Orchidaceae
Most of the time when we picture orchids , we reckon of the epiphytic type that grow clinging to the bark and branches of trees and shrub .
The popularPhalaenopsis , Cattleya , andDendrobiumspecies are usually epiphyte .
There ’s a whole other category of orchid that many of us forget about and those are the 1 that grow in grime : terrestrial orchidaceous plant . These types are exceptional , deliver specific care needs .
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There are over 200 terrestrial orchidaceous plant species , render good deal of variety and chance to bask them in our homes and gardens .
Many of them are every moment as beautiful as those that occupy the shelves of store and stylish hotel lobbies . Plus , many can be grown in the ground as ornamentals , even in locations where the temperature drop below freeze .
If you ’d wish to empathise more about this group of plants , this guide can aid .
Here ’s what we will talk about :
What You’ll Learn
Before we leap in , a note of precaution . orchid are so various that there is no “ one - size - fit - all ” approach to their cultivation and care – and that ’s especially truthful in the case of terrestrial types .
We will give you general growing advice in this guidebook , but you will call for to explore the care demand of the specific metal money , or , better yet , the cultivar or hybrid that you ’re working with .
With that say , most of those that you ’ll find on the market can be wish for in a similar way . We ’ll discuss all that coming up :
What Are Terrestrial Orchids?
There are three broad groupings of orchidaceous plant , found on their growth substance abuse : they can be epiphyte or lithophytic plant , climbing iron , or terrestrial .
Epiphytes and lithophytes expend their lives attach to Tree or rocks , as do climbers , but climbing iron have rootstalk in the dirt below and extremely farseeing stems that circularize further than the more compact aerophyte do .
tellurian orchid are those that grow in the dirt with their radical anchored in the earth .
Epiphytes make up the enceinte group of orchids that we grow in our homes , while terrestrial type are far less plebeian .
Phalaenopsis , Dendrobium , andCattleyaspecies are all mostly epiphytic plant . in reality , most orchid species are epiphytic plant , with about 70 percent fitting that class .
mundane , or ground orchid as they ’re also known , are far less popular with dwelling house agriculturist . They are , however , the most common types bump develop natively in Europe and North America .
In the wild , these plants can be found as far northerly as the Arctic Circle and as far in the south as the southerly tip of Patagonia . They develop on every continent except Antarctica , though there are sub - Antarctic mintage .
They grow in environments as varied as comeuppance , frozen tundra , and wooded wood .
Some terrestrial specie have the power to adjust to their local environment and become lithophytic plant , climbing on rock music .
The one thing they all have in common is that they typically produce in the dry land and not anchored on other plant life or rude structure . They can grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 12 , depending on the specie .
Most terrestrial eccentric havewhat are roll in the hay as pseudobulbs , which are warehousing structures that can forge below or above ground . Some species have horizontal rhizomes , tubers , or corm , and others have fibrous root . None of themhave airy roots .
The flowers may be teeny - tiny or monolithic , and can be middling much any color except true blue devil . The same applies to the plant size of it . Some are miniature , just a few column inch high-pitched , and others can grow several groundwork improbable .
The only thing that combine them is that they develop in the ground .
Cultivation and History
Orchids have been a part of human culture for a very long time .
Cypripediumis a genus of planetary orchidaceous plant found across the Northern Hemisphere that have been used medicinally by aboriginal North American people and in traditional Chinese medical specialty for 1000 of years .
These day , species in this genus are cultivated both as houseplants and garden options , and you could find a variety of unlike hybrids and cultivars .
Many other specie have become authoritative commercially , ab initio catch on as ornamental in the early 1800s during the exploration hysteria of the 1700s and 1800s Age of Enlightenment .
For example , Calantheorchids were first described by George Rumph ( Rumphius ) in 1750 using a specimen brought from Indonesia . It was formally name in 1821 by Robert Brown .
Phaius tankervilliaewas brought to England in 1778 by plant gatherer and botanist James Fothergill .
It became know as the first tropical orchidaceous plant to blossom in England when Fothergill ’s botanist admirer Sarah Hird and Peter Collinson successfully advance their specimen to bloom in 1778 .
TheLudisiagenus was first draw in 1818 by English phytologist John Bellenden Ker Gawler , though he first call in itGoodyera . It was change in 1825 by Gallic plant scientist Achille Richard .
The flood go on get , with Dutch - German botanist Carl Ludwig Blume describingSpathoglottisin 1825 , andBletillawas identified by German botanist Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1853 .
Of of course , botanists , researchers , and enthusiasts are still discovering young specie likeEulophia graminea , which was identified in 2018 in Puerto Rico by Adolfo Rodríguez Velázquez , a alumnus student at the University of Puerto Rico .
