Bletilla striata

Bletilla striata
hyacinth orchid

SIZE/TYPE	low perennial
USUAL HEIGHT	0.2-0.5m
USUAL WIDTH
LEAVES	deciduous broadleaf
COLOUR OF LEAVES	green
FLOWERS	showy
COLOUR OF FLOWERS	lilac
BLOOMING TIME	June - July
LOCATION	full to partial sun
USDA zone (lowest)	6 (down to -23°C)
WINTER PROTECTION
FOR ZONE 5+6
FOR ZONE 7
BELONGS TO CATEGORIES	Perennials

How about a garden orchid? If you like unusual plants look at this princess from China. It is a hardy plant that can be planted outdoors down to USDA zone 5.

Typically orchid-like flowers are magenta or lavender pink, 4-5 cm wide, borne at tips of 15-25 cm long stems. There can be 6-12 flowers on each stem. It starts flowering in June and continues for about a month.

Leaves are the same height as flowering stems, mid green, lanceolate with distinct veins. Though an orchid, this plant is a perennial that dies back to ground level every year so it can emerge again from the pseudobulb in the spring. The longer you leave it in the ground the stronger it will get and will offer richer flowering.

It is quite easy to look after if you plant it well. It DEFINITELY needs well-drained soil. Even though it likes moisture it would definitely die in wet conditions in winter. The bulb should be about 10 deep in the soil that is a mix of good compost and sand. Sun is important to flower freely but avoid direct summer sunlight. It will need some fertilizing and occasional extra watering before flowering. Mulch it well for winter. Thus it will be hardy to -27°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 26-12-2007

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GLOSSARY

STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.