Bletilla striata 'Marcel Clapdrop'

Bletilla striata 'Marcel Clapdrop' is a beautiful, hardy garden orchid that can be grown in the ground. In late spring, its large flowers of intense purplish pink atop long pleated leaves bring lightness and exoticism to partially shaded borders in cool, well-drained, humus-bearing soil. It is also stunning in a pot or at the edge of a pond.

The Bletilla belong to the Orchidaceae family, which comprises 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, many terrestrial and hardy species exist. Did you know that there are over 160 species in mainland France alone? The orchids of the Bletilla genus, native to evergreen high-altitude forests in China, produce light green lanceolate and pleated leaves, slightly arching, with prominent veins, measuring 35 cm long and 5 cm wide. Between May and June, slender stems 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 more or less sparse clump depending on the soil's richness.

The 'Marcel Clapdrop' variety features vibrant, saturated pink flowers with a purplish violet tip on the labellum. It is a bright plant in light shade, reaching approximately 45 cm in height and width under favourable conditions.

Robust, the Bletilla striata 'Marcel Clapdrop' is hardy down to at least -15°C, but it has a few requirements for proper growth: it first requires a perfectly drained soil: if water does not drain well during winter, the rhizomes can rot. It particularly appreciates woodland conditions, meaning a cool, partially 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 mark its location to avoid an unfortunate spade blow! It is advisable to mulch the stump in colder regions to protect it.

You can create an exotic-looking border 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 and at the pond's edge if the drainage is sufficient.