Shepherds Crook Orchid (Geodorum densiflorum)
This article is part of our Gardening With Natives series.
You won’t find this little beauty in a nursery, but if you are fortunate to be like some of our local bushcarers who still have remnant native vegetation on their block, you may just discover one in your garden over summer.
This terrestrial orchid, which grows to 40cm and is dormant over winter, likes well drained sandy soils at low altitude. Geodorum densiflorum has distinctive pleated leaves, and the pseudobulbs together with the bell shaped flower, make it look like a lily – until you look into tubular bells at the deep pink orchid structure inside.
A combination of rain and warmth in the summer can produce the perfect conditions for Shepherds Crook Orchids, which will then be found flowering profusely in the sandy reserves.
Pink flowers of the Shepherds Crook Orchid.
These little gems are popping up where previously the asparagus fern was so dense that you would not have been able to find them; it feels like Nature’s thank-you to those of us that care enough to release them from the weeds.
These are beautiful. My husband discovered them walking through the bush on bribie. They are growing along the fire break tracks. Being a national park I cant just dig up to plant. I scoured the internet to find out what they were called. Im wanting to plant some in my garden so I will be sourcing the internet. Any ideas where I can buy them.
Cheers Caroline
Hi Caroline, I live in Mareeba near Cairns and I have these little gems in my garden,I started with one bulb and ten yrs later I have them all through it. If you would like one let me know and when they finish flowering and die down I can send you one and some seeds too if you like. The seeds are more like dust and very fine, the wind will catch them and next thing you know they will be popping up all over the place..
Hello! I am hoping that you have some Shepherds Crook orchids for sale. I live near Daisy Hill Conservation Park in STH East Qld.
Caroline,
i have them in my garden. They just appeared growing among the other plants.
I would be happy to share a few with you.
I live at Tewantin.
Jenny.
Hi. I bought mine from Landcare in Sarina Qld ph. 0749561388
Cheers Kym
Hi Kym,
It’s great to know that you can buy this beautiful little plant in Sarina. I will have a chat to our Landcare Nursery,though I’m pretty sure they don’t have it in stock. I’m guessing it’s a plant you have to have a licence to collect.
Best wishes and thanks,
Jude
Hi
Re abv article & comments on Geodorum densiflorum – Shepherds Crook Orchid.
This orchid just sprang up beside a pathway in my garden (in Brisbane).
Other than using seed to propagate, is it feasible and advisable to dig out the whole plant to transplant to another location? Are the roots very sensitive to being disturbed from digging it out? Alternatively is it possible to divide the bulb to propagate, like other bulbous plants?
Appreciate your advice.
regards
Tin Peng
We have been living in our Morayfield property , a little north of Brisbane for 20 years now and this is the first time I have seen this stunning little plant pop up around our garden. I have been waiting for it to flower to find out what it is. Thank heavens for the Google app. I need to find out more as we are planning on downsizing and would love to take some with us.