Bletilla Gabby - Hyacinth orchid

The Bletilla striata 'Gabby' is an intensely coloured hyacinth orchid. It is one of the hardiest and easiest garden orchids to grow. Above a clump of slender, shiny green leaves, deep violet flowers bloom in late spring. It tolerates sun in moderately hot climates but thrives in partial shade, in any well-drained garden soil that is not too dry.

Bletilla belongs to the vast and fascinating Orchidaceae family, which includes 850 genera and 25,000 species found in tropical to temperate regions. Many are epiphytic, using trees as support to grow, while others are terrestrial, growing in the ground. The genus Bletilla, which includes only five species, belongs to the latter category. B. striata is an Asian species native to China, Tibet (in the Himalayas), Japan, and Myanmar (Burma). It is found on cliffs or in mountain forests at altitudes ranging from 1,100 to 3,200 meters, which explains its good hardiness. In these regions, flowering occurs between March and July, depending on the climatic zones. The species produces pink flowers, and 'Gabby' is a variant with intensely violet flowers.
This orchid develops from ovoid and compressed pseudobulbs, which serve as a storage organ, allowing the plant to restart in spring. The deciduous foliage disappears in winter and reappears in spring as long, narrow, and tapering leaves, reaching a length of 45 cm. They are a beautiful green colour, curiously pleated, and have a semi-glossy surface. Usually, 4 to 6 leaves per shoot form over time a fairly dense carpet, as the plant gradually spreads, even naturalizing when the ambient conditions are perfect. After a few years, a plant can develop to produce 20 to 30 flower stalks. These appear in June and bear up to a dozen flowers each. They open successively and not in groups on the stems. Typical of orchids, the flowers have petals and sepals of approximately the same size and morphology, except for the lower petal called the lip. While the other five petals are uniformly violet and have a lanceolate shape with a slightly pointed tip, the lip is widened at its end, which is crinkled and of a more intense violet colour, with undulating white veins, to attract pollinating insects. This flowering lasts approximately one month, occurring between June and July. The foliage, on the other hand, persists for quite some time, until November, then disappears, and the plant enters its winter dormancy.