Garden Orchid

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Garden Orchid

Spathoglottis spp.

• ​​Common Name: Garden Orchid
  
• Scientific Name: Spathoglottis spp.
  
• Family Name: Orchidaceae
  
• Origin: Southern China, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, Hawaii, Florida, and Australia.
  
• Height: up to 2’
  
• Width: unknown
  
• Growth: slow - moderate
  
• Zone: 10 - 11
  
• Light Needs: Bright light, Full sun to light shade, (adequate light is the secret ingredient in a flowering, in Florida part shade to full shade, with bright indirect light is best).
  
• Salt Tolerance:  little to none
  
• Soil/PH/Texture: prefers a rich cymbidium-type medium if potted, it can be grown in raised beds if there is perfect drainage, organic material–a garden loam with some added peat should do nicely. Use a half-strength balanced fertilizer once a week during the growing cycle, but only once every 2 weeks in the winter months.
  
• Soil Moisture: Maintain high humidity, even moisture constant air movement, (make sure not to overwater to avoid root rot).
  
• Drought Tolerance: little to none but they do tolerate heat and humidity
  
• Pests/Diseases: can be susceptible to most common pests, but no pest seems to pose serious problems. Watch for spider mites, thrips, and aphids. Pests may transmit diseases but there are no serious diseases to be concerned about besides root rot or fungal disease caused by over watering or saturated soil.
  
• Growing Conditions: easy orchid to grow for beginners and low maintenance, prune any old or damaged leaves or old flower stems.
  
• Characteristics: commonly seen as a garden plant growing, are terrestrial unlike most of their delicate epiphyte orchid cousins, these tropical orchids thrive in a warm and wet environment and can be grown in the ground. They are known for cluster-borne flowers that are generally large and have an extensive color range (purple, pink, to white to yellow and more), they appear on top tall 2’ leafless stalks, bright green, spear-shaped leaves appear out of thick stems located at the base of the plant in their “pseudobulbs”, and have lush leaves that resemble palms.
  
• Propagation: by clump division
  
• Wildlife: unknown
  
• Facts: This beautiful terrestrial genus was established by a Dutch-German botanist, Carl Blume in 1825.
  
• Designer Considerations: use as a groundcover under trees, in the front of the border, grow along a porch or deck, along a walk or around the base of a small palm.
  

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