I have grown Betilla stricta for many years in the greenhouse. When I first got the pseudobulbs of this orchid, they were quite cheap, and although the price has risen over the last 30 years, they are still cheap. I have tried them in the ground a couple of times, but without much luck. One they returned for a couple years, but never bloomed; the frost always nipped them back. I have seen them growing at the old Village Arbors in Auburn, Alabama, so I know they should be able to make it outdoors here. The recommendation is to cover them deeply with mulch and not remove it till all danger of frost is past. Also the corms should be planted near the surface of the ground and receive adequate moisture in the growing season and be kept relatively dry while they are dormant. For me this just works out better to keep them in pots in the greenhouse over winter. After the foliage starts to die down in the fall, I turn the pots on their sides and do not water again till the growth has started in the spring.
I think these are beautiful little charmers, looking pretty much like their giant cousins , the catteyla. They are very easy to grow in a pot and will reward you in January and February with a burst of flowers when you need them most. They are terrestrial orchids and can be grown in any well drained commercial media, no need for orchid potting media.
I like it too!
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