PlantFiles: Ground Orchid, Boat Orchid, Phillippine Orchid
Spathoglottis plicata

Very attractive plant that blooms from May through November here. I grow them in large pots under a big live oak tree. They come in a variety of colors from reds to yellows and multicolored as well. They will take temps down to freezing but 32 degrees seems to be the cut off. I feed them 4 times a year with a regular 6-6-6 fertilizer. Rainy weather will sometimes cause leaf fungus but it is easily controlled. It is a nice addition to a subtropical shade garden.

I loved the look of this plant and so bought several, but the winter must have been tough on them, because half didn't come back at all, and those that did haven't bloomed. From your comments, it sounds like I needed to be more vigilant about watering them where I planted them in the yard. We had a colder than usual winter (for the 21st century, anyway) here in Big Bend Florida, so that may have done them in. Wish I could have more success; I'm trying curcuma this year.

I live in sw fl and had the plant in full sun; seemed too much. So i moved it to partial shade. The foliage appears better, however, i can't get it to bloom. Any suggestions for a fertilizer?

These plants were recently offered in the dozens at Lowe's for about $17 each and I couldn't resist buying one, but there was no cultivation information provided with the plant. From the reports above, it looks as though I might have to remove it from the ground and keep it through the winter as a potted orchid in my greenhouse (Zone 8b/9a borderline here). I successfully grow other Chinese ground orchids outdoors and was hoping this one would also survive our winters with occasional hard freezes. I would appreciate hearing from other gardeners that may have had success with this orchid outdoors in colder climates.

A small ground orchid, almost stemless, with arched, pleated leaves. The flowers are medium sized (for an orchid), pink, with a red spot on the labellum, coming from the top of an erec inflorescence.

I tried to cultivate this one, but found out too late that it requires a moisture that I could never give it in my apartment. In the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, there are lots of them planted next to small lakes and creeks, inside the orchidarium, so I guess that´s how much moisture it needs to survive. Also, it must be planted on rich organic soil, and avoid direct sunlight. High air humidity, and high temperatures are needed too.

You often see this orchid planted in large beds in such places a Singapore and Jakarta, where they bloom continuously. Unfortunately for us in non-tropical climates, the plant is very tender - I've lost pots grown from seed (germinates readily in a leaf mould/garden loam mixture at 28-30 degrees C.) after outside temps have dropped below 8 C. Appreciates *excellent* air circulation and very bright light, as well as hot sweaty temperatures, and therefore does not usually thrive as a window sill orchid. Unless you live in the tropics or subtropics, you'll probably need a green house to grow this plant to its full potential.

Wonderful little plant. In my garden, it starts blooming in April and continues on into November. It also spreads, but slowly.

The flowers will be in bloom for nearly 2-3 months.