Species Orchid, Nun's Orchid, Nun's Cap Orchid, Phaius

On May 10, 2015, aejnqb from New Orleans, LA wrote:

This plant is maintenance free and a real show-stopper here in my New Orleans shade garden (zone 9b). Sometimes the leaves get a little beat up looking over the winter, but for several years now they've reliably come back up with new flower stalks in the early spring, followed by new growth leaves. Once the new growth leaves get a little bigger I trim off the ugly ones -- but it's probably not necessary to wait because in a cold winter I've seen it lose all its leaves and it still came back on time and unphased in spring. Here it starts putting up the stalks in early March, then the buds and then the flowers gradually open up the length of the stalk giving about two months of a nice show before I finally cut off the spent flower stalks in early May. The foliage by itself has a nice hos... read moreta look almost year round, depending on how tough our winter is. The clump has spread out and added stalks every year, but I wouldn't describe it as aggressive at all.

On Mar 10, 2012, Tibble22 from Panama City Beach, FL wrote:

I live in zone 8b. I've had my Nun's Orchid for 3 years and have had it outside. Each year it dies back in the winter. I placed my plant in my greenhouse this winter and it never died back and is full of stalks with gorgeous fragrant blooms. And it's only early March. I love this plant!

On Apr 10, 2010, gardenbehr from Tallahassee, FL wrote:

After the first winter, the foliage was burned, and the plant slowly came back, but there were no flowers. This winter, the coldest we've had in years, the foliage was again burned, but a huge healthy flower stalk appeared in the spring, and leaves are returning quickly.

On Apr 6, 2009, mrao77 from Plano, TX wrote:

I love the flowers on this orchid and it is not as demanding as the Phalenopsis or catteleyas. The flowers last long and blooms consistently. I have to keep it in a pot since it will not survive the winter in my zone 7a. However, it does like to remian pot bound, so not a problem at all!

On Aug 31, 2008, jacobsjd from Orlando, FL wrote:

Nun's orchid grows easily here in Orlando. Also, of note, it is very easily propogated using the bloom stems. Simply cut them into pieces, each with at least on node. Then dip them in rooting hormone and place in moist sphagnum moss. Keep them moist and small orchids will emerge within a month or two.

On Jan 31, 2007, KARLAE from Freeport, TX wrote:

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 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.

Jeremy

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.