What are people in Alabama growing Outdoors?

[katierkincaid]

Anyone from Alabama growing anything outside ?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Try some "Grass Pink Orchids".

[CTB]

Welcome to the Orchid Board, we have several from
Ala. so you should get lots of suggestions. Do you have a park with a waterfall there, I think I stayed their camping two years ago. Nice Place!!!!

[katierkincaid]

A park with a waterfall, I think we do by Gadsden, AL. Its called Noccalulu Falls (sp). They have a really pretty waterfall that is where an Indian princess jumped off the top to her death bc her father wouldn't let her marry the man she wanted to marry. Its North east of me though, but I have been there. Alabama is a beautiful state, lots of pretty land. Have not seen many orchids though. LOL.. Is this the place where you went ? Its a tourist sight.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The problem with native orchids is that they don't look like orchids. They look like weeds or wildflowers.

There are native orchids where you are.

Try looking up:

Bletia purpurea
Calopogon tuberosus
Galearis spectabilis
Pogonia ophioglossoides

I'm sure there are others, but I don't know all the native orchids in your area...but these are the general genera you should try looking into:

Cypripedium

Goodyera

Habenaria

Platanthera

Spiranthes

Many of the above mentioned terrestrials are mostly either bog orchids or orchids found in forest margins, open fields, or in the forest itself.


The following species are non-native orchids that have naturalized in the US and might be found where you are at. Although - they're most likely to appear in Florida:

Oeceoclades maculata - (actually a non-native plant that originates from Africa and Madagascar which quite possibly "escaped cultivation" and has naturalized in the tropical and subtropical US)

Spathoglottis plicata - (again, a non-native plant that originates from tropical Southeast Asia which quite possibly "escaped cultivation" and has naturalized in the tropical and subtropical parts of the US)

Zeuxine strateumatica - (actually a non-native plant that was accidentally introduced from subtropical China via grass imported from the region and has naturalized here in the tropical and subtropical US)


When you do your research, you can start to see that the native orchids in your area are mostly terrestrials. Rarely any epiphytes in your area. Maybe the occasional Epidendrum species (Epi. nocturnum, Epi. rigida), or leafless orchids (the leafless orchids are ridiculously difficult to find and are pretty rare in the wild), idk. With the Epidendrum and the leafless orchids, you can try looking for them in the swamp forests of your area.


I mentioned native orchids because I think they're the best bet to growing orchids outdoors in your area.