my trunk and brought them back to Reno to give away to my Orchid Society friends. They were thrilled because all had researched the prices.

I just purchased Bletilla ochracea and am intending to plant it outside in a warm spot. According to Plant Delights, they are hardy to zone 7a. I'll let you know how this goes.

I have Dactylorhiza purpurea and Epipactus gigantea growing in my yard also.

Daisy

I only have the Bletilla Yokohama 'Kate'. The grower did not have the ochracea.

Ken, Bletilla striata grows well here in the ground. I have only had it in a pot, and it didn't last but a couple of years, but it was too crowded, and I probably over watered it.
Epipactus gigantea is native to the surrounding foothills, where it grows along stream beds. I've never seen one, and going into our fifth year of drought, I probably never will. In any event, they don't require much chill.

Thank you for that information, Carol.

I have several 'hardy' orchids.

My most hardy one is a rare native: Neottia ovata. I love it just because it choose my garden, there are no other growing places known in many, many miles around. But for a garden plant it is small and green-flowered. Most people would not notice it at all or throw it out as weed. Than I have a wasp-orchid (Epipactis helleborine) which is quite common overhere. But it comes and goes (should be steady).
Of the planted ones I have a Bletilla, just labelled Bletilla striata. It has proven completely hardy here in the Netherlands. I grow it well drained in the shade (not as often recommended in marsh like conditions), it does well.
I grow Pogonia ophioglossoides in a big pot. I never do anything to that pot (so it freezes over in winter!) but only in dry spells I add a little rain water. Grows beautifully. Also my Calanthe sieboldii x discolor clones grow in pots. But i protect those when it gets to cold (happens evry few years, a common minus 5-10 Celsius does not bother them).
Finally I have some Dactylorhiza praetermissa. Or something that looks like it as the botanists do not seem able to make up their minds whether this is one species or a hundred. This orchid is relatively common over here but very rare else. I have a cultivated clone which is able to grow without a fungus.

Ruud

(if you want pics: no problem but later in the week, am travelling)