Bletilla striata

RHS Plant Profile

Chinese ground orchid

Other common names

common bletilla, hyacinth orchid, shi-ran

Synonyms

Bletilla striata 'Shi-ran'
Bletia hyacinthina
Bletia striata
Bletilla hyacinthina

Conservatory Greenhouse

Buy this from Plant Nurseries
19 Suppliers

Forms a clump of ribbed, sword-shaped leaves, with erect stems bearing several pink, fragrant orchid-shaped flowers, to 5cm wide, opening in spring and early summer

Position

Partial shade

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H4

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Orchidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Bletilla are deciduous terrestrial perennial orchids with tuber-like pseudobulbs, ribbed, linear to lance-shaped leaves, and erect racemes of bell-shaped flowers
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: China to Japan

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added leaf mould, in bright filtered or bright indirect light. In summer water freely, applying a quarter strength balanced liquid fertiliser at every third watering. Keep dry in winter

Propagation

Divide in early spring, when plant is large enough

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, aphids, glasshouse whitefly and mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free