Nature and Gardening

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All things green, outdoors, and nature-y. Whether it's animals in their natural habitat, hiking trails and mountains, or planting a little garden for yourself (and everything in between), you can talk about it here.

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My Earina autimnalis orchid flowered! (mander.xyz)

submitted 1 week ago by nettle@mander.xyz to c/greenspace

6 comments fedilink hide all child comments

About a year ago I rescued a native Earina autimnalis orchid that had fallen on to the road. I placed it on a tree with some sphagnum moss behind and watered it occasionally.

I was worried it wasn't happy, but then new shoots started growing, and before I knew it, flower spikes emerged!

A conservation friend of mine, who has cared for native orchids, said she's never seen them flower in captivity. So I wasn't expecting much from the spikes.

Then today when I checked how the orchid was doing, It was flowering with some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen :).

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[–] LallyLuckFarm 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's awesome that it's flowering for you! There's always that worry about whether what I've transplanted is happy in its new spot, but new shoots and flowers are a sign that you did a great job

[–] nettle@mander.xyz 2 points 1 week ago

Thank you! I was so happy when I saw flowers with the new shoots. I think it loves it there now :)

[–] Guenther_Amanita@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Congratulations! Where is this species native to?

What substrate are you growing it on and in what conditions?

[–] nettle@mander.xyz 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Thank you, it's native to New Zealand. I am growing it on spagnum (spagnum seeweed mix), the spagnum is dried, not killed, so it does not rot easily and may grow again if kept in the right conditions.

The spagnum is also apparently sustainably harvested in New Zealand. however I have my doubts on how sustainable it actually is, so Im trying to grow future batches myself (grows so slow, and im pretty bad at re-aliving it)

[–] Guenther_Amanita@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Awesome! Do you grow it inside your house or outdoor?

[–] nettle@mander.xyz 2 points 1 week ago

Its outdoors, it can be to warm inside for these orchids to be happy