Anyone have experience with Habenaria radiata?

[Indiana Gardener]

Hi,

  I was wondering if Habenaria radiata requires anything special or is difficult outdoors in zone 5b? I have a bog wth some Sarracenia flava in it, would ol' Heb be happy there ya think?
Bye for now,

 

[herenorthere]

Those are beautiful plants and I hope to get one someday too. They like good drainage with lots of moisture. So a high point in a bog could work if they're planted in a freely draining material. I don't know whether they prefer acidic conditions, however. I'll look for reliable information and will post it (or a link) here later.

 

[herenorthere]

Here's a link to a 1995 Canadian Orchid Congress newsletter that has something about growing Habenaria radiata.  It's in the Hardy Orchids article.

 

[Indiana Gardener]

Thanks for the good link. That told just what I was wondering. Especially about the medium. Apparently all the places that sell it as "zone 5/6" material just want to make sales. I'd further believe someone who has grown it successfully, along with other orchids. I still think it would be fun to try even though it would take more care than I was planning on.
  Maybe if I baby the main plant I can do some hardiness tests with some offsets in time.
  Do you know of a reputable supplier of this? I could have laughed when that article said, "The Habenaria usually available from your garden centre..". Our garden centers here have nothing like that.
Thanks again.
Bye for now,

 

[Indiana Gardener]

Thanks for the good link. That told just what I was wondering. Especially about the medium. Apparently all the places that sell it as "zone 5/6" material just want to make sales. I'd further believe someone who has grown it successfully, along with other orchids. I still think it would be fun to try even though it would take more care than I was planning on.
  Maybe if I baby the main plant I can do some hardiness tests with some offsets in time.
  Do you know of a reputable supplier of this? I could have laughed when that article said, "The Habenaria usually available from your garden centre..". Our garden centers here have nothing like that.
Thanks again.
Bye for now,

 

[herenorthere]

Here's a listing for them in the Van Bourgondien Spring 2003 catalog and here's a listing at Asiatica Nursery.  I've never order from either and haven't researched their info yet to see if either mentions its source.

A few years ago I emailed someone who had an ad selling them in Orchidmall or the old Pollinia.  The person reponded from Japan offering to send me ten corms for $20 or some similarly questionable price.  I asked about CITES & phytosanitary documents and the person replied that no questions are ever asked if they're sent to the US in an envelope.  So I said no thanks.

The price was way too low for someone to be propagating them and, assuming it wasn't a scam, the person must have been collecting them.  I wasn't as sensitive to this kind of thing back then and I now wish I had reported the situation to the appropriate authority in Japan.  They have a huge problem with Habenaria poaching over there and, as is typical with poaching, it's offensive how little money poachers are willing to accept for their plunder.