Purple Fringed Orchid Seeds-Help?

[winterxwind]

I just purchased some Purple Fringed Orchid seeds and I cant seem to find much information about growing this plant. Can anyone help me? Thank you

[Ray]

That plant, Platanthera grandiflora, is really suited for outdoors only. It is a cold grower that likes moist, peaty soils and moderate light levels.

Did the seed vendor provide planting directions?

[winterxwind]

No they didn't. I live in Southern California.. is there any way for the plant to stay alive?

[Ray]

I'd suggest planting the seeds somewhere that won't bake too much in the summer.

Don't get me wrong - they can be found in the southeastern US, but emerge in early spring then die back as the weather warms.

[winterxwind]

Planting the seeds is a complicated process right? From what I read about flasking....

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Orchid seeds are very different from seeds of other flowering plants. Many orchid seeds do not contain what is called endosperm.

The word "endosperm" breaks down into:

endo + sperm = inside + seed

Endosperm is basically the plant embryo's source of nutrition until it germinates into a little protocorm. Think of endosperm as the yolk sac of an egg.

The word "protocorm" breaks down into:

Prot/o + corm = first + trunk

It is basically a tiny little mass of mostly undifferentiated cells, that have root-like filaments, superficially resembling a true corm.

The Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera grandiflora) is one of those orchids which seeds do not contain endosperm.

So how does the embryo within the seed obtain nutrients from it's environment...?

Through the invasion of a specific type or a group of specific type of fungi. These fungi are generally called mycorrhizae. Some of these mycorrhizae are associated with the germination of orchid seeds, some are not.

The word "mycorrhizae" breaks down into:

myco + rrhiza (singular form of the word) = fungus + root

myco + rrhizae (plural form of the word)= fungus + root

They are called mycorrhizae because these fungi are mostly found in symbiosis within the root structures of plants.

However...

Like I stated before, certain groups of mycorrhizae help in the germination of orchid seeds. Without these fungi, the orchid seeds that contain no endosperm are as good as dead.

Typically these fungi are not found just willy-nilly, they are found in somewhat specific environmental habitats.

So just, "sprinkling or broadcasting your Platanthera grandiflora seeds just anywhere in your Southern California garden" is absolutely useless, (it's not native to SoCal for a reason ).

In order to successfully germinate large numbers of Platanthera grandiflora from seed, you'd need to contact an orchid seed sowing lab that is well versed in germinating native terrestrial orchids from seed. Know that germinating epiphytical orchids from seed is MOST OF THE TIME, NOT THE SAME as germinating terrestrial orchids from seed. Certain protocol of germinating terrestrial orchids in-vitro may be the same as germinating epiphytical orchids from seed, but there are other sets of protocol that are slightly different but enough to make a difference; or there are certain sets of protocol that can be radically different from that of growing epiphytical orchids in-vitro. Germinating terrestrial orchids from seed can be exceptionally tricky sometimes (depends on the species), and if I'm not mistaken, the genus Platanthera falls in this category.

In the future, I'd be careful about buying orchid seeds. You really need to find out if you can find someone who either can germinate the orchids you want from seed, or find someone with some experience in germinating other species of similar orchids from seed who would be willing to give a very strong and dedicated effort in trying the species of orchid you want to germinate from seed a try.

It is by no means impossible to grow Platanthera grandiflora from seed, but it will not be like growing sunflowers from seed.

Good luck.

[winterxwind]

Wow! What a detailed reply! I have learned a lot. Thank you so much.

[samarak]

Winterxwind, the responses you've gotten are so good I have very little to add. Was this by chance an eBay purchase where the seller included some sifted humus from near where the orchids grew, with the intent of providing you the necessary symbiotic fungus?

Steve

[winterxwind]

Originally Posted by samarak

Winterxwind, the responses you've gotten are so good I have very little to add. Was this by chance an eBay purchase where the seller included some sifted humus from near where the orchids grew, with the intent of providing you the necessary symbiotic fungus?

Steve

Yup!

[samarak]

It would seem your choices are to either find someone with expertise in flasking temperate terrestrials (and as Philip says, skill sowing tropical epiphytic orchids often doesn't translate), or sow them on soil incorporating the humus you were sent. I don't want to seem discouraging, but the odds of success of the latter, in my opinion, are really low. But doing nothing ensures zero success, so if you can't find someone to flask them for you, why not? The third option would be to freeze them - a friend has a method by which he routinely freezes fresh seed (mostly of tropical epiphytic species, I've no idea if these would survive) for several years at a time - but that's just deferring the decision. Good luck, whatever you decide.

Steve