Cremastra

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A genus of 4 species of orchids, related to Oreorchis and Aplectrum. These all make a corm-like pseudobulb and a solitary, pleated, wintergreen leaf. They are plants of deciduous woodland, growing when the leaves are absent from the trees but going dormant when light and water levels fall in summer.

A new leaf appears in late summer and lasts until mid winter or early Spring, building a new corm at its base. The plant then flowers, the old corm rots away and the plant goes dormant. The trick to successful cultivation is keeping the leaf green long enough to make a big new corm. If shrinkage happens too often then it fades away over a period of years. I have seen some imagined saprophytic relationship blamed for this, but I do not give credence to it. It is the grower's skill that counts.

Give full light when in growth from Autumn to Spring, shade from late spring to autumn. A very fertile soil with plenty of water in Autumn and Spring (drier, but not dry, in winter) and lots of humus. Leaf litter on the soil surface helps and cool humidity is beneficial. Think 'mossy-ferny' conditions. Not impossible, though not for beginners.

Cremastra appendiculata

This widespread woodland orchid has a single, plain green leaf which is sometimes present during flowering. Often cited as evergreen, the plants in fact lose their old leaves in the spring but make a new one in Autumn.

The flower spike is carried on a strong, 30cm tall stem. The impression is pink or peach but the colouring is far more complex than this. The petals and sepals are pale green to light bronze, often with an overlay of purple. The lip is long, tubular and dusky red-purple, or paler pink-purple, with brighter purple or crimson markings towards the tip, where there is also a patch of white.

The plant is best in a well-drained, moist, humus-rich soil, in shade. They like good drainage and moisture but dislike constantly wet or stagnant conditions. Aim for moisture-retentive soils through which water can move and cool, humid "woodsy" conditions. CITES certified, mature, flowering-sized plants grown and produced in cultivation. Hardy.

Due to CITES permit costs of approx. £60 per item imposed by the UK Government these are not available for customers in Norway, Switzerland, USA, etc.


Cremastra appendiculatacreappapp	£15.50
Dormant tubers.

Cremastra unguiculata

This woodland orchid from Japan is little known in western cultivation. It is very different to appendiculata but they are inexplicably confused on some websites.

C. unguiculata grows from tiny bulbs which grow linked together by a thin rhizome. The oldest of the bulbs is always soft proclaiming its close relationship with the American Puttyroot, Aplectrum.

The species has leaves, some 12cm long. These, standing quite stiffly upright. Each is delightfully marked and blotched with purplish and darker green patterns. The flowers appear in summer and have a white lip, surrounded by thin, tan petals banded with red-violet. They are lightly and pleasantly fragrant.

This likes a moisture-retentive but well-drained woodland type soil, in light shade and it loves humidity as well. It grows through the winter but being summer dormant (after flowering) it avoids the worst of summer heat and drought which is something you should try and replicate in cultivation.

Due to CITES permit costs of approx. £60 per item imposed by the UK Government these are not available for customers in Norway, Switzerland, USA, etc.


Cremastra unguiculatacremungung	£16.50
Flowering sized but naturally a smaller species.