Purple Ground Orchid

Description:

Spathoglottis plicata is the most common terrestrial (ground dwelling) orchid. Softly textured, pleated leaves to 3Ft long emerge in February from egg-shaped pseudobulbs about 2" in diameter. The flowers range in color from white to purple and are borne on erect spikes to 3 ft tall. Flowers open a few at a time at the top of the stem and each stem can last for months.

Habitat:

Lyon Arboretum

Notes:

In Sri Lanka to the Pacific Islands it blooms throughout the year. Over the last century, Spathoglottis plicata has become naturalized in tropical and semitropical areas of the U.S., such as in Hawaii and Florida, where it grows in the wild and is used for landscaping. S. plicata was among the first plants to recolonize the land around Mt. Krakatoa after this mighty volcano exploded in 1883 and decimated the Indonesian island of Krakatau.