Calanthe discolor

Description from Evolution Plants

Orchidaceae

This easy Japanese member of the widespread genus Calanthe has typically intricate orchid flowers that are a mixture of cream, bown and pale pink. They appear in late spring and early summer over the broadly elliptic, pleasted leaves and last for several weeks. Not hard to grow in well-drained humusy soil, in at least part shade.

The flowers of orchids are so lovely and intricate that some enthusiasts will go to great lengths to provide the sometimes exacting conditions that they require in order to grow and perform well in cultivation. I don’t find the rewards sufficient compensation for the effort, however, so I restrict myself to growing a tiny cross-section of the largest family in the plant kingdom, the Orchidaceae. The only species I grow currerntly are hardy terrestrial orchids that are easy enough to tolerate the regime of benign neglect to which I subject them.