Bletilla striata

[Darold Petty]

I have a bad habit of impulse, on-line purchase of plants with little research.  Especially after dinner, ..and after a few glasses of wine!

   Recently I bought two starts of this orchid, only to learn with further reading that most information suggests a dry, resting period after flowering.  It is not clear if the orchid is completely herbaceous.

  I don't do well with plants that require both wet and dry periods, most everything I grow is suitable for evenly moist soil year round.   Have I made a mistake, or can this orchid grow with regular moisture and excellent drainage ??   Thanks   

[Silas_Sancona]

17 minutes ago, Darold Petty said:

I have a bad habit of impulse, on-line purchase of plants with little research.  Especially after dinner, ..and after a few glasses of wine!

   Recently I bought two starts of this orchid, only to learn with further reading that most information suggests a dry, resting period after flowering.  It is not clear if the orchid is completely herbaceous.

  I don't do well with plants that require both wet and dry periods, most everything I grow is suitable for evenly moist soil year round.   Have I made a mistake, or can this orchid grow with regular moisture and excellent drainage ??   Thanks   

Should do fine where you're at, but, because they want to be on the drier side while dormant in winter, planted in a pot might be better than in the ground..

Snippet from the Pac. Bulb Society:  https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Bletilla_striata

[Tracy]

Darold I am growing a few varieties of this orchid.  I kept most in pots which do fine.  I did lose one in ground planting after two years, which I attribute to too much water during the resting season.   I have some hanging orchids I hand water adjacent to the in ground specimen.   It received runoff when I watered those hanging specimens of unrelated genera.  The Bletilla striata also was in pretty deep shade which slowed drying even though in my well draining sandy soil.

Let us know how yours perform.   Mine all bloomed a few weeks ago but still hold foliage for now, so it may not be until next spring that you see flowers on your new plant.

[Darold Petty]

Thanks guys,  pot it is,  I have a space outdoors ,sheltered against irrigation or rainfall, so I will place the pot there in the autumn.  

[Motlife]

I don't have one, but they are relatively common in lots of parts of NZ where it certainly isn't very dry in winter. So I think you'd be fine as long as your soil was reasonably free draining.

[Darold Petty]

Motlife, thanks, I have very fast drainage, just 1.5 km inland from the ocean, I would guess the sand is meters deep in my yard.