I suspect a Eulophia sp.

Thanks, so much.....that is it. Eulophia graminea

{{!gwi}}

Harry, these 'pop up' in my yard often. Apparently, even though they're from Singapore, they seem to have naturalized in S. Florida. I thought they were native prior to this ID. I think I'll go pot them up. :)

Mealie on the Orchid photo! O_o

I posted this ID question a while back. This weekend I found something interesting. I wonder if anyone has any comments. From what I have read, this species seems to be native to Asia......Trini commented that it has naturalized to Florida. I was unbagging some old, I believe cypress mulch.....standard Home Depot issue. The bags had laid untouched for probably six month or maybe longer. Termites had actually nested in them and broken down the wood chips condsierably. Of interest, also inside the closed bag were about twenty bulbs growing in various stages of size. None in bloom as of yet, but I am assuming that this is the same species that I had posted about earlier in this thread. Of note is the fact that the place where I rescued the initial bulbs from, was also an area that was heavily mulched with what looked like cypress mulch. This makes me wonder. Does the cypress mulch come from somewhere where this species is prevalent? I assumed that cypress mulch was made here in the SE US. I am perplexed as to how the mulch, which is bagged and therefore shielded to a great extent from the outside could have been inoculated with the seeds of this orchid species. Anyone have any theories??

Harry

No idea, but I'd gladly adopt a bulb or 2 to relieve you of the burden of all that extra care and work !!! LOL !!!

Chryss:

Send me an e-mail and I'll be happy to send you a couple just for responding. ;-)

Harry

Harry, I have them come up in mulch too. But I get my mulch from the tree trimmers. I think the mulch forms a nice medium for the orchids to grow. I don't think the orchid seeds come in with the mulch.

Hi Trini. I am not surprised that they now come up elsewhere, like mulch locally produced. My surprise was that they were coming up in a sealed bag of mulch from the store. I had thought that Home Depot Cypress mulch was produced somewhere in the SE US. The grinding up of trees, especially from that part of the world would not lead me to expect that the finished material, prior to and leading up to its bagging, wherever that takes place, would be heavily innoculated with the seed of this species of orchid. Unless the mulch is produced somewhere in Asia where they are also growing cypress mulch...assuming that these mulch bags are properly labelled as cypress. Anyway, with all the use of mulch here in S. FL, whereever and however they were made/seeded/spread, no doubt that we have loads of them here now.

Harry

WOW how lucky you are! I wish some would show up in my mulch. I am in Lee county and have not seen this in my or any other gardens nearby, maybe I am on the wrong side of the state.

I tempted to go buy a bag of cypress mulch. That sure would be a pleasant surprize to find some nice orchids in it!