Bletilla striata Tri Lips
This bizarre selection of the Japanese ground orchid, Bletilla striata, makes a nice deciduous clump of pleated green leaves, topped in late April (NC) with narrow flower stalks. Each 2′ stalk is adorned with dark purple flowers that each have three lips instead of the normal one…sort of like you would look after a boxing match with Mike Tyson. Bletilla striata ‘Tri-Lips’ is truly one of the strangest mutations I’ve ever seen on a hardy perennial.