Hardy orchids from Bulbs? - Orchid Board

Poison Ivy · #1 09-02-2010, 01:24 AM

Hi, I recently bought a few kinds of orchids, and when I received them, the were bulb looking things.
Have you ever seen crocus bulbs? they look simular to them.
They are pretty small bulbs, and a intsructions say to plant in soil.

Has anyone grow this? it is labeled pink ground orchid, and the flowers look really pretty but small. Hardy to zone 6, so I decided to try it out

kavanaru · #2 09-02-2010, 01:38 AM

do you have a pic? that would help a lot...

Rosiefuture · #3 09-02-2010, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

Hi, I recently bought a few kinds of orchids, and when I received them, the were bulb looking things.
Have you ever seen crocus bulbs? they look simular to them.
They are pretty small bulbs, and a intsructions say to plant in soil.

Has anyone grow this? it is labeled pink ground orchid, and the flowers look really pretty but small. Hardy to zone 6, so I decided to try it out

Hi there

I think what you have is Bletilla striata also known as the Chinese Ground Orchid. It can be planted in the garden or in pots in potting soil.

kavanaru · #4 09-02-2010, 02:27 AM

Marion, that's exactly what I thought when reading the post, but the information that the bulbs look like Crocus' bulbs is quite confusing... Bletilla's tubers do not look like Crocus' bulbs (IMO!)... and I have seen many other plants (non orchids) sold with names as pink ground orchid, or similar... Having a photo the the "bulbs" would help to clarify what the plants really are...

Rosiefuture · #5 09-02-2010, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kavanaru

Marion, that's exactly what I thought when reading the post, but the information that the bulbs look like Crocus' bulbs is quite confusing... Bletilla's tubers do not look like Crocus' bulbs (IMO!)... and I have seen many other plants (non orchids) sold with names as pink ground orchid, or similar... Having a photo the the "bulbs" would help to clarify what the plants really are...

Hi Ramon, yes that was the only thing that didn't fit. Bletilla striata corms are a lot bigger than crocus bulbs which are small and elongated. Yes there are quite a lot of plants called 'ground orchid' many of which are not orchids at all. It would be good to see the bulbs.