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Glossodia spp.

wax-lip orchid

Orchidaceae Eastern and southern Australia

Attracts Pollinators

SunPart Shade

WaterLow

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Glossodia spp. is a genus of two terrestrial orchids in the family Orchidaceae, native to Australia. The plants grow from a small underground tuber and produce a single hairy, oblong basal leaf each year, from which a slender flowering stem rises 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) tall bearing usually one, occasionally two, flowers. The flowers are 0.8-1.6 inches (2-4 cm) across in mauve, violet, or purple, rarely white or pink, with a small two-lobed white-and-purple structure at the base of the lip that gives the group the name wax-lip orchid. The plants are deciduous, dying back to the tuber over summer and reappearing after autumn rains, so they are visible only for part of the year. Like many terrestrial orchids they depend on soil fungi, which makes them hard to transplant or cultivate. Flowering is often heaviest in the season after a bushfire. G. major is widespread in eucalypt woodland and heath across eastern and southern Australia, while G. minor is smaller and more restricted. The genus grows in well-drained sandy or loamy soils among leaf litter.

Native Range

Glossodia spp. is native to Australia, mainly the eastern and southern states, where it grows in open eucalypt woodland, forest, and heath. The plants favor well-drained sandy and loamy soils with a covering of leaf litter.

Suggested Uses

This genus is grown mainly by specialist terrestrial-orchid enthusiasts and in native woodland conservation rather than general gardens. It is studied as part of Australian woodland and orchid flora. Where it occurs naturally, it is protected in place rather than transplanted.

How to Identify

Look for a single hairy basal leaf and a slender stem 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) tall carrying one or two mauve to purple flowers in spring. The small two-lobed white-and-purple callus at the base of the lip is the key feature. The single leaf and solitary waxy-lipped flower distinguish Glossodia spp. from other small terrestrial orchids.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 10"

Width/Spread2" - 4"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~2 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in spring, generally August to November in the southern hemisphere. Each plant usually opens a single mauve to purple flower that lasts one to two weeks. Flowering is often more abundant in the spring following a summer bushfire.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

mauve, violet, purple

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade

Requires 2-5 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

sand loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years from seed

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

This genus is difficult to cultivate because the plants depend on specific soil fungi and a seasonal cycle of moisture and dormancy. In the wild they grow in well-drained sandy or loamy soils in open woodland with light to dappled sun and a layer of leaf litter. They need moisture through the autumn-to-spring growing season and a dry, warm summer dormancy, and they resent disturbance of the tuber and its fungal partner. Transplanting and division usually fail, so conservation in place suits wild colonies better than digging. Hardiness suits mild temperate climates, roughly USDA zones 9 to 10. Grazing, weed invasion, and habitat clearing are the main threats.

Pruning

No pruning is needed for this small terrestrial orchid. The single leaf and flowering stem die back on their own into summer dormancy. The leaf is left undisturbed while green so it can replenish the tuber.