bletillia at parks seeds

[dionysus]

parks seeds has bletilla bulbs for sale in white and pink for five dollars ea. it will probably be listed as 'hardy chinese ground orchid' though.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I have bought them from Van Bourgondien in 4 colors, tho I don't see the aurea at this time.
http://www.dutchbulbs.com/bulbs/index.do
I see they have 'Bletilla', 'Egret' flower (Habenaria radiata), and 'Pleione' formosana. But you need to search on the quoted words. 'Orchid' works for most, but they don't seem to know that the Habenaria is an orchid. My Habenarias from them did not come up this year, but they made good on a miscolored Bletilla, so they may resend the Habenarias next season.

A word of warning, these seed/bulb companies usually send the scrawniest bulbs you could imagine. It usually takes at least one extra season to get them up to blooming size, so if you see these plants available where you can inspect the bulb size or the plant size if they are growing, it may be worth a little more. In a few days, when I have time to convert the raw files, I will post the pictures of the aurea, well worth the price.

[dionysus]

well, the egret flower is mot really an orchid. i also got a plant called tacca chantereri, and it was called bat orchid, but it really is a lily. some of these bulb companies are pretty good with true bulbs like lilies, tulips, and the like, but when it comes to orchids, i have been sort of disappointed.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Habenaria radiata is indeed an orchid. Don't know where you got your info from, but it is wrong. I have had a couple of Habenarias, and killed them both, but not before blooming them. There is not doubt about them being orchids.

From Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia
http://www.orchidspecies.com/habradiata.htm

[dionysus]

i guess htat it is an orchid. two things about it were misleading, 1 it said in the description "orchid like flowers" 2 they looked more like snowdrops to me than orchids.

[pikevi]

Looked at some pictures of it. Very beautiful and aptly named 'egret flower'.

One bulb is about $25US? Did I get it right?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Looks like 2 bulbs in a bag for $10 US. Do you have to pay extra for shipping paperwork to Canada? Import/Export stuff?