Is it normal for Bletilla striata to die back in the Winter?

[RiverbankMudlark]

Last year, I had purchased a Bletilla striata "Soryu" at a local nursery. At some point, I saw on the internet articles were saying stuff like "Bletilla striata comes from mountainous regions in Asia, so it can handle temperatures as low as -20° C." I figured, "oh, awesome. Our Winters don't get that cold; we usually only get a little bit below freezing." Yeah... it was only out there for a night or two, but that was enough to destroy all of the leaves and shoots.

I was a little bit confused and annoyed at first. Was the information I got wrong? Why had the plant suffered frost damage when it should have been able to handle colder temperatures? I think at the time, I chalked it up to "maybe the Winters where it is from are dry, and our super-wet Winters bothered it."

I took the pot inside where it was warm, and figured, maybe if the rhizome survived, it might come back, so I waited. I'm really glad it did and didn't just throw it out because after about month it had already regrown three shoots (I set it up with a grow light on it when it first started showing signs of growth), and the biggest one proceeded to flower. It wasn't a spectacular show flowers — I there were only two flowers at first and a bud that didn't bloom until the first flower wilted.

Anyways, it wasn't until later that I considered, maybe that article was talking about how this. Maybe it had handled the cold fine, as it naturally would. My mother grows hostas outside, and they die back and return with the seasons. Is Bletilla striata anything like that?

[Roberta]

It is completely normal for Bletilla striata to die back in the winter. (My leaves are pretty much gone by October/November, and it's not that cold... I suspect they also "notice" shortening days to indicate autumn) In fact, mine are just now starting to come up with new growth. These are quite hardy - they can tolerate (though don't require) significant frost. They go to sleep for the winter, sprout new growth in the spring, bloom as the new growths develop. In fact, I have found that they do better in the ground than in pots. I have have really awful clay soil, I planted some in the ground with some good potting soil, they have spread out into the hard clay and don't seem to care.

Perennial Garden Plants, Online Nursery | Plant Delights Nursery sells these as USDA Zones 6a to 9b. They grow fine in my Zone 10a environment, too...

---------- Post added at 06:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:55 PM ----------

Search the Board for posts by Subrosa, who has established a bog garden in Pennsylvania (Zone 6b) Bletilla striata among many other hardy orchids (and other plants)

[Paphluvr]

In my experience these are not hardy down to the temperatures you’ve mentioned.

[estación seca]

No plants have thin leaves that survive a hard freeze. The plants themselves survive.

[Roberta]

Think "wildflowers".

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by estación seca

No plants have thin leaves that survive a hard freeze. The planes themselves survive.

The temperatures here in MI are comparable, mine didn’t survive. I think they are only hardy to Zone 6, I’m in Zone 5. At the time I was living about 10 miles inland from Lake Huron.

The funny thing is, though, I had some gladiolus make it through the Winter planted on a South facing sandy slope. Normally here in MI it’s recommended to dig them up in Fall and replant in Spring.

[Roberta]

I think you're right on the edge of what you can get away with . That south-facing slope may have given just enough warmth soaked into the soil during the day to keep those gladiolus alive. Brrrrrr....

[RiverbankMudlark]

Yeah, unfortunately, we don't have a proper yard where the plants can be buried into the ground — so pots will have to do. I think zone-wise, I'm somewhere around 7b or 8a.

[Roberta]

Pots should be fine. If you keep them close to the house, they won't hard-freeze. They should grow under conditions similar to those Hostas.

[RiverbankMudlark]

Originally Posted by estación seca

No plants have thin leaves that survive a hard freeze. The plants themselves survive.

Unless the plant with thin leaves is bamboo. Then the leaves will live through whatever freezing conditions the weather throws at them.

We have some bamboo plants growing outside of the house in big pots, and I swear, they can't even be bothered even when they bent down to the ground from the weight of the snow on them.