Watch out for a special orchid that’s easily missed

The Pink Hyacinth Orchid… small and can be easily missed among grass and shrubs. Photo: Jackie Warburton

Gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON says to keep an eye out for a special orchid growing wild that can be easily missed among grass and shrubs.

Among the native bluebells, everlasting strawflowers and other wildflowers to be seen growing in the hills in and around Canberra at this time is the Pink Hyacinth Orchid.

I have seen them growing wild over the years at Wee Jasper after good rains. They are small and can be easily missed among grass and shrubs. 

The Pink Hyacinth Orchid (Dipodium roseum) is leafless and only the flowering stem can be seen this time of the year. They are unique in being the only semi-parasitic genus of orchids to be found in the ACT. They lack chlorophyll and depend on mycorrhizal fungus in the roots of specific species trees of the myrtaceous family to grow and survive. 

Jackie Warburton

So, when seen, try not to touch them but take photos to add to the citizen nature map website naturemapr.org. This is also a good resource for identifying anything else you have found in nature. 

Another good reference source to carry is the field guide, Orchids of the Australian Capital Territory by David Jones, Jean Egan and the late Tony Wood. This pocket-size edition has always been my go-to book and is available at specialist bookstores including the Australian Botanic Gardens.

Cheery gerberas… the colour range is vast and, if deadheaded, they’ll flower for many months. Photo: Jackie Warburton

GERBERAS, with their large, bold flowers, are cheery to grow. The colour range is vast and, if deadheaded, they’ll flower for many months. 

From South Africa, they grow well as a perennial plant. They need a little shelter from winter frost but, once established, need very little care beyond a good compost soil (they don’t like clay soils) and good drainage for garden planting. Surprisingly, they do well as a potted plant on the patio. 

Over time they can be lifted and divided. They like full sun, but not the heat in the middle of the day. 

They’re also easy to grow from seed, but take some time and good winter warmth is the key to get them big enough for planting out in the spring. 

Gerberas can be prone to virus diseases which present as severe distortion of a flower and yellow mottling on the leaves. Remove infected flowers and place in the green bin. Unfortunately, once a plant has a virus in the leaves, it has it for the life of the plant and, in extreme cases, plant removal will be required. 

To keep them flowering, foliar feed with a fertiliser that is high in potash and low in nitrogen or a general-purpose flowering fertiliser. 

IT is preparation time for winter vegetables and, if using seed, they will need to get growing soon. Seedlings can be planted, and the water will need to be kept up to them to get them growing strong. 

Most winter vegetables are ready for harvest late winter. If planting is done periodically from now until May, you will have a yield right through the winter months. 

Most brassicas are easier to grow in winter as the cabbage moth is not prevalent and, once planted, brassicas can be netted as they are self-fertile and don’t need bees to pollinate the flowers. 

If you have a crop-rotation plan, then they can be planted after a high-nitrogen crop such as beans or peas. 

If room is tight, still plant close to existing plants in the vegetable patch and when the cold weather comes the beans and peas can be cut at ground level leaving the roots in place to minimise root disturbance of the new crop. 

Flowers to grow alongside brassicas for the winter colour are calendulas, pansies, cornflowers and nasturtiums. Try also cabbage moth repellent plants such as rosemary, tansy, thyme lavender and sage. 

Jottings…

• Prune lavenders that have finished flowering. 

• Net apple and pear trees as they begin to ripen.

• Spray peppermint around the house to get spiders out. 

• Summer prune stone fruit and berries 

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au

First published at Canberra City News, February 1, 2025