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Bletilla striata

Chinese ground orchid

Orchidaceae China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

SunPart Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Bletilla striata is a deciduous terrestrial orchid forming clumps 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall and 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) wide from flattened underground pseudobulbs about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. Each pseudobulb produces 3-6 lance-shaped leaves, 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) long and 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) wide, mid-green and pleated along parallel veins so the blades hold a corrugated surface through the season. Flower stems rise above the foliage in late spring carrying 3-7 blooms that open in succession from the base. Each flower is 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) across, magenta-purple with a paler frilled lip marked by 5 raised ridges and darker purple lines in the throat; white-flowered and variegated-leaf forms are also grown. Foliage yellows and dies to the ground by late autumn, leaving the site bare from November to April. Emerging shoots appear in April and are damaged by late frosts below 28F (-2C), which can remove a season of bloom without killing the plant. Clumps increase slowly, adding roughly 2-4 pseudobulbs a year, so a planting takes 3-4 seasons to close a gap. It is hardy in USDA zones 5-9, with the zone 5 limit dependent on a 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) winter mulch.

Native Range

Bletilla striata is native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, growing in damp grassland, on grassy slopes, and in open woodland and rock crevices from sea level to about 10,800 feet (3,300 m). Wild populations in China have declined through collection for the traditional medicine trade, where the pseudobulbs are known as bai ji. Cultivated stock in the horticultural trade is largely nursery-propagated by division.

Suggested Uses

Planted in woodland edges, shaded borders, and along paths in USDA zones 5-9 at 6-8 inch (15-20 cm) spacing, and grown in containers of 2 gallons (7.5 L) or larger that can be moved under cover for winter in colder zones. It combines with ferns, hostas, and epimediums that fill the same ground after the orchid foliage dies back in autumn. Cut stems last 7-10 days in water.

How to Identify

Pleated, strongly parallel-veined lance-shaped leaves 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) long, arising in a fan from a flattened underground pseudobulb, separate Bletilla spp. from other hardy garden perennials with similar habit. The flower is an orchid with 3 sepals and 3 petals, the lowest petal formed into a frilled lip 0.6-0.8 inch (1.5-2 cm) long bearing 5 lengthwise ridges. Flower stems carry 3-7 blooms and stand 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) clear of the leaf tips. Roots are white and fleshy, radiating from the pseudobulb at a depth of 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Flowering runs from late April to early June depending on latitude, with a display of 3-4 weeks from the first open bloom. Flowers open in sequence from the base of the stem upward, each lasting 7-10 days. Plants in their first season after division commonly produce a single stem or none, with full flowering resuming in the second or third year. In zones 8-9, warm springs can advance bloom into early April.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Magenta-purple with a paler frilled lip

Foliage Description

Mid-green, pleated

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade

Requires 3-6 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Growth is strongest in part shade with 3-6 hours of morning sun; full afternoon sun in zones 8-9 scorches the leaf margins, while deep shade reduces flower stem count. Soil should be humus-rich, evenly moist, and free-draining at a pH of 5.5-7.0, since pseudobulbs sitting in winter wet rot readily. Watering to keep the top 2 inches (5 cm) of soil moist from April through August supports leaf and pseudobulb growth, and water can be withheld once the foliage yellows in autumn. Pseudobulbs are planted 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) deep and spaced 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) apart, with a 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) mulch of leaf mould applied in late autumn in zones 5-6. A balanced liquid feed at half strength every 3-4 weeks during active growth is sufficient; slugs and snails graze emerging shoots in April and can strip a new fan in a night.

Pruning

B. striata requires no formative pruning. Flower stems can be cut at the base once the last bloom fades, which redirects resources to pseudobulb growth rather than seed capsules. Foliage is left standing until it yellows in late autumn, then cut to ground level, since the leaves continue feeding the pseudobulbs into September. Clumps are lifted and divided in early spring every 4-5 years, with 3-5 pseudobulbs kept per division.

Pruning Schedule

fall