Bletilla striata

[cdub]

Spring is far from near, but my Bletilla striata is blooming now anyways. We had a couple wicked cold spells back in September and October, and I brought them inside after that thinking it would stay cold. Well, it was 72F here yesterday, so I guess I could put them back outside. I have a purple variety and a white variety together in the pot. Also in the pot is Bletia purpurea, a deciduous late Spring bloomer. It's a bummer each flower only last a day or two.

 

[NYEric]

I grew these in the Catskill Mts.

 

[Heather]

Wild. As much as I selfishly adore that it is 50° today, I do have to wonder how badly messed up all the plants and trees will be this spring...

 

[cdub]

Temperate plants sort of "keep track" of seasonal temperatures while dormant and as long as the temperature periodically (every night or every few days) drops back to wintery levels, the plants shouldn't have a significant deviation in when they break dormancy. But, I did see a dogwood the other day that had leaf buds opening just the slightest bit. Crazy weather.

 

[NYEric]

Wild. As much as I selfishly adore that it is 50° today, I do have to wonder how badly messed up all the plants and trees will be this spring...

This summer, when it's so hot that your hair is actually red from catching fire, you're going to join me in cursing all the NYC suburban and off road driving fools for helping cause the El Nino. :fight:

 

[TADD]

Very cool! My boss grows these outside year 'round. - in the ground of course.

 

[Rayb]

I bought a small pot of these last fall they had them growing in water with pond plants. So when I brought them in for winter I put them in my waterfall fountain and now it has dobled in size the leafs haven't opened yet just growing up soon to unfurl. Do you think this odd growing in water?'ve never had them before.

 

[NYEric]

Wow, never thought of hydro-culture for those. Heather could grow these in the backyard in here region.

 

[Barbara]

Wish I had brought mine in. Thought they were surpose to be hardy here, but their first winter was colder than usual, I'm zone 6b.

Heather, we had willows blooming a week ago in the area, currantly it's 11 degrees below and it's getting colder this weekend with night-time low of minus 20. There are some plants who will not like this.

 

[kentuckiense]

I planted a few in front of my parents house about 4 or 5 years ago. They've multiplied from 4 plants to at least about 30. They seem to be fully hardy and after blooming their leaves increase to about 2 feet to a meter in length. Each year they produce about 40 pods but I doubt the successfully re-seed.

 

[Heather]

Yeah, I think it gets a little cold here for those....

 

[phrag guy]

I grow them here in Ont. I have mine in the ground. They come up every year

 

[SlipperFan]

I grow them here in Ont. I have mine in the ground. They come up every year

Really??? I had some that made it through one mild Michigan Winter, but the next Winter was very cold and they didn't make it. What do you do to protect them???

 

[BotanicaLtd]

We grew these and a goodyera species (don't remember which one now) next to our greenhouse in Seattle. They were beautiful! They survived the blustery snowstorm that shut down the city when we were there (1991?). Of course blustery in Seattle is balmy in Montana. We tried to keep some here in a VERY protected spot...but it's too cold most years...I should have brought them in...