some Dactylorhiza

[deplantspecialist]

in my little nursery some Dacty's are in flower:

Dactylorhiza fuchsii  pink form
Dactylorhiza maculata
Dactylorhiza purpurella
Dactylorhiza foliosa x sambucina

 

[annew]

Very pretty - I like the last one best.

[Claire Cockcroft]

What do you get when you grow Dactylorhiza fuchsii, D. maculata, D. majalis, and "sp."?  A swarm of hybrids!

[Claire Cockcroft]

A few more.

[Claire Cockcroft]

And just a few more.

[Margaret]

Wow Claire, they love your conditions. Part shade?

[Maren]

Very nice, Claire, what's your soil like?

[Claire Cockcroft]

The dactylorhizas have seeded themselves in sun, part shade, and heavy shade.  I think they need a little protection from the sun in the heat of the day, but the plants don't seem to care what I think.  Some even sprout in the crowns of large hostas (and eventually are squeezed out if I don't rescue them).

As for soil, I garden in creek bottom clay that has small round rocks in it.  I've dumped arborist's evergreen shreddings on the garden for several years now, not digging it in but simply laying it on the surface and letting the soil critters do their work.  That has made the biggest contribution to why the orchids are doing well.  And not digging lets the seeds germinate undisturbed.

[Roma]

I have Dactylorhiza purpurella seeding all over the garden and especially in pots.  Last year some of them got black blotches on the leaves and died down early.  Many more are afflicted this year.  I lost a big patch of elata and foliosa many years ago but thought purpurella was immune. 
Now the good news.  D. purpurella has escaped from my garden and is spreading in the ponies' field.  I counted 80 in this patch.
The last picture is Dactylorhiza maculata just outside the field at the far end from my house.  This clump is out in the open.  Most, locally are in shade and are much paler. 

[Maren]

We (I) can't grow Dactylorhiza purpurella here in the south for love nor money. They just don't like it here.

[mark smyth]

Wow that's an amazing sight all those purpurellas. Could I beg some seed when they are ripe?

[Maren]

Mark,
what a good idea. Can I put myself on the waiting list for seed?
Maybe if they are "born" in the banana belt, they may like it here after all.

[angie]

Wow Roma, you know I would love to live in that pony paddock of yours and even more so now. Things just seem to be happy with you.

Angie 

[Derek Davidson]

Hi Mark, I can give you some Dactyloriza purperea? when ripe,atb Deke.

[Philip Walker]

Dactylorhiza maculata