Chinese Ground Orchid Pink

These cast-iron, terrestrial orchids are a pleasure to grow, they proffer glamorous, long lasting, easy to pick blooms.

Bletilla, or Chinese Ground Orchids are a cinch to grow and flower. With neat, clumping foliage and oodles of blooms, they are an absolute joy. Plant them along pathways, in rock gardens, at garden edges, under trees, in pots and more.

The flowers offer excellent value, opening in racemes with up to 12 on each stem. We have found we get the best flowers after a cold winter.

The foliage of Bletilla is a lush, bright green with deep, decorative ridges. The leaves emerge in early spring and usually last until frost. Established clumps produce numerous blooms.

The flowers of Bletilla are so easy to pick, simply pluck the blooms from amongst the foliage – they come out easily and last well in a vase. The flower season can last a month or more.

Plant Bletilla or Chinese Ground Orchids towards the front of garden beds or in pots. They look best planted in clumps. Grow in moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil. Water to establish, then only if rainfall is low, they are dry tolerant once established. They become dormant over winter.