All plants offered are artificially propagated and not from collected plants.

GPO has worked with hardy garden orchids for many years, after a brief respite decided to focus on more adaptable species. Calopogon or grass pink's & Bletilla species & hybrids seemed to be the perfect candidates for large scale seed production. Plants are selected for good color and vigor. Part of the process involves taking plants from North and South and crossing them to bringing together the best of both regions and add greater adaptability, in this case Calopogon.

Bletilla species & hybrids are the easiest of hardy garden orchids being made available to the home gardener.  grass pink orchid is pleased and thrilled to be able to offer another rarely utilized for the outdoor garden a Chinese species Bletilla which has been in garden catalogs for a while in the USA but not in the color forms being made available through grass pink orchid.

We have been working diligently to bring these new forms to market. Some of which may very well be unnamed species. All are zone-hardy, Zone-6 USA with protection, to Zone-10 USA.  These gems bloom for several weeks to months, and different forms come into flower at staggered times giving potentially Spring through Summer into early Autumn of continuous bloom. Bletilla also makes a wonderful pot-culture and foliar making magnificent potted specimen. Bletilla multiplies rapidly forming wonderfully clustered plants in just a couple of years.

All species & hybrids are hand pollinated, seed capsules that are harvested under sterile conditions, then sown in-vitro and grown for several weeks until protocorms are large enough to be replated into bigger vessels where they will grow out for several months under fluorescent lights. From this point they are placed into refrigeration to begin their vernilization period, which lasts several months. The flasks are brought out of chill and grown under lights for an additional six months. At this point the small bulbs are removed from flasks and grown in the green house for one season. They are then placed out to harden up in (zone four) Vermont for an additional two seasons, so plants that are three or more years old, are ready for market. These are truly hardy garden subjects. Grass Pink Orchid is also working on other orchid plants that can be viewed in the gallery in hopes to make them available in coming years. These are not as zone hardy as Calopogons but in some areas will do just fine. Zone information is illustrated for all plants offered.

All Plants are shipped when fully dormant and culture may vary among species.

Generally a loose and airy mix of perlite and other organic material is used as a substrata and supplemented with a diluted fertilizer of 1/4 strength or less.

Full detailed instructions for potted bulbs and garden cultivation will be sent with each order.