In their aboriginal ranges across the globe , many species are peril as a result of poach both for medicative utilization and to sell as ornamentals and houseplant . Ludisia , for example , is hard to discover in its native Malaysia because of poaching .
On the other conclusion of the spectrum some , likeArundina graminifolia , have become a little too far-flung . This metal money is considered invasive in Hawaii and is smothering out aboriginal works .
Some species , likeSpiranthes sinesis , are identify as “ scrawny , ” taking over disturbed areas , fields , and grassy area in colony made up of G of flora .
Terrestrial Orchid Propagation
Propagating orchids from seed is a daunting proposition , but it ’s sure as shooting possible . We have aguide that will talk you through the whole processif this is something you ’re concerned in .
separate be plants is an easier propagation method or you may buy a potted plant for transplanting .
From Division
The easygoing and most consistent way to raise more industrial plant is to carve up an exist specimen . Other methods are less successful for the nursing home grower , so this is the one I recommend .
If the plant is in a pot , remove it . If it ’s in the background , dig it up , dig about a fundament down and around the circumference of the flora at least six inch out from the base of the outmost leave .
Gently sweep away as much of the dirt or potting spiritualist as you’re able to from around the source .
Find a natural separation in the plant with both roots and pseudobulbs or stems attached . Tease the plant apart at this point , and use a clean duo of pruners , if necessitate , to sever the beginning .
Many terrestrial orchids have a large horizontal root that will need to be edit into sections . Take as many part as you want so long as each has a prow or pseudobulb bind .
Replant the main plant back in the muddle or spate you took it from , filling in around it with ground . identify the partition in a novel great deal or prepared area in the garden .
Transplanting
If you have a potted plant life that you want to repot or transplantation outdoors , the first step is to prepare the new location .
If you’reusing a new container , opt onethat is just one sizing up from the subsist container . Fill the bottom poop or so with an extremely loose , well - draining potting mix .
A mathematical product containing a mix of compost , pumice stone , Cocos nucifera coir , fine bark , sphagnum moss , and worm castings would be ideal .
That can be operose to regain , so look for a potting mix with a majority of those ingredients and add the sleep yourself .
De la Tank ’s houseplant mix with some fine barque mixed in would be stark . The terminal mix should be about a poop barque .
De La Tank ’s Potting Mix
Pick up some De La Tank ’s mixat Arbico Organicsin a quart , eight - quart , or 16 - quart udder .
If you ’re planting in the flat coat , work in lots of well - decompose compost mixed with barque in a proportion of three parts compost to one part barque .
Dig a hole about the same size of it as the container the plant is currently growing in .
Plant the orchidaceous plant in the stack or ground and fill in around it with more dirt or potting medium . It should be sit at the same height it was initially . weewee well and add a second more grease , if necessary .
We have a complete guide to orchid multiplication here .
How to Grow Terrestrial Orchids
What I ’ve noticed is that most multitude start their orchid - grow journey with epiphytic types and become familiar with the needs of these plants , and assume that terrestrial types are the same .
planetary orchids are different . commonly , they need much less frequent watering than the epiphytes , and the top inch or two of soil should be allowed to dry out out . filth retains moisture longer than orchidaceous plant bark does .
Most have similar short requirements to epiphytes , but not all . Most species need loamy , weewee - retentive , well - draining grease , but again , not all .
Is all this sounding vague ? This is a vast mountain chain of plant with immensely variable soil , sun , and moisture preferences .
understand the natural environment of the coinage you ’re working with is critical . Ground orchidaceous plant are found uprise natively in gumption dunes , mossy peat bog , moist forest beds , and everywhere in between , depending on the specie .
In my neck opening of the woods , California lady ’s slipper ( Cypripedium californium ) raise in louche , mineral - heavy seepage and river banks .
In southerly Africa , the desert orchidaceous plant ( Eulophia petersii ) lives in rocky , sandy soil in full sun .
Species in theOrchisgenus grow throughout Europe and Dixie through northwest Africa in tropic rainforests and semi - desiccate regions .
They develop in environments as wide - ranging as tundras and sandy ocean beach , which illustrates how important it is to jazz the indigence of the species you want to rise .
The immense absolute majority of terrestrial orchidaceous plant need consistently dampish but not wet soil – of line , with the exception of the desert - dwelling species .
Most terrestrial orchid have mystifying origin that can stretch out a foot or more down , so in general , you need to water deep but infrequently . Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out in the garden or the top fifth part of the culture medium to dry out for potted plants .
They generally postulate rich , loamy potting soil with lots of pumice stone or other material mixed in to improve drainage and water holding .
Or commingle one part bark , two portion sphagnum moss moss , and one part perlite with a panache of dirt ball molding . Garden soil should be amended with bark and compost , as cite above . But there are exceptions .
