Mediterranean-climate terrestrials are starting!

[Roberta]

Lots more to come, but here are some of the early ones. Of the Europeans, Ophrys tenthredinifera and Ophrys speculum. Orchis italica (the "little man" orchid) and Orchis anatolica. From Australia, Diuris orientis and Diuris magnifica. And first Thelymitra of the season, the natural hybrid Thelymitra x macmillanii (red form)

This group of orchids is a perfect match for the climate where I live. They're dormant during the hot, dry summer. No water, I just put them where the sprinklers don't hit and ignore them. I start watering in mid-October once nights cool off. (Any rain that falls will be during autumn and winter, but not reliable... so "rain" comes from a hose unless Mother Nature occasionally cooperates)

The Thelymitra only opens in bright sunshine, if it's cloudy it stays closed.

[komo]

Very nice roberta, O. lutea is currently spiking for me and my fuciflora is oddly going dormant while sending up a new shoot, took a quick peek down there and its making 2 new tubers as the mother one shrivels and my thelymitra melon grow is spiking and withstanding the light occasionally falling on it. Here in new hampshire is such an unfit climate, way too cold and moist and snowy in winter and too humid and wet in summer so I grow them indoors.

[Roberta]

I'm delighted that you are able to grow these indoors. If more people want to grow them, I hope that improves the availabiltiy!

Where the Thely is likely to take revenge is that it grows, spikes, but sits there as buds. If, once the buds mature, you can give it some direct sunlight at midday (or maybe really bright artificial light, don't know...) you may be able to coax it to open. There's a reason why there aren't AOS awards for Thelymitra though there are starting be to be some for Diuris... Very few (like no...) judging sessions are outdoors in the bright sun so judges never get to see the flowers.

[Blueszz]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Lots more to come, but here are some of the early ones. Of the Europeans, Ophrys tenthredinifera and Ophrys speculum. Orchis italica (the "little man" orchid) and Orchis anatolica. From Australia, Diuris orientis and Diuris magnifica. And first Thelymitra of the season, the natural hybrid Thelymitra x macmillanii (red form)

This group of orchids is a perfect match for the climate where I live. They're dormant during the hot, dry summer. No water, I just put them where the sprinklers don't hit and ignore them. I start watering in mid-October once nights cool off. (Any rain that falls will be during autumn and winter, but not reliable... so "rain" comes from a hose unless Mother Nature occasionally cooperates)

The Thelymitra only opens in bright sunshine, if it's cloudy it stays closed.

All of them are beautiful!