Bletilla striata - easy-to-care-for hardy terrestrial orchid

Baku, May 19, AZERTAC

The Chinese Ground Orchid is a terrestrial, perennial flowering bulb in the orchid family that grows to a height of 1 to 1 1/2 feet and spreads about 1 foot wide.

It is native of the grassy slopes of central and southern Japan and the cool mountain slopes of China.

This plant is a great addition to a partial shade area of the garden with moderate moisture and substantial organic matter in the soil.

Its beautiful, fan-like pleated leaves are showy in the spring through the summer.

Moreover, this plant produces orchid-like, downward-facing purple flowers.

The genus name honors Luis Blet, a Spanish apothecary who had a botanic garden in Algeciras, a city in the Cadiz region of Spain, towards the end of the 18th century. The specific epithet, striata, means striped.

The Chinese Ground Orchid requires damp, well-drained, often enriched, soil and prefers a sheltered site in light shade. It does not tolerate wet soils.