Cranefly orchid.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Schwierig

Pflanzenart

Terrestrial orchid

Licht

Dappled shade

Licht im Innenraum

Wenig Licht

Gießen

Alle 7 bis 14 Tage

Endgröße

15 to 20 inches

Wachstum

Langsam

Winterhärte

USDA 6 bis 9

Blütezeit

Mid to late summer

Pflege

Keep the soil moist during the winter growing season and allow for a dry dormant period in summer. Watch for leaf yellowing which often signals the start of the summer dormancy. Ensure the soil remains well drained to prevent the corm from rotting.

Gießen

Keep the soil consistently moist while the leaf is present during fall and winter.

Düngen

Use a very dilute balanced fertilizer only during the active winter growing period.

Schneiden

Remove the dead flower stalk once it has completely withered after seed dispersal.

Umtopfen

Only repot when the plant is fully dormant in mid summer to avoid damaging the roots.

Boden

Rich organic woodland soil

Boden-pH

6.0 to 7.0

Temperatur

-15 bis 30°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

50 bis 80%

Sicherheit

Menschen

There is no evidence of significant toxicity, but it is not intended for human consumption.

Kinder

The plant is small and delicate, so it is best kept away from curious children who might pull at the leaves.

Essbarkeit

This plant is not considered edible and should not be consumed.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Single leaf with purple underside
• Upper leaf surface often dark spotted
• Tall slender flower spike
• Small greenish brown flowers
• Corm like underground structure

Höhe

0,2 bis 0,5m

Breite

0,1 bis 0,2m

Blätter

dark green, purple, deciduous

Blüten

greenish brown, purple, 1 bis 2cm

Früchte

brown, Autumn

Häufige Probleme

• Slug damage — Slugs and snails may feed on the foliage during the cool winter months.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

division, seed

Pflanzzeit

autumn

Plant this orchid in a stable, undisturbed woodland setting where the soil fungi are already established.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Christmas fern — It shares the same woodland floor habitat and provides a nice evergreen contrast.
• Asarum canadense — This low growing groundcover helps maintain the cool, moist soil conditions the orchid prefers.

Ähnliche Arten

• Aplectrum hyemale — It also features a single winter leaf and is another elusive woodland orchid.

Botanisches

Familie

Orchidaceae

Gattung

Tipularia

Ordnung

Asparagales

Klasse

Liliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Southeastern United States

Artenschutz

It is considered rare in parts of its northern range and should never be collected from the wild.

It thrives in rich, moist deciduous forests where it forms symbiotic relationships with soil fungi.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

specialized nocturnal pollination

Bestäuber

Nachtfalter

Verwendung

woodland garden specimen, native plant collection

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Why does my plant disappear in summer?

The plant is dormant during the summer months and only produces a flower spike.

Can I grow this in a pot?

It is very difficult to maintain in containers due to its specific fungal requirements.

Woher der Name kommt

Tipularia comes from the Latin word for a cranefly, referring to the flower shape, while discolor highlights the two-toned leaf.

Gut zu wissen

• The species name discolor refers to the two different colors of the leaf, which is green on top and purple underneath.
• It is commonly called the cranefly orchid because the flowers look like tiny insects.
• This orchid relies on a specific mycorrhizal fungus in the soil to survive.
• It is notoriously difficult to cultivate outside of its native woodland habitat.

Auch in

• Pflanzen für den Schatten