BC Native Orchid

jamespmurdoch

Carnivore
Epipactus gigantea, or the Giant Helleborine Orchid, is a perennial orchid native to western north america from BC to Central Mexico. Does anybody have experience growing this plant? I have no experience with orchids as they intimidate me but I want to try growing one of these as they are native to my area and I’ve heard that they live near riversides and are okay with having wet feet.
IMG_4321.jpeg
IMG_4320.jpeg


a
 
I’m don’t currently have orchids, but I did once take a workshop at gardenworks on caring for them. They actually have one coming up on making your own orchid terrarium which I would assume has tips on growing. Looks like it’s running at several locations and there might be one near you? https://www.gardenworks.ca/activities/324/orchid-fusion-workshop

I think the workshop I took was run by the Vancouver Orchid society, based out of Van Dusen gardens. Out of your way, perhaps, but a possible resource https://www.vancouverorchidsociety.ca/
 
I grow epipactis gigantea in both a 50/50 peat/sand mix topped with live sphagnum and also in a very gritty mix that is mostly pumice. In both these mixes you would have to add fertilizer. I use nutricote in the amount of around 5-10 pellets per plant every 3 months. I think I'll need to add more because they could look better. I just keep them in trays of water like other bog plants. Make sure to use a large pot as they like to spread out via stolons.

A few nurseries around here have it occasionally including Fraser's Thimble on salt Spring Island. Keep an eye out for the red leaved cultivars like Epipactis gigantea f. rubrifolia 'Serpentine Night's and if you find it let me know! I only have the typical form.

Last fall I got another interesting one, Epipactis mairei. I'm really hoping it does at least as well for me as gigantea.
 
I’m don’t currently have orchids, but I did once take a workshop at gardenworks on caring for them. They actually have one coming up on making your own orchid terrarium which I would assume has tips on growing. Looks like it’s running at several locations and there might be one near you? https://www.gardenworks.ca/activities/324/orchid-fusion-workshop

I think the workshop I took was run by the Vancouver Orchid society, based out of Van Dusen gardens. Out of your way, perhaps, but a possible resource https://www.vancouverorchidsociety.ca/
i’m more of a learn it yourself type of dude
 
I grow epipactis gigantea in both a 50/50 peat/sand mix topped with live sphagnum and also in a very gritty mix that is mostly pumice. In both these mixes you would have to add fertilizer. I use nutricote in the amount of around 5-10 pellets per plant every 3 months. I think I'll need to add more because they could look better. I just keep them in trays of water like other bog plants. Make sure to use a large pot as they like to spread out via stolons.

A few nurseries around here have it occasionally including Fraser's Thimble on salt Spring Island. Keep an eye out for the red leaved cultivars like Epipactis gigantea f. rubrifolia 'Serpentine Night's and if you find it let me know! I only have the typical form.

Last fall I got another interesting one, Epipactis mairei. I'm really hoping it does at least as well for me as gigantea.
what type of sand do you use? do you prefer the pumice mix? that makes sense to be a good mix as i’ve heard it grows along riversides, but it would be an awfully heavy pot haha. I don’t have anywhere I could plant it in the ground so I plan on keeping it potted. I have a huge round pot it can go in that is semi deep, but what type of pot do you recommend? shallow and wide, or large and deep? In the process of that have you ever tried propagating the stolons? would it be possible to try and do? I’d like to keep it in the pot so in order to keep it compact it would be nice to be able to propogate any cuttings I take. I’ve found a nursery in Sardis selling it but unfortunately not the variety you’re looking for, just the typical form.
 
I only started trying it in the pumice mix last year so it's still too early to tell. I'm sure it'll be fine though. The pumice mix is actually mix from all my old ping pots when I've re-potted so it contains some turface, sand and other stuff too. The sand I use is a very large grit silica sand.

I would think it'd do best in a wide but shallow pot but make sure it's high enough to not be too wet. The larger the better. I don't know if it's the form I have or if it's the relatively small pot but mine doesn't get very tall. From seeing how big it can get in habitat I would imagine that a bathtub sized pot wouldn't be too large. Some patches I have seen are about 5m across and 1m tall. I'll dig up some pics from where I've seen them in nature.

The stolons are easy to prop from and divide readily. Maybe we can do a trade if yours end up looking any different than mine.

In nature I have mostly seen it growing in tufa forming springs, some of them outflows of hot springs where it starts to cool off. Other places were lake edges in marly lakes and I have also seen it growing in live sphagnum. I don't think it's picky other than needing consistently moist substrate that isn't sopping wet. That's a theme with terrestrial orchids. I think it has to do with the velamen of the roots needing a little moisture to uptake nutrients and exchange gasses but too much water messes up that process.
 
I'll just share a link to my Instagram post on one of occurrences I visited. Much easier than going through all my photos:
 
I have a giant stream orchid/ Epipactis over wintering outside in a pot that has a ton of mulch around it, so it will be protected from the below temperatures. I have found that their roots are larger than you would think. I gave my a larger pot to grow into.

And Yes they love to have wet feet!!

All parts of this plant are medicinal!! If growing or loving them for their medicine only use the above ground bits!!
 
Back
Top