Thelymitra crinita
blue lady orchid
Overview
Thelymitra crinita is a terrestrial sun orchid of southwestern Western Australia, growing from an underground tuber and producing a single erect flowering stem 12-28 inches (30-70 cm) tall. A solitary thick, channelled leaf 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) long wraps the base of the stem. The stem carries a loose spike of 5 to 20 blue to purple-blue flowers, each 0.8-1.4 inches (2-3.5 cm) across with spreading petals and sepals of nearly equal size and colour. Unlike many orchids the flowers lack a modified lip, so the bloom looks star-shaped and symmetrical. A tufted, mop-like column crest in the centre is a paler blue. The flowers open fully only in warm, sunny conditions and close on cool or overcast days, the habit behind the name sun orchid. The plant is dormant through the dry summer, emerging after autumn rains to flower in spring. It grows in winter-wet woodland and heath on sandy and lateritic soils and depends on a defined dry summer rest, which restricts its cultivation to Mediterranean-type climates.
Native Range
Thelymitra crinita is native to southwestern Western Australia. It grows in winter-wet jarrah and marri woodland, around granite outcrops, and in heath on sandy and lateritic soils.Suggested Uses
Grown by terrestrial orchid specialists in pots within a cool, bright glasshouse or bush-house. Suited to collections in regions with dry summers and wet winters. Not adapted to open garden cultivation in humid-summer climates.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 2'4"
Width/Spread3" - 6"
Bloom Information
Flowers in spring, mainly September to November in its native range, after the autumn-to-winter growing season. The blue flowers open on warm sunny days and close in cool or cloudy weather. Each spike flowers over two to four weeks.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
blue to purple-blueFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in a free-draining sandy medium kept moist from autumn through spring during active growth. It requires a warm, dry rest once the foliage dies back in late spring, with tubers held nearly dry through summer. Full sun to dappled light suits it, as the flowers open only in warm bright conditions. Tubers are repotted while dormant in fresh medium each year. The species depends on soil fungi and is slow and exacting to raise from seed. Watering during summer dormancy causes tuber rot.Pruning
Spent flower stems are cut at the base once seed is not required, after flowering in spring. The single leaf is left to die back naturally into summer dormancy. No other trimming is needed.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons