Pleione formosana (Windowsill Orchid)

Pleione formosana (Windowsill Orchid) is a miniature terrestrial orchid boasting large showy flowers that are almost oversized for this small plant. Blooming in spring, the pale or rose-pink flowers, 3 in. across (8 cm), are adorned with a conspicuous lip blotched with red or brown. They arise from a spherical pseudobulb bearing a single lance-shaped leaf. After flowering, the plant continues to develop its foliage before fading and disappearing completely in fall. Windowsill Orchids will naturalize and spread by bulb offsets, forming a charming clump over time. As attractive in pots and containers as it is in rock gardens, it is an excellent orchid for shade garden conditions and woodland gardens.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Grows up to 6 in. tall and wide (15 cm).
• Easily grown in sharply drained, moderately fertile, leafy, humus-rich soil in a sheltered spot in partial shade. This plant does not tolerate winter moisture.
• Pleione Orchids can withstand a minimum temperature of 14°F (-10°C). In cold areas, protect from severe weather and winter wet.
• A lovely addition to rock gardens, woodland gardens or containers.
• Virtually disease free. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails.
• Propagate by division of pseudobulbs.
• Native to China, Taiwan.