Return to Orchid Growing
SPATHOGLOTTIS
GROWING HINTS
GROWING HINTS
SPATHOGLOTTIS
Let nature be your guide
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Not all orchids grow epiphytically in trees. A number of them naturally grow in the ground and North Queensland is home to a native terrestrial orchid. Spathoglottis plicata which is very happy growing in and around Cairns in the ground. They are also found through Papua New Guinea and as far into the pacific as Samoa and New Caledonia.
Here I find that we have to grow them in a pot in a sheltered position. Spathoglottis will not stand frost. In their natural habitat, they are often sheltered by long grass, so their bulbs are protected. They have small round bulbs and pointed, pleated leaves.
I grow mine in large pots in a mix of spent orchid bark and a friable, well drained potting mix. They like to be in a shaded position that gets good light and regular water for all year except winter when they should be kept a bit drier.
Again, I don’t feed my orchids but make sure they are repotted each season into fresh potting mix which can contain some leaf mould. They do have long roots, so deep pots are fine and I use plastic pots as mine are kept in shade.
They come in purple, white, pink and yellow. I have had seedlings come up in my bush house which is very unusual for orchids.
They are easy to divide. This is best done in the spring as the weather warms up. I would divide a full 20 centimetre pot into 3 divisions and repot each division into a 20 centimetre pot. Make sure that the bulbs are sitting above the potting mix.
Here I find that we have to grow them in a pot in a sheltered position. Spathoglottis will not stand frost. In their natural habitat, they are often sheltered by long grass, so their bulbs are protected. They have small round bulbs and pointed, pleated leaves.
I grow mine in large pots in a mix of spent orchid bark and a friable, well drained potting mix. They like to be in a shaded position that gets good light and regular water for all year except winter when they should be kept a bit drier.
Again, I don’t feed my orchids but make sure they are repotted each season into fresh potting mix which can contain some leaf mould. They do have long roots, so deep pots are fine and I use plastic pots as mine are kept in shade.
They come in purple, white, pink and yellow. I have had seedlings come up in my bush house which is very unusual for orchids.
They are easy to divide. This is best done in the spring as the weather warms up. I would divide a full 20 centimetre pot into 3 divisions and repot each division into a 20 centimetre pot. Make sure that the bulbs are sitting above the potting mix.
