Calanthe tricarinata (Hardy Calanthe Orchid)

Calanthe tricarinata (Hardy Calanthe Orchid) is an evergreen to semi-evergreen terrestrial orchid boasting racemes of exquisite nodding flowers adorned with yellow-green tepals and reddish-brown lower lips. Blooming in late winter to early spring, they are borne on erect stems above the foliage of elliptic to lance-shaped, ribbed, mid-green leaves. The foliage is evergreen in milder climates but can go dormant in colder areas. Arising from a pseudobulb, Hardy Calanthe Orchid will naturalize and spread modestly by bulb offsets, forming a charming clump over time. As attractive in pots and containers as it is in beds and borders, it is an excellent orchid for shade garden conditions and woodland gardens.

• Grows in clumps up to 12-18 in. tall and wide (30-45 cm).
• Easily grown in moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil in a sheltered site in partial shade. Under glass, grow in terrestrial orchid compost in bright, filtered light and high humidity
• Calanthe Orchids can withstand a minimum temperature of 14°F (-10°C). It is advisable, in regions with severe winters, to protect them during long periods of freezing. Mulch with composted bark over winter.
• Lovely addition to beds and borders, woodland gardens, or containers.
• Virtually disease free. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails.
• Propagate by division of pseudobulbs in spring.
• Native to Japan (including the Ryukyu Islands), Korea, China (Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Tibet, Yunnan), Northeastern India, Bhutan, Assam, Nepal, Kashmir, Myanmar, and Thailand.