Gastrodia cunninghamii -

Family:	Orchidaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Synonyms:
Range:	New Zealand.

Gastrodia cunninghamii () is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m . It has a hardness rating of 0.
Gastrodia cunninghamii will flower in January to February. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Gastrodia cunninghamii will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Gastrodia cunninghamii prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Gastrodia cunninghamii can grow in full or semi shaded areas.

Dark shaded places in deep woods[44], usually in beech forests[173], on North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands.

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge
• Is suited to a deeply shaded location

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. A saprophytic herb, it is without green parts and is entirely dependant upon a fungus for its nutriment[238]. This makes it very difficult to cultivate outside its native range. As well as its fungal host, it also requires a damp humus-rich soil in a sheltered woodland position[238]. The freshly opened flowers have a refreshingly aromatic scent, though this becomes foetid and unpleasant as the flowers fade[245]. Orchids are, in general, shallow-rooting plants of well-drained low-fertility soils. Their symbiotic relationship with a fungus in the soil allows them to obtain sufficient nutrients and be able to compete successfully with other plants. They are very sensitive to the addition of fertilizers or fungicides since these can harm the symbiotic fungus and thus kill the orchid[230].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Root - roasted[46, 61, 153]. Sweet and mealy[173]. The root is up to 40cm long, as thick as an adults finger, and full of starch[2].

• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow, preferably as soon as it is ripe, into the plants natural habitat near existing colonies, or onto a bed of Quercus wood inoculated with the fungus Armillaria mellea (introduce this fungus into your land with extreme caution since it kills trees and there is no known preventative[K]). The seed of this species is extremely simple, it has a minute embryo surrounded by a single layer of protective cells. It contains very little food reserves and depends upon a symbiotic relationship with a species of soil-dwelling fungus. The fungal hyphae invade the seed and enter the cells of the embryo. The orchid soon begins to digest the fungal tissue and this acts as a food supply for the plant. Division in autumn. The plant is very intolerant of root disturbance, any moving or dividing should be attempted in the autumn, keep a large ball of soil around the plant[1].

Scented parts of the plants

Flowers : Fresh

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of New Zealand.
Allan. H. H.
Author: Allan. H. H.
Rating:
Publisher : The standard work, in 3 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats.
Date of Publication : 1961

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