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Granite sun orchid

Thelymitra petrophila

Granite sun orchid
Photo: Kevin Thiele from Perth, Australia, CC BY 2.0

Granite sun orchid is a tuberous ground orchid native to the drier parts of Western Australia, growing in shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops. It is best left in its natural habitat or grown in a cool, well-drained, sunny spot with a dry summer rest.

Family
Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Grows as
Orchid
Light
Full sun
Water
Water sparingly during the growing season in winter and spring, and keep almost dry while dormant in summer.
Soil
Very free-draining, gritty sandy or granitic mix.
How easy
Hard
Native range
Western Australia
Climate
subtropical

About

Thelymitra petrophila, commonly known as granite sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Western Australia. It has a single erect, channelled, long light green leaf and up to ten or more pale blue to mauve or pink flowers. It grows in drier area, usually in shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops.

Where it grows

Granite sun orchid grows in shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops. It is found in the drier parts of Western Australia, including the Great Victoria Desert.

Other Thelymitra plants

Abrupt Sun Orchid · Wyong sun orchid · Gumland sun orchid · Bleak sun orchid · White sun orchid · Kath's sun orchid · Alpins striped sun orchid · Mountain sun orchid · Long-leaved sun orchid · Rabbit-eared sun orchid · Cleopatra's needles · Forest sun orchid

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Thelymitra petrophila by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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