MostEulophiaspecies are succulent and need middling sandy , rough , or pumice stone - lowering grime that should be allowed to almost completely dry out out before lachrymation .
Most mintage want dappled tad , morning light , or bright , collateral light-headed indoors with morning light , but again , check to be certain .
They can usually address a bit more idle than you might require . But if you want to increase the light , do it step by step over several weeks .
They also like moderate to high-pitched humidness . A minimum of about 50 pct is about right for most species .
Do n’t fertilize plant in the ground . For those in container , feed them a 1 - 1 - 1 or 2 - 2 - 2 ( NPK ) fertilizer once a calendar month from spring through fall .
Growing Tips
Maintenance
To tidy up the plant and encourage new blossoms , trim back back the flowering stalk once all of the bloom have drop from the industrial plant . Leave about an inch of stalk behind .
Learn more in our guide to boost an orchidaceous plant to rebloom .
Any branches or stanch that are browned , busted , or xanthous should be trimmed off . you may also transfer any foliage that looks crowded or any fore that are crossing .
When you prune your plant life , be sure to utilise a clean couplet of clippers and clean them between industrial plant .
For more detail , register our guide to pruning orchids .
You will also need to repot your orchid every few days . As plants long time , they need more elbow room to accommodate their novel size .
Even if you are n’t going up in pot size , you should replace the pot medium every few years because it will break down , reducing the amount of air hit the roots .
Ourguide to repotting orchidswill take the air you through the details .
For deciduous types grown outside , murder any dead foliage at the end of the growing time of year . you could also heap somestrawor folio topic over the roots to supply some insulant .
Terrestrial Orchid Species to Select
The good species for you to originate is go to be the one that fits in your environment , so it never hurts to require local vender if they have a particular type they ’d recommend .
When it fare to good houseplant options , any one of these will act upon well :
Bamboo
Bamboo orchid ( Arundinaspp . ) have strap - like leaf that resemble grass . The splashy , fragrant peak look on long stems that are perfect for cut .
The blossom variegate from pink to empurple and deep violet . Most contain some amount of white and some even have pure white petals .
Even better , the blossoms appear all year long , though they ’re particularly prolific during the natural spring and fall .
These plants are native to Asia and have become a popular garden selection in the Pacific Islands . As heat lovers , they grow best in Zones 10b and up .
While most continue pocket-sized , some species can develop up to six fundament tall .
Corduroy
Eulophiaspecies , ordinarily make out as cord orchids , inhabit Africa and Asia , where they produce in shady woodland .
The leaves are held at the end of fleshy stems and the thin flower spike produces colourful flowers with bombastic sepal and small petals .
They come in the full image of orchid colors , like pure blank , yellow , pinkish , flushed , purple , and orangish .
This genus is popular as a landscaping plant in warm expanse like California , Florida , and Hawaii in Zones 9b to 11b .
Most species are succulents that can suffer some drought , but they prefer sandy dirt with regular wet . While it can vary , most species grow about a human foot tall .
Slipper
Even non - orchidists have commonly heard of slipper or noblewoman ’s slider orchid ( Cypripediumspp . ) .
These can be determine uprise natively across the Northern Hemisphere in temperate and semitropical region .
There are even a few bad coinage that grow in Alaskan and Siberian tundras . you could encounter species that will grow in Zones 2 to 10 .
The flower stems typically extend well beyond the oblong leaves , and the flowering may consist of one individual blossom or up to a dozen . Colors include pink , purple , yellow , and white .
The often hairy leaf grow from a key stem that emerges from the hush-hush rhizomes .
One of the reasons slipper orchids are so democratic is because they ’re pretty well-heeled to grow and they can normally tolerate a good amount of tint .
Jewel
Jewel orchids ( Ludisiaspp . ) do have petite , blank flowers , but they are mostly appreciated for their pretty foliage .
The rhomboidal leave are typically dark green with some burgundy and have pale vertical stripes .
Did I say fairly ? permit me be more absolved . The leaf is stunning . The nervure of the leaves foam in the light like precious stone . You aboveboard wo n’t even notice the flowers .
These are aboriginal to Asia but have found a home in gardens across the globe in the equivalent weight of Zones 10 and 11 .
Ludisiaspecies should be reserve to dry out a little between lacrimation , but the base should never be allow to become entirely juiceless .
Most species are low - growing primer blanket but some grow up to a foot or so grandiloquent .
Nun’s
Nun ’s orchids ( Phaius tankervilliae ) have narrow-minded , pleated leaves and the plant can reach about three feet tall .
Each pseudobulb raise a single stalk of with child , colorful , and fragrant blossoms in the winter and other springtime . blossom typically have bronze or chocolate-brown colouration , along with bloodless , pinkish , or purple .
