Pinepink
Bletia purpurea
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Windward Is.
W. J. H. (= William Jackson Hooker) (1785-1865) del., Swan sc.
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Genus:
- Bletia
- Species:
- Bletia purpurea
- USDA Symbol:
- BLPU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- feb,mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, pink, magenta
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Produces underground corms that allow resprouting after fire. Common in fire-maintained pine rocklands of South Florida.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Orchid seeds require mycorrhizal fungi for germination in nature. Asymbiotic germination possible in sterile culture medium.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI