Chinese ground orchid
Bletilla striata
Also called Bletilla, Hyacinth orchid and Hardy ground orchid
Houseplant · OrchidsAN ORCHID THAT GROWS IN A BORDER — the one in this file you plant in the ground and forget. It is hardy to about −10°C in free-draining soil, comes up in April and dies back in autumn like a perennial.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 5 daysKeep it moist — water at the first hint of dryness — don't wait for a dry pot.
- Light
- Part shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — an average winter RHS H4, to -10°C
- Size
- 0.6 m tall · 0.4 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- China, Japan and Korea
Is it safe for pets and people?
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
The tubers have a long food and medicinal history in east Asia. That is not a verdict from either catalogue this bank cites, and no part of any orchid should be eaten on the strength of it.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-22. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.