large mass of outdoor orchids

[Butterfly]

Hi,

I need advise quickly about orchids.

I was just blessed with a large amount of orchids. My girlfriend has an 8x10 garden area that she just cleared. She cleared it because the plants that were there were blocking her window. They were as tall as the house. When she cut the plants and started digging them out she found what she called an iceburge of (bulbls or rhyzomes...I don't know). They are orchids. She didn't want them so many of our friends are dividing them up. Trouble is we don't really know what to do with them.

My group is a big ball of soil and plant stalks that are about 1 1/2 inches diameter. I may have 20 plants. I thought I would just plant it outside my window in the ground like it was found at her house. I figure the less I do to it (like separating and dividing the roots) the better the plant would be able to survive. We have the same soil and I will plant it on the southwest. Hers was planted though on the northwest. My north area doesn't get light. Hers gets afternoon sun.

Nothing online that I have found after searching for two days has mentioned orchids growing outdoors in the ground on their own let alone in the muddy Mississippi soil. They are orchids. There was one link to muddy orchids but it was no longer available. I do hope someone responds with advise before we loose these beauties. Wish us luck anyway.

Thanks

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

It might help to take and post a picture of the bulbs to give us an idea what family of orchids it is in.

[Butterfly]

Hi Cynthia,

Thank you for your quick reply. I have taken the pictures. Would you like them posted under the "photo galary" section or as an attachment to a reply?

[Butterfly]

This is my first pic post!

[kmarch]

I dont' think these are orchids. I suppose they could be some kind of native North American orchids but they just don't look like orchids to me. Have you got a picture ofhe blossoms they produce?

[Butterfly]

No, my but I'll ask my friend if she does. She said they were orchids but maybe not. Thanks.

[wisenowl]

Those are canna lillies

[Butterfly]

Thank you for the plant identification! I am so sorry to be on the wrong site but appreciate your help.

Best of luck to you all. Have fun.

[pikevi]

I am certain that wisenowl is right. They are Cannas.

I have them and I dig them up at the end of summer and store them away for the following year. From the colour of the rhizomes it appears to be red or pink flowers. The shape of the rhizomes looks like they are from a 'tall' variety but then I am no expert on them.

They will grow and spread well if you have a loose soil.

Good luck.

[11Orchid126]

There is a ground orchid called Bletilla Striata. I grow it in my yard here in New Jersey. This plant has rhyzomes that multiply and send new shoots skyward, about a foot tall. It's been a while since I've seen the roots so can't say they are what you have in the picture.

[pikevi]

You may be right 11Orchid126.

I tried to locate a picture of the rhizome on the 'net but I couldn't. I saw a few pictures of dried ones(used medicinally in China) which resemble Glycyrhiza (liquorice/licorice rhyzome). The picture from Butterfly is very much like Cannas and I hope we did not mislead her.

But from the description of the rhizomes of Bletilla it does not appear that they are from that orchid (absence of cylindrical runners in between rhizomes).

Should you see a picture of fresh ones please post the link here. We can correct ourselves and also advice Butterfly accordingly. Thanks.