Poor man’s orchid

Poor man’s orchid: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Bushy, branching annual 30–50 cm high and about 30 cm wide; the stems are brittle and slightly glandular-hairy.

Leaves

Finely pinnate, twice divided, with an airy, fern-like effect; slightly sticky from glandular hairs.

Flowers

Small, 2–3 cm, two-lipped with deeply cut lobes and often a yellow blotch; in loose, abundant clusters from June to September.

Colour

Pink, lilac, purple, red and white, with dark veins and yellow markings.

Relations

Belongs to the nightshade family, with petunia, tomato and potato.

Flowering: June–September · Sowing: March–April · Plants: May

Why grow it?

• Richly marked, orchid-like little flowers in a wide range of colours, from June to September.
• Flowers exuberantly in pots, containers and hanging baskets on a sheltered patio.
• The fine, fern-like foliage gives an airy effect, even when there are no flowers.
• Does well in sun and light partial shade and likes slightly cooler summers.
• Easy to grow from seed that you sow yourself indoors in March–April.

Poor man’s orchid: where does it grow best?

• Sun to light partial shade; in a very hot spot it flowers less, and in too much shade it becomes sparse.
• Humus-rich, free-draining, moisture-retentive soil: sand or loam, acid to neutral. In a pot: good-quality compost.
• Evenly moist but never wet; it does not tolerate wet feet.
• Sheltered from strong wind and driving rain; the brittle stems snap easily.
• Plant 25–30 cm apart or four to five plants in a 30 cm pot.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.4 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: plant out after the last frost (mid-May)

Goes well with

• Lobelia: Little blue flowers that appreciate the same cool, bright spot.
• Fuchsia: Hanging flowers in the same partial shade.
• Snapdragon: Upright spikes next to the airy, fine-leaved plant.
• Nemesia: Flowers in the same summer colours and likes a cool, sunny spot.

Poor man’s orchid: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May.

1. Sow indoors in March–April and plant out after mid-May, when night frost is no longer expected.
2. First let the young plants get used to the outdoors by day for a week and bring them in at night.
3. Loosen the soil and mix in a few spadefuls of compost; in a pot use light potting compost.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as in the nursery pot, 25–30 cm apart, and firm the soil.
5. Water straight away and then regularly, without letting the soil become waterlogged.
6. In a pot, put a thin stake or small twigs next to taller plants, because the stems are brittle.

Care

Water

Regular and even, at the base and preferably in the morning, so the foliage stays dry. In pots more often in warm weather.

Feeding

Every two weeks give a low-nitrogen flowering-plant feed during flowering.

Pinching

Pinch out young plants twice, at 8–10 cm, for a bushy shape with many flowers.

Support

A few thin twigs or a support ring stop the stems snapping in wind and rain.

Faded flowers

Cut off faded flowers and seed pods to prolong flowering.

Tip: Sow indoors in March–April and pinch out the young plants for a bushy shape. Grow it in a pot on a sheltered patio, water regularly at the base and cut off faded flowers.

Poor man’s orchid: when to prune it?

When: It is not really pruned; pinch out young plants and, during flowering, cut off faded flowers and limp stems.

How:

• Pinch out the tip of the main stem when the plant is 8–10 cm high and repeat on the side shoots.
• Cut faded flowers off back to a side shoot.
• Remove the dead plants in October.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Sowing

In March–April indoors at 15–18 °C: sow the fine seed thinly and cover it lightly. It germinates in about 10–14 days. Prick the seedlings out into small pots, pinch them out and harden them off in May.

Poor man’s orchid: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 0 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: it tolerates at most a light night frost around 0 °C and dies off in autumn.
• Clear the plants in October and put them on the compost heap.
• Sow again next spring in March–April; you can collect the seed yourself from the dried seed capsules.

Diseases and pests

• Aphids: Small insects on young shoots and buds. Rinse off with water or a mild soap solution; ladybirds help.
• Grey mould: Grey mould on flowers and stems in wet, cold weather. Allow space and airflow, water at the base and cut off affected parts.
• Damping-off: Seedlings fall over at the base. Use clean seed compost, do not sow too thickly and do not overwater.
• Spider mite and whitefly: Fine webs and yellowish speckles, or sticky leaves with small white flies. Rinse off with water and remove affected parts.
• Slugs: Young plants are eaten. Collect slugs in the evening or set slug traps.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors at 15–18 °C.
• April: Sow, prick out and pinch out for the first time.
• May: Plant out after mid-May. Put supports in.
• June: Flowering begins. Feed every two weeks.
• July: Full flower. Water and cut off faded flowers.
• August: Flowering. Water in dry weather.
• September: Last flowers. Collect seed.
• October: Clear the plants.

Did you know?

• The name Schizanthus comes from the Greek: schizein (to split) and anthos (flower), after the deeply cut corolla.
• It is related to petunia, tomato and potato, which also belong to the nightshade family.
• The English name ‘poor man’s orchid’ refers to the orchid-like flowers, although it is not an orchid.