Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Orchidaceae

Genus:

Cephalanthera

Species:

Cephalanthera austiniae

USDA Symbol:

CEAU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

55 cm

Light Requirements:

Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, yellow

Garden & Ecology Notes

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained forest soil

pH:

5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers shaded, undisturbed forest floors

Propagation & Germination

Notes:

Mycoheterotrophic orchid requiring specific fungal associations; cannot be cultivated from seed without symbiotic fungi. Propagation is effectively impossible outside natural habitat.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI