Quick Characteristics:
| Height: | 10-30 cm (0.3-1 ft) |
| Flower Colors: | pink, purple, blue, white |
| Life form: | deciduous rhizome |
| Climate: | USDA Zone 7-9 |
Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb.f. is a terrestrial orchid from China, Taiwan and Japan. The rhizomes will form pseudobulbs half in and half out of the soil from which the leaves and flower stems appear early in the year. It has lance like, ribbed, mid-green leaves and bears bright purple-pink flowers between April and July. Plant in leafy, moist but well-drained soil in light shade in a sheltered site. It needs to be on the dry side in winter when dormant and may need a winter mulch in regions that get regular frosts. It can also be planted with the pseudobulbs completely underground to improve hardiness. The flowers are relatively short-lived, but the buds open successively for several weeks. In addition to the standard pink form, there are white-flowered and blue forms. Several clones with variegated leaves are also widely distributed. The first two photos by Arnold Trachtenberg are of a pot grown plant. The third photo was taken by Michael Mace, who grows them in California in a pot with good drainage and year-round water. His photo shows the very pronounced ruffles in the throat of the flower. The fourth and fifth photos were taken by Nicholas Plummer who has found this orchid easy to grow in the ground in North Carolina. He writes that given a modicum of care it will steadily increase in size until you have a huge clump to impress your friends. Some years it comes into growth early and the leaves and flowers have to be protected from the cold, even though the plants can survive freezing temperatures. The last photo was taken by David Pilling of the pseudobulbs.
Alberto Grossi supplied the photos below and wrote: "I planted the pseudobulbs about four years ago in a border. In winter (I live in the North of Italy and we usually experience -10/-15 °C) I mulch them with dried leaves. I noted that it is frost resistant, but it is very sensitive to late frost."
Bletilla striata 'Alba' is not as vigorous as the pink forms. The white flowers get a purplish tinge with age. Pictures by Alberto Grossi, Martin Bohnet, and Nicholas Plummer.
Bletilla striata 'Albostriata' has delicately white edged leaves. Photo from Martin Bohnet.
Bletilla striata 'Soryu' has blue flowers; photographs by Mari Kitama and Martin Bohnet. Soryu means Blue Dragon.
Bletilla striata 'Tri-Lips' has a very peculiar flower mutation, forming ruffled lip structures from all three inner petals. Photos from Martin Bohnet.
