Bletilla Penway Sunset - Hyacinth orchid

Bletilla 'Penway Sunset' is a beautiful hardy terrestrial orchid, one of the few that can be planted in the ground. Its large cream-white flowers are abundant in late spring above long pleated leaves and bring lightness and exoticism to partially shaded beds, in moist and well-drained, humus-bearing soil. It is also very attractive in a pot or at the edge of a pond.

Bletilla belongs to the Orchidaceae family, which includes over 25,000 species distributed worldwide, making it one of the largest botanical families today. While we are more accustomed to seeing orchids growing on bark in warm greenhouses and conservatories, there are many terrestrial and hardy species. The orchids of the Bletilla genus, native to evergreen high-altitude forests in China, produce lanceolate light green leaves, which are pleated, slightly arched, with prominent veins, 35 cm long and 5 cm wide. Between May and June, graceful spikes emerge, bearing several large flowers. They are typical of the family, with a large central petal modified into a "tunnel" called the labellum. It spreads slowly through short rhizomes, eventually forming a dense or sparse clump depending on the soil's fertility.

The 'Penway Sunset' variety is the result of an unusual crossbreeding between Bletilla ochracea and B. szetchuanica, two very rare species in gardens. This robust hybrid produces numerous cream-white flowers with a labellum marked with orange-yellow. They have the particularity of being distributed on both sides of the stem, whereas they are on the same side in B. striata. It is a very bright plant in light shade, reaching about 50 cm in height and width under favourable conditions.

The resilient 'Penway Sunset' Bletilla is hardy to at least -15°C, but it has some requirements for proper growth: it needs perfectly drained soil: if water does not drain well during winter, the rhizomes can rot. It particularly appreciates woodland conditions, meaning cool, lightly shaded or lightly sunny, rich and humus-bearing, and slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil. Full sun is detrimental to it as it damages the foliage. The plant completely disappears during winter and emerges quite late, so make sure to mark its location to avoid an unfortunate spade blow! In cold regions, it is advisable to mulch the crown to protect it.

You can create an exotic-looking bed by combining it with other perennials such as Asian Epimediums (Epimedium davidii, E. 'Amber Queen', E. 'Domino'...), Arisaema, Saruma henryi, ferns like Dryopteris sieboldii or Athyrium 'Pewter Lace', all at the base of trees like Acer griseum, Magnolia delavayi, or Aralia elata 'Silver Umbrella'. You can plant it in a pot or at the edge of a pond, as long as the drainage is sufficient.