Habenaria radiata Variegata

Habenaria radiata 'Variegata', known as Variegated Dove Orchid or Egret Orchid, is a rare terrestrial orchid native to Japan that surpasses anything that can exist in the vegetable kingdom. Its summer flowering closely imitates a cluster of doves, as each pure white flower blooms like a bird taking flight, with wings spread. The foliage of this form is variegated with green and white. Not content with being beautiful, the flowers are slightly fragrant. This bulbous plant requires light substrate, water, and a bright exposure. It cannot tolerate any frost. It is a dreamlike plant, but quite difficult to cultivate, which will delight discerning collectors in wonderful pots.

Habenaria radiata 'Variegata' belongs to the Orchidaceae family. It is native to eastern Asia, but it is also found in temperate areas of America and Africa, where it grows in marshy but permeable soils that dry out in autumn. It is a 'cold' orchid, meaning it is not tropical and its vital optimum temperature is between 12 and 16°C (53.6 and 60.8°F). Habenaria radiata produces clusters of 2 to 8 delicately fragrant small white flowers for about four weeks in summer. They measure barely 3cm (1in) in diameter but deserve to be observed up close. The silhouette of each one evokes a white bird taking flight, its fringed wings widely spread, hence the vernacular name of dove orchid. The floral stems can reach 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) in height, or even more. The leaves are also small (5 to 20 cm (2 to 8in) long), narrow (1cm (0.4in) wide), and ribbon-like. They are shiny medium green edged with white, and grouped in a tuft at the base of the stalks. Individuals that are born completely white die before flowering due to a lack of photosynthesis. Once the flowering is over, the floral stem and leaves dry up. The tuber that allowed them to develop becomes desiccated, having developed very small filamentous tubers. These baby tubers mature in October, before entering a dormant period until spring. This plant is currently endangered in its natural habitat.

The Variegated Egret Orchid is mainly cultivated in pots. Like a collectible item, it deserves care and some attention that will allow it to bloom in our latitudes. Nowadays, Habenaria radiata is mainly found in turf moors in highlands at altitudes above 500m (1640ft). These areas are not, in most cases, suitable for rice cultivation, so this plant, along with many other rare species, has found refuge in the last wild strongholds of modern Japan.