This species can tolerate coolheaded temperatures down to just above freeze , but it is n’t a fan of wet roots .
It ’s native to island across the Pacific from Asia to North America , which should tip you off to their temperature margin . raise them alfresco in Zones 9 to 11 .
Spathoglottis
Often known as purple orchids ( Spathoglottisspp . ) , these ordinarily have , you guessed it , purple heyday .
The hues can range from pale lavender to deep red purpleness . There are even some with white , yellow , and pinkish hues and these are – confusingly – refer to as “ purple ” orchidaceous plant as well .
S. plicatais the most common species launch in cultivation and it always has some purple in the flowers .
They bloom on nearly two - fundament - marvelous stalks with fragrant flowers all year long .
While they can survive freezing temperatures , they really need to be cultivated somewhere that stays above 50 ° F . Below that , they will go torpid and drop their folio .
They come from easterly and southeast Asia , Australia , and some Pacific Islands and are hardy in Zones 10 and 11 .
Urn
Bletillaspecies are usually grow as houseplant and outdoors in Zones 5 to 9 .
Hailing from across Asia , the long , narrow , pleated leaves egress from corm - like pseudobulbs that sit around at the soil tier .
The long flower stalks can reach up to two feet tall and bring forth cattleya - similar flowers in a variety of colors from ashen to recondite purpleness .
The most common species found in glasshouse isB. striata , which is often called “ hardy orchidaceous plant ” because it can tolerate temperatures down to 25 ° farad , though the plant will go dormant and lose its leaf once temperature deteriorate below freezing .
Urn orchids are pretty soft , they ’ll tolerate drought , overwatering , shade , and sun , to a certain academic degree .
Managing Pests and Disease
Pests do n’t seem to be the bad job when growing planetary types , but diseases , especially fungous I , can be an government issue .
Insects
Aphids , mealybugs , weighing machine , andspider mitesare all common houseplant pests , and that applies to orchids , too . You might see them on outside industrial plant , but much less often .
As a first line of defence force , whenever you bestow a new plant into your domicile , isolate and monitor it for a hebdomad .
If , despite your efforts , the pests find your plants , a stream of water from the hose once a week can wash the spider hint or aphids off .
Scale and mealybugs can be gently scraped off the plant . Neem oil or insecticidal Georgia home boy is an effective solution , whether you use it instead of or in add-on to the premature method .
Bonide Insecticidal Soap
I keep Bonide Insecticidal Soap on hired hand for just such an event . Find it at Arbico Organicsin 16- and 32 - ounce nebulizer bottle .
Learn more about identifying and controlling orchidaceous plant pest here .
Disease
Viruses can make strange patterns and colors on leaves , but there is no cure , so you must either dispose of the plant life or learn to live with the funkiness .
Odontoglossum ringspot computer virus ( ORSV ) and Cymbidium mosaic computer virus ( CyMV ) are the most mutual .
spot on the leave may be make by bacteria or fungi . Bacteria in theErwiniaandAcidovoraxgenera cause maculation , as does fungi in theCercosporagenus .
All are spread by splash water system , crowded circumstance , and high humidness .
Anthracnose ( Colletotrichumspp . ) can also cause spotting , often with a tan center .
Time is of the essence if you notice spots on the leafage .
handling typically includes a fungicide or bactericide – or a combination of the two – like Monterey Complete Disease Control , which harnesses the power ofBacillus amyloliquefaciensstrain D747 to kill the fungous pathogen .
Monterey Complete Disease Control
Grab some at Arbico Organicsin 32 - troy ounce ready - to - use or eight - troy ounce , dry pint , or congius concentrate .
There ’s not much you could do about bacterial leaf spot except remove the diagnostic leave or take out the plant entirely .
Rot can be have by fungi , as well , include those in thePythiumandPhytophthoragenera .
This can cause shameful , lenient spots on the leave of absence or origin . Root rotandcrown rotcan also be triggered by overwatering , which drowns the roots .
To learn more about potential orchid problems , check out our template .
Best Uses for Terrestrial Orchids
Terrestrial orchids are versatile and diverse . They can maturate as pot houseplants or in the garden in borders , as mass plantings , in rock gardens , containers , or to fill shaded areas under Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
Depending on the species , they can thrive in wintry region – or they might want tropical stipulation , making them better fit for houseplant liveliness .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Reach New Levels of Gardening With Ground Orchids
Anyone who has the orchid bug needs to dabble in terrestrial orchids .
The epiphytic types will always bear a special berth in our hearts , but until you ’ve filled a garden bed or a big , decorative pot with a planetary species or two , you have n’t experience everything these plants have to offer .
And if you ’re count formore information about growing orchids , we have several other guides that might catch your fancy . check out these out :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product photos via Arbico Organics . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Kristine Lofgren
