Garden orchid - Spiranthes cernua var. odorata ‘Chadd’s Ford’

The genus Spiranthes is widely spread, with over 300 species worldwide and includes many sections. The Spiranthes section comprises the white Spiranthes species, familiar to many of us, the name having been given long ago due to their resemblance to braided hair. William Turner, in an English herbarium from 1548, mentioned S. spiralis as "The Lady’s Traces." However, most of the group is geographically concentrated in the Eastern United States, where S. cernua is noted for its ability to adapt to different environments and presents differently depending on the gene set used. 'Chadd’s Ford' is quite widely available in Great Britain and was named after Dr. Brubecker’s house near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from where it was introduced to trade in 1973 and has been propagated in large quantities through tissue culture.
Additionally, the morphology of their flower clusters makes them particularly graceful and elegant. Their slender stem (14-38 cm) is topped by a spiraled inflorescence, like a ribbon, adorned with pure white flowers and a sweet scent.

It can reach a height of 75 cm or more, having a thin stem with up to 70 bright white, almost translucent flowers, with a vanilla fragrance. The base of the flower is prominently curved downward, giving it a bent posture and resulting in the specific name, cernua, which means "bent." The flower spike is surprisingly sturdy. It blooms more frequently in the autumn months, October-November.

The basal rosette of linear leaves grows for most of the year, although it is barely maintained around the flowering period. The roots are stoloniferous and last more than one growing season (usually 3-4 seasons), so they slowly develop into a group of rather long, brittle, carrot-like structures, and since these grow mainly vertically, they appreciate a deep pot.

Cold resistance: -20°C

Height including pot: 10-15 cm
Pot diameter: 9 cm

Depending on the season, the plants may be at different stages – from bulbs in the soil or just sprouted bulbs to developed plants.