The first of our “White Fairies” orchids have begun flowering on the Wildflower Walk – very early!

The white form of our Pink Fairies orchid (Caladenia latifolia), which we call “White Fairies”, has begun to flower on the Wildflower Walk at Vale Park.  This is at least 10 days earlier than in previous years!

Both white and pink forms should look lovely on the Wildflower Walk and Gilberton Woodland for the next 2-3 weeks.

At both sites there are also literally hundreds of Caladenia latifolia seedlings with more coming up each week!  Possibly a thousand seedlings at Gilberton, including well over a hundred Pink Fairy seedlings where Xanthe blew seeds last year.(photo from October 2014 blog)

Les, our orchid grower, said all the orchids seem to be developing earlier this year.

I’ve been speculating that this is because we had a wet autumn, although Les also mentioned that the temperature has a great effect on Caladenia latifolia, with warm weather greatly speeding up the development of the flowers.  Perhaps the 20’C we had a week or so ago could also be triggering the August flowering?

Pink Fairies are pollinated by native bees, but the flowers don’t offer visiting bees any nectar or pollen.  Instead they rely on mimicking nearby spring lilies which  do provide pollen and nectar for visiting bees.

At Gilberton last year we observed native bees thoroughly attempting to find pollen or nectar inside barely half opened flowers!

My theory is that the warm weather causes the bees to hatch out of their winter shelters (in this case probably from borer holes in old wood, sealed for the winter by a mud plug) but there is a slight gap before our spring lilies grow enough in the warm weather to flower.  The bees therefore desperately try to find food in any available nearby flower, which the orchids use to their pollinating advantage!  Of course its only a couple of days until our spring lilies start flowering and the bees get their tucker.

What do our spring lilies look like? 

There is quite a range including our lovely Chocolate Lilies (Arthropodium strictum below) which have flowers that smell like vanilla icecream!

Another spring lily about to flower once we have warm weather is the lovely Bulbine Lily or Native Leek (Bulbine bulbosa) below. We think it is  is pollinated by native bees, hoverflies and possibly by butterflies.

There are quite a few other spring lilies as well, including lovely blue ones!  More later.