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Gastrodia sesamoides

cinnamon bells

Orchidaceae

southeastern Australia and New Zealand

Attracts Pollinators Fragrant (light)

SunFull Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Gastrodia sesamoides is a leafless, perennial terrestrial orchid that draws its nutrients from soil fungi rather than from photosynthesis. A single fleshy flowering stem 8-39 inches (20-100 cm) tall emerges in late spring, pale brown to reddish-brown and without any green leaves. The stem carries 10-40 nodding, bell-shaped flowers, each 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) long, brown to fawn outside and paler within, with a cinnamon-like scent. Below ground the plant produces sausage-shaped tubers 1.2-3 inches (3-8 cm) long. After flowering the stem lengthens and ripens cylindrical capsules that release dust-like seed. The plant is visible only when flowering and stays dormant underground for the rest of the year. It depends on the presence of specific Armillaria spp. and other soil fungi, which makes it difficult to cultivate or transplant.

Native Range

Native to southeastern Australia, including Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia, and also New Zealand. It grows in moist eucalypt forest and woodland, in deep leaf litter and decaying organic matter, from near sea level to 3,900 feet (1,200 m).

Suggested Uses

Found in conservation areas and bushland remnants rather than cultivated plantings. It is studied for its mycoheterotrophic biology and marks undisturbed forest litter. It is not suited to garden cultivation.

How to Identify

Recognized by a leafless brown flowering stem 8-39 inches (20-100 cm) tall carrying nodding, bell-shaped brown flowers 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) long with a cinnamon scent. The absence of any green leaves separates it from photosynthetic orchids. The underground tubers are sausage-shaped, 1.2-3 inches (3-8 cm) long.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 3'3"

Width/Spread4" - 8"

Colors

Flower Colors

brown

fawn

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers from late spring into summer, November through January in the native range. Flowering is irregular between years and is heavier in seasons following good rainfall. Plants may not appear above ground at all in dry years.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

brown to fawn

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 2 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 Range5.0 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

It grows in shaded, undisturbed forest soils rich in decaying wood and leaf litter with a pH of 5.0-6.5. The plant cannot be grown by conventional methods because it depends on a continuous association with specific soil fungi. It receives no direct watering or feeding in the wild and declines when its forest habitat is cleared or the litter layer is removed. Soil disturbance breaks the fungal association and kills the plant. It occurs naturally in cool, humid forest with a permanent litter layer.

Pruning

Pruning does not apply to this species. The flowering stem withers and collapses naturally after the seed capsules ripen and split. Above-ground growth disappears completely until the next flowering season.