Partial shade, organic soil, average water, and you do have to deadhead them.

Hi Marcia,

I have one in the ground in full sun and then I have another one thats in a little more shade but not much....they get watered once a week by the sprinkler. Other than that I let the flowers blooms and cut the dead stalks off....they don't really get much care from me at all and they always seem to be in bloom....I just recently divided mine...and they didn't even seem to go into shock or anything. Oh they also get fertilized whenever I remember to fertilize the garden.

Wow, they sound fairly easy. I hope the area I'm wanting to put them in gets enough sun. Thanks for the help. I found lots of online places selling them, but not many with specific growing info.

Appreciate it!

Marcia

They will die back in a frost, but they come back from the roots when it warms again. I love the spathoglotties and have them in full, shade and everything in between.

Oh, thanks, Katkin. I will go ahead and put them right where I want them. If they languish, I can always move them, I reckon. I think they are charming! Now I want more ground orchids of various types.

Marcia

Hey Marcia,

I was reading your post this morning and had to do a little research to see what the plant looked like.

I went down to Lowe's at lunchtime and lo and behold, there they were on the "rescue" shelves! $1.47 each! I quickly grabbed the four that the lady put out and told her about reading up on them. She said something about power of thought. How true.

I hope our new plants thrive..I'm sure yours will. I'm a little lax in the taking care area.

Wanda

Hey, Wanda...congrats on your bargain grapettes! Aren't they cute? But I have to say that I detect no fragrance whatsoever from the blooms. :o( Oh, well. They are pretty enough anyway.

As for mine surviving, I'm never sure about the chances of any plant I bring home. Some thrive, some just barely hang on, and some bite the dust embarrasingly quickly. I'm hoping these guys will be in the first group, because I really like them.

Good luck with yours!
Marcia

I am spathoglotties biggest enemy. Every time i try (1/2 dozen times) I just manage to neatly kill them. I know, I should be ashamed of myself!

Miss Marcia...last year I planted 3 'grapettes' and one other form of ground orchid out front directly in the ground under a clump of palms, although they were getting too much sun in that spot.
Granted, the ground is very poor there and mostly sand, but they hung on...not quite dying, but looking bad...really bad...and definitely refused to bloom again despite being fed on a regular basis.

Here's the 'Grapette' and the other early on last year:
{{gwi:849301}}

{{gwi:193901}}

They declined after a few months and never did much but sit there and take up room...LOL

Last month I dug them all out and potted them up in a large wide container with humus and a really enriched soil...also threw in a handful of Osmocote for good measure.
I placed the pot under our live oak tree so it was in partial sun only and they get hosed down every other morning when I 'hit' all my other orchids.
They are thriving now and I'm just thrilled!

Apparently, they're fussier than normal orchids...LOL

They're lovely when in bloom and judging from the way mine look, won't be long.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info, Lellie! If mine start to decline, I'm going to do the same thing. Dig them and pot them. That way, I can control just how much sun they receive. I may buy a few more specifically for containers, anyway. I reallyreally like these.

Marcia

I have been admiring these at Lowes but they want 9.99 for them. They have the deep purple and light purple ones.

Sylvia

I got mine at Home Depot for $4.99. They didn't have the taller, lighter colored ones last time I was in, but they had a lot of nice looking Grapettes.

Marcia

I got some at Lowe's for $6 apiece, I think-- put them in a shady spot among some impatiens this week. I love them too-- the only problem with them being in the ground now is that I have to get down on my stomach to sniff that grapey goodness!

So I guess I'll geto ne for the picnic table in container...

Shelbey

Mine don't seem to have any fragrance that I can detect, Shelbey. *sad sigh* But they are so pretty, I forgive them.

Marcia

MIne don't have a scent either...but they sure are pretty.

I to bought a Spath at Lowes. I keep it inside in its original plastic pot in bright light. It IS growing, but recently i noticed the tips of the leaves are turning brown. It was in flower when I bought it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I notice that after a cold spell, the green leaves will get brown spots that look like copper leaf spot. It's actually just slight damage by the cold wind. I bought one plant last year and divided it into 11 new baby plants a month ago. Good luck!

My ground orchid I've had for over eleven years. I bought it from a mail order which called them "Chinese Orchid".