One of the problems with growing terrestrial orchids is that they are often associated with essential symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi. Once removed from habitat, the fungi can no longer be sustained because of either changing environmental factors or lack of suitable host trees. As a result, the orchids tend to just wither and die. We are just lucky that most other geophytes don't have strict associations with mycorrhizal fungi. Nhu Berkeley, CA On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 11:11 AM, Jane McGary <janemcgary@earthlink.net>wrote: > Mary Sue wrote, > >Oh to have Cypripedium naturalizing in your > >garden or adjacent woods. I think Giorgio was growing Cypripedium. > >Any one else growing this successfully in the ground or aware of > >specific species that are lasting? > > I suppose it has a lot to do with what species are native to the > immediate area. On a visit to a garden near Anchorage, Alaska, I saw > Cypripedium guttatum growing in masses, invading the lawn etc. The > gardener dug some roots for us, but as far as I know no one who got > them managed to grow it. > > Jane McGary > Northwestern Oregon, USA > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ > -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/