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Spiranthes cernua turning yellow

A few weeks ago I picked up a Spiranthes cernua from the botanical garden and placed it in a distilled water filled tray beside my bog garden. Today I noticed that most of the leaves are have turned yellow.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/145958821@N05/29825666624/in/shares-u8e0M6/" title="Spiranthes1"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5674/29825666624_3798ef9f0b_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Spiranthes1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/145958821@N05/30339485222/in/datetaken/" title="Spiranthes2"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5544/30339485222_e43b1e8a3f_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Spiranthes2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I’ve done some googling and can’t seem to find anything to tell me if this is normal or not. If not, any suggestions on what to do? I left it in the potting medium it came in but am considering changing it to the same medium I use for my bog (sand and peat).

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I'm in zone 7b
 
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Thanks for the link, lots of good information there! I also went back and talked to someone at the gardens and they let me know that the leaves on the flowering stem often turn yellow.
 
Hi-

I see you didn't receive a reply on this. I have a Spiranthes species in my outside bog garden, I suspect S. cernua. I brought one inside my greenhouse, as I am replicating bog plants in there. Anyway, after moving the orchid in, the main plant never did flower and looks funky. But, it has the same offset new growth as your plant shows. So, my uneducated opinion is that your plant is done for the season and making an offshoot for next year.

I also have a Rose Pogonia in the greenhouse that flowered in May or thereabouts. There are no signs of the plant where it flowered, but it sent off stolons under the live moss. So, perhaps that's what orchids do. Bloom... then move on under the substrate.

I am not sure which CP the Spiranthes came with, but we started with about 1 plant and we now have 20 or better plants. Maybe more. Not weedy, but very hardy. I think yours will be fine. :D

Best regards, Lisa
 
Lisa,

Thanks for the reply! That makes me feel better, I guess a lot of terrestrial orchids grow underground like that. I'll probably move it over to my container bog to give it more room.
 
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