Peacock Orchid
How To Have A Healthy Peacock Orchid
The gladiolus clianthus or peacock orchid is a perennial plant that produces attractive blooms. They are commonly used for flower beds, bordering plants and cut flowers. The blooms appear on taller light green stems and the foliage that surrounds the stems appear to look similar to long grass. Although the peacock orchid can be used to enhance a garden area, it can also be grown by itself in a group for lovely blooms and a partial ground cover.
The peacock orchid is well known for the exceptional flowers it produces. They have 5 petals on each bloom that are a milky white color. They are oval shaped and have a pointy tip on the top of each petal. In the center of the flower, there is a dark purple to burgundy splash of color. This unique coloring resembles the shape of the petals and sets these blooms apart from other types of flowers. In the center of the bloom there are also long seed stems that are a yellow to white color. Along with the beauty of the blooms, they also have a soft flowery fragrance.
These plants can reach up to 36 inches in height but it can take a full 20 weeks for the plant to mature. Once they do establish themselves they can be invasive and this means that they can take over or rob nutrients from neighboring plants. If you plant them alone, the peacock orchid will not present a problem. But if you plan on planting them close to other flowers, make sure that they have plenty of space to grow. If the plants do start to pose a problem, you can remove the offending plants and just let the rest of the plants fill in the area.
Since the peacock orchid has a tendency to grow in thick, before planting them, pick an area with a lot of room. Keep in mind that if you over plant them, you will have to end up removing one or more of the plants. To avoid this, make sure to space the plants 10 inches to a full foot apart. Over crowded plants have to compete for water and nutrients and this can result in unhealthy looking plants.
This plant thrives in direct sunlight. The more light it receives, the more it blooms. A bit of shading is alright and may even protect the flowers during the hot summer months. But this plant should get 6 full hours of sunlight everyday.
You should consider planting the peacock orchid on a slight hill. The younger plants can be damaged by over watering or allowing the delicate roots to sit in water for a long period of time. If you plan on planting more than one plant, you can use the raised garden bed method. Arrange the soil into raised rows with a shallow trench on either side. Place the young plants on top of the row. This will allow the water to drain into the trenches, instead of directly under the plants. The roots will be protected until they mature and you can level the ground back out when the plant fully matures. This does not mean that the plants do not need plenty of water, especially when they are young. Make sure the soil that surrounds the plant is always moistened and during the hot summer months, you can water this plant twice a week.
These plants should not be placed in an area where there are small pets or children. Certain parts of this plant are considered poisonous if consumed. Even handling the plant can cause an allergic reaction, so always wear gardening gloves when you come in contact with this plant.