P
PHRAG
Guest
Habenaria radiata
These are called Sagi-Sou in Japan, “sagi” meaning egret and “sou” meaning plant. Google them and you will know immediately why these are called the egret plant. These are orchids that grow in bogs and are becoming endangered due to the loss of wetlands and rice fields in Japan. In recent years, several cultivars have been seed propagated and sold including a variegated variety. I was going to wait and post photographs of these in bloom, but I think now is a good time. They may not bloom for me this year.
I have tried growing these for the past two years. The first year, they sprouted but failed to grow past a couple of inches. I had them planted in sphag which was too loose to provide enough moisture to the roots and I failed to give them enough light as well. This year I started the sprouts in a wet paper towel. Sixth grade science taught me something! After they sprouted, I planted them in African Violet potting soil, which has excellent moisture retention and is slightly acidic.
In the winter, these need a cold dry chill. Last year, I kept them in the refrigerator wrapped in slightly damp sphag. I don’t know if this was the best method, as some of the tubers failed to sprout this year. Can anyone suggest a better solution?
This is the tuber straight out of the refrigerator. I find it humorous that they are shaped like little eggs and bloom out looking like birds.
A week or so after being placed in a folded, wet paper towel in a warm environment, the tubers sprout.
I planted them sprout side up in the soil, about two inches deep. These little guys appeared a week later.
Here are the orchids about two weeks after poking through the top of the soil.
Here they are today, about two and a half months later.
These are called Sagi-Sou in Japan, “sagi” meaning egret and “sou” meaning plant. Google them and you will know immediately why these are called the egret plant. These are orchids that grow in bogs and are becoming endangered due to the loss of wetlands and rice fields in Japan. In recent years, several cultivars have been seed propagated and sold including a variegated variety. I was going to wait and post photographs of these in bloom, but I think now is a good time. They may not bloom for me this year.
I have tried growing these for the past two years. The first year, they sprouted but failed to grow past a couple of inches. I had them planted in sphag which was too loose to provide enough moisture to the roots and I failed to give them enough light as well. This year I started the sprouts in a wet paper towel. Sixth grade science taught me something! After they sprouted, I planted them in African Violet potting soil, which has excellent moisture retention and is slightly acidic.
In the winter, these need a cold dry chill. Last year, I kept them in the refrigerator wrapped in slightly damp sphag. I don’t know if this was the best method, as some of the tubers failed to sprout this year. Can anyone suggest a better solution?
This is the tuber straight out of the refrigerator. I find it humorous that they are shaped like little eggs and bloom out looking like birds.
A week or so after being placed in a folded, wet paper towel in a warm environment, the tubers sprout.
I planted them sprout side up in the soil, about two inches deep. These little guys appeared a week later.
Here are the orchids about two weeks after poking through the top of the soil.
Here they are today, about two and a half months later.
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