How to Plant and Grow Chinese Ground Orchid
The easy-to-grow Chinese ground orchid brightens up part-shade borders with its petite flowers and pretty leaves, forming a carpet of foliage.
A deer-resistant woodland beauty, Chinese ground orchid has small pinkish-purple flowers for weeks in the spring. Unlike epiphytic orchids which grow in the canopy of trees, this is a terrestrial orchid that grows on the ground. The petite flowers grow along thin stems that stand 18 inches tall. The orchids spread slowly to form a carpet of foliage.
Chinese orchid is easier to grow than orchids that are air plants. It is a great plant for rock gardens or the front of part-shade borders.
Where to Plant Chinese Ground Orchid
Select a location with at least partial shade, preferably during the afternoon. Chinese orchid does best in rich and moderately moist, well-drained soil. It is adaptable to a wide soil pH from acidic to alkaline.
Unlike many spring-blooming bulbs, Chinese ground orchid retains its foliage until it is killed back by frost. The pleated leaves are pretty in their own right and make Chinese ground orchid attractive even when the plant isn’t in bloom. This trait makes it great for carpeting soil near the front of a flower border. The leaves are a complement to fuzzy lady's mantle foliage, finely cut astilbe leaves, and hosta leaves. Another attractive pair is Chinese ground orchid with black snakeroot or Rodger's flower. When planted in optimal growing conditions, Chinese ground orchids will spread to create a colony.
How and When to Plant Chinese Ground Orchid
Chinese ground orchid is somewhat hardy but still sensitive to extreme cold so plant it in the spring when temperatures have warmed up. Plant the corm-like bulbs 3 to 4 inches deep and space them 4 inches apart.
Chinese Ground Orchid Care Tips
When grown in suitable conditions, Chinese ground orchids will do well and spread happily without requiring much care.
Light
Chinese ground orchid is a shade plant. Part shade with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal but it will also grow in full shade.
Soil and Water
Chinese ground orchid thrives in organically rich but light, humus-rich soil that is typically found in a forest. You can mimic this nutrient-rich environment by incorporating a 4- to 6-inch layer of well-decomposed compost into the soil before planting. This will also improve soil drainage, which is crucial because Chinese ground orchid does not tolerate wet soil. The plant is adaptable to a soil pH range between 6.0 and 8.0.
Regular moisture is essential for good growth. In the absence of rain, water the plants well throughout the growing season.
Temperature and Humidity
The plants are marginally hardy in zone 5 and benefit from a thick layer of mulch in the winter. It is sensitive to extreme temperatures, extreme heat from direct sun exposure, as well as hard winter freezes. Chinese ground orchid prefers humid conditions.
Fertilizer
Orchids are sensitive to commercial fertilizers. It is safe to replenish the soil with nutrients by scattering compost around the plant every year.
Pruning
It is not required to prune Chinese orchids. For a neater appearance, remove spent flowers and any dried or brown leaves at any time.
Potting and Repotting Chinese Ground Orchid
Choose a container with large drainage holes. The container should be large enough to allow for the plant to grow but not too large, as this increases the risk of overwatering. Keep in mind that potted plants need more frequent watering and fertilizer than plants in the landscape.
When the roots have filled the pot, repot the plant in a larger pot with fresh potting mix.
At the lower end of its zone range, container-grown Chinese ground orchids need winter protection, as the roots are exposed to the cold. Either bring the container indoors for overwintering or wrap it in bubble wrap or burlap for insulation. You can also place the pot in a larger pot and fill the space with mulch to protect the roots.
Pests and Problems
Chinese ground orchid is not known to have any major diseases or pests. Sometimes slugs and snails will feed on the plants. Chinese orchid is deer-resistant.
How to Propagate Chinese Ground Orchid
Chinese ground orchid can be propagated by division in the fall. Carefully dig up the corm-like bulbs. Separate them into sections and discard any blemished or diseased corms. Replant the sections at the same depth as the original plant.
Types of Chinese Ground Orchid
‘Blue Dragon’
This variety of Bletilla striata, also referred to as ‘Soryu’, has lavender-blue flowers in late spring. It grows 1-2 feet tall. Zone 5-9
‘Alba’
Unlike other Chinese ground orchids, this white-blooming variety flowers in mid to late summer. The plant reaches only 7 to 12 inches in height. Zone 6-10
‘Penway Sunset’
Bletilla striata 'Penway Sunset' is a tall cultivar with soft pink and light yellow flowers. It can grow 3 feet tall or more, so it needs to be spaced wider than the species, about 12 to 15 inches apart. Zone 5-9
Chinese Ground Orchid Companion Plants
Hosta
Hosta has earned its spot in the hearts of gardeners—it's among the easiest plants to grow, as long as you have some shade and ample rainfall. Hostas vary from tiny plants suitable for troughs or rock gardens to massive 4-foot clumps with heart-shape leaves almost 2 feet long that can be puckered, wavy-edged, white or green variegated, blue-gray, chartreuse, emerald-edged—the variations are virtually endless. Hostas in new sizes and touting new foliage features seem to appear each year.
Astilbe
Astilbe brings a graceful, feathering note to moist, shady landscapes. In cooler climates in the northern third or so of the country, it can tolerate full sun provided it has a constant supply of moisture. In drier sites, however, the leaves will scorch in full sun.Feathery plumes of white, pink, lavender, or red flowers rise above the finely divided foliage from early to late summer depending on the variety. It will spread slowly over time where well-situated. Most commercially available types are complex hybrids.
Lady's Mantle
Lady's mantle looks great in the garden and in a vase. Its scalloped leaves catch rain or drewdrops, making them look dusted with jewels. The chartreuse flowers appear in playful, frothy clusters above the foliage. Lady's mantle is ideal for softening the edge of a shaded path or creating a groundcover in dappled shade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chinese orchids be used as cut flowers?
Yes, they can, and Chinese ground orchids even have a long vase life. Harvest stems when one or two blooms are open. Plunge in a vase of fresh water. Replace the water daily, and the other blooms will open in the following days.
Do I need to dig up Chinese ground orchid in the fall?
If you are in within the plant variety's hardiness zones, you can leave in-ground plants in the soil over winter. Outside their hardiness zones, you can either grow Chinese orchids in pots and overwinter them indoors, or you can dig up the corms. Let them dry for a few hours and shake off excess soil. Store them in a cool, dry, frost-free location until the spring, then replant them.
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