Double Headed Pterostylis Nutans

[Stevee]

Hello

I’ve been successfully growing Nodding Green Hoods in a clay pot for 20-odd years now, ever since purchasing three tubers. I store them away mid-way through each Summer, and bring them out again at the end of each Autumn, and am always rewarded with a beautiful green carpet of leaves and lots of elegant tall flowers.

This year, however, one of the plants has produced two flowers on the one stem! In all the years I’ve been growing them, I’ve only ever had single flowers.

Some questions – is having two flowers on the one stem unusual, and should I tag that particular tuber to separate it from the others, or is it a case of double headers not being unusual and me just being unlucky for 20 years?

I've attached a couple of pictures.

Many thanks.

[WhiteRabbit]

I'm not familiar with these - hopefully someone else can answer you question!

[Andrew]

The plant in the photo is Pterostylis curta (blunt greenhood) not Pterostylis nutans. Its not the norm but it's also not uncommon for curtas to put up double or triple headed flowers. I don't know what the trigger is for them doing it but I've found big tubers, strong light and too much fertilizer all contribute to increasing the chances of them sending up multiple flowers; ie it's seems to be due to over vigorous growth. There doesn't seem to be much genetic influence to it other than maybe differences in the vigor of different plants so your plant will probably only produce a single flower next year if you were to separate it. I've received curta before labeled as "multiflowered" forms but invariably they don't send up double flowers any more frequently than normal forms.

[Stevee]

Many thanks for the information - and for clearing up the name for me.