Veseys

Habenaria radiata

This Japanese bog orchid is also called ‘Sagi-so’ or Crane Orchid. Soak the small corms in warm water for one hour before planting. Plant 1" deep, one bulb per 6” pot in a 50% peat/50% coarse sand mix. Keep soil constantly moist and grow at 15-18C. Provide lots of bright light but no direct sun. When danger of frost has passed, the growing plant may be transplanted into a shady border. It is best to plunge the whole container into the garden. Will not tolerate dry, hot weather, so it is often best to grow as a pot plant. Top-dress the plants with organic mulch to conserve moisture.

Where not hardy (north of zone 7) pots should be brought indoors before frosts. From October to April, reduce watering but still keep the soil slightly moist. Allow the leaves to die back and the plant to go dormant. Resume watering in spring. The dormant tubers should never dry out, but if they are too wet, they will rot. It is often better to overwinter by digging up the tubers and then washing them thoroughly. Put in a good quality freezer bag with some slightly damp vermiculite. Place this in the refrigerator for the winter months and replant in the spring. Hardy in zones 7-10