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Hardiness: USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade Light Shade
Danger: N/A
Bloom Color: Bright Yellow Maroon (Purple-Brown) Brown/Bronze White/Near White
Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer
Foliage: Evergreen Herbaceous Veined
Other details: This plant is suitable for growing indoors Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Propagation Methods: By dividing the rootball
Seed Collecting: Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
On Feb 16, 2007, Lily_love from Central, AL (Zone 7b) wrote:
Nun's Orchid; my guide to Davegarden! I purchased this plant last summer, the friendly nurserymen referred me to Davesgarden website for more information. This orchid does well in my shady area outdoors from late spring until late fall here on my 7-8 USDA zone. Inside, the flower spikes formed in the middle of the winter. The flowers are about to burst open anyday now. I potted this in orchid-mix media (no soil) and they thrive with little water/fertilizer during the growing seasons.
WE BOUGHT OUR NUN'S CAP LAST FEB. AT A NURSERY IN HOUSTON. THERE WERE 10 BLOOM SPIKES ON 5 PLANTS IN THE POT. AFTER THEY BLOOMED, I LET THE NEW SIDE SHOOTS GET ABOUT 2/3 FULL SIZE THEN CUT THE OLD GROWTH OFF. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 9 BLOOM SPIKES ON THOSE 5 NEW PLANTS. THEY ARE OUTSIDE UNDER 50% SHADE CLOTH BY A POND, AND IT'S BEEN DOWN TO 34 DEG. WITH NO DAMAGE AT ALL.
On Nov 19, 2006, tommyr2006 from Poughkeepsie, NY wrote:
Grows great in a west window. An awesome plant! I bought mine in 2005 and it's doing GREAT in a west bedroom window. Hopefully it'll bloom again for me. I feed it every other watering with a half strength miracle grow. Lush, wide ,tall green leaves! I LOVE this plant!
On Mar 13, 2006, 1wish_n_well from Houston, TX wrote:
A neighbor gave me starts last fall when she cut hers back. She had hundreds of blooms on her plant, sitting in a pot on her covered patio. My babies put out leaves this winter, but they seem slow to grow, and I'm wondering if/when I might get blooms. We didn't have much cold weather just south of Houston this winter. She said she always cuts hers way back after the blooms go.
On Dec 17, 2004, JaxFlaGardener from Jacksonville, FL (Zone 8b) wrote:
This plant is one of my favorites. It grows and blooms easily in NE Florida (on the borderline of Zone 8/Zone 9). Flowers emerge soon after the last frost in our area (around March 1) and remain in spike for several weeks. I want to collect hundreds of them! I think they are especially effective in a border mixed with Aspidistra since the leaves are so similar in size, texture, and appearance.
Update 3/14/06: The flower spikes for the past two years have emerged before the last frost/freeze and some get blasted black by the cold weather while others continue to bloom unaffected. Next Winter, I will find some way to put a cloche/bell jar type cover over the emerging flower spikes to better protect them.
On Nov 29, 2004, MotherNature4 from Bartow, FL (Zone 9a) wrote:
These lovely terrestrial orchids can grow to 1.4m tall. They have naturalized in some areas of Florida, notably in Hardee County, preferring swamps, hammocks or bayheads.
The common name is explained by looking into the throat of the flower. One can see what appears to be a nun with head bowed in prayer.
On Jan 15, 2003, Terry from Murfreesboro, TN (Zone 7a) wrote:
This terrestrial orchid is relatively easy-to-grow, as a houseplant (or outdoors in very mild climates) Will need some cool temperatures to encourage blooming.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Deatsville, Alabama Bartow, Florida Boca Raton, Florida Bradley, Florida Brooksville, Florida Floral City, Florida Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort White, Florida Frostproof, Florida Gainesville, Florida Jacksonville, Florida (2 reports) Lake Wales, Florida Lutz, Florida Lynn Haven, Florida Miami, Florida (2 reports) Nokomis, Florida North Fort Myers, Florida Odessa, Florida Orlando, Florida (2 reports) Port Charlotte, Florida Port Saint Lucie, Florida Sarasota, Florida Sebastian, Florida Sebring, Florida Seffner, Florida Shalimar, Florida Spring Hill, Florida Waycross, Georgia Baton Rouge, Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana Saint Martinville, Louisiana Poughkeepsie, New York Kure Beach, North Carolina New Bern, North Carolina Hanover, Pennsylvania Brazoria, Texas Corpus Christi, Texas Freeport, Texas Houston, Texas (3 reports) Humble, Texas Richmond, Texas Santa Fe, Texas Spring, Texas
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