CRANEFLY ORCHID Tipularia discolor
 

just for a little change of pace here is my Cranefly orchid happly growing and getting bigger every year ......blooms are not impressive but who said its all about blooms the leaves on this one are beautiful too.

Contrary to what is often said about not growing well due to the need for a fungus ...."which it doen indeed need" I have never had a problem with the small native orchids here growing for me as long as I collected a small amount of the soil where they were growing and used it in the new soil to innoculate the fungus into the new soil....

I like this one too. I also grow a few of these, but mine are just pushing out their leaves. You're totally right, it's not always just about the flowers. :)

Tindo, I have a pic of last year's bloom around here somewhere. I'll see if I can dig it up. It is striking how much they flowers do actually look like a crippled cranefly (tipularidae).

John, I've also found this to be true. In fact, I don't believe that you even need to "inoculate" with any collected soil to grow mature orchids in cultivation. I have read (and agree) that dependence on fungi is really more crucial in early stages of growth when growing in the deepest of shade. Some research has shown terrestrial orchids to merely survive in these subpar conditions (probably with the help of fungi), but only bloom when an opening is created by a falling tree, fire, or other means. Now in good light, mature plants bloom and prosper. So the fungi play a role early in life, to help become established, but once mature (or in cultivation) they can thrive without it.

Another contributing factor to this misconception is that many temperate terrestrials have a shallow, but unexpectedly wide root system. Collectors (or poachers) dig up a wild orchid and usually underestimate the damage done to the roots. The plant promptly dies and it is assumed that it must have needed a fungus, when it actually just had all it's active root tips chopped off.

Tipularia is a bit different due to the compact chain-like tubers, and usually do well transplanted.

Photos of the flowers can be seen here:

Cranefly Orchid; Crippled Cranefly Orchid; Elfin Spur (Tipularia discolor) Information Page at Florida's Native and Naturalized Orchids

---Prem

Part of what I love about this one is that it actually grows all winter in the cold and the leaves are unaffected by freezing temps in any way.....then in spring it dissappears totaly untill time to bloom,It has discovered the way to get the most sun in the deep forest by growing when everthing else has dropped their leaves and let the sun through to the forest floor.