How to Grow Poor Man's Orchid (Schizanthus Pinnatus)

Sometimes called fringe or butterfly flower, this stunning flower lives up to its other name: poor man's orchid. Growing about 18 inches high, this annual (grows just one year) produces quantities of delicate, small flowers in a wide array of colors and has interesting markings as well. Although this plant grows best on the West Coast in winter and spring, it also does well in greenhouses and conservatories.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden Spades
• Garden Hoses
• Mulch
• Plants
• Fertilizers
• Garden Trowels

1. Buy healthy, green plants with no signs of wilting or disease. Plants should be stocky with plenty of leaves. It's actually a plus if they don't have any flowers on them - they'll divert their early energy into root development rather than flowering.

2. 

   Plant outdoors in winter in Southern California and in early spring in Northern California and farther north. Plant in full sun to very light shade.

3. 

   Keep soil evenly moist. Mulching is a good idea.

4. Trim faded flowers to promote longer blooming.

5. Fertilize every four to six weeks, or work in a slow-release fertilizer at planting time.

6. Discard after heat strikes and the plants become ratty.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're planting poor man's orchid as a winter flower, be sure to position it so that it's protected from cold winds, such as on the south and west side of a building.
• Poor man's orchid does not tolerate frost well, which could mean selecting a spot underneath a small tree.
• Poor man's orchid appreciates protection from extreme heat. In very warm climates, consider planting it in a spot where it will get a little afternoon shade.

on 6/11/2007 The Poor Man's Orchid is a very poor name for this lovely greenhouse annual: it is no more or less like an orchid than, say, a snapdragon. But names stick.
The most economical, and most satisfying, method of growing Schizanthus is to grow from seed. Anyone can buy a plant and plant it out, but it depends if plants are available to buy (they are seldom seen for sale). The time of sowing depends on when you want them to flower:
For spring flowers; sow in September and overwinter in a frost-free greenhouse.
For summer flowers; sow in spring to early summer under glass.
In temperate climates, Schizanthus is not very weather proof and in the UK tends to get damaged by prolonged wet weather. But at least scorching temperatures are more easily avoided and the plants tend to last longer. By lightly shading the glass, flowering can be prolonged.
Sow in shallow, broad pots and lightly cover the seeds. Do not germinate them at high temperatures as they will instantly become drawn and will never make satisfactory plants, about 16C is ideal. Prick out as soon as they are large enough into 10 cm pots. Give as much light as possible, and move them on into final 1 liter pots when they have made a good root ball. They enjoy copious water and regular feeding. Too much nitrogen, though, and they will produce too much leaf at the expense of flowers. When they come into flower, they may require lightly staking with split canes, especially if the plants have got a bit drawn, which overwintered plants tend to do through lack of light. They are annual and, once flowered, should be discarded.
When sowing from a seed mixture, there is a risk of some colors predominating. To avoid this, raise more plants than you need and select those of the right color for final potting on when the flowers start to appear. The others should be discarded.

on 3/18/2006 The most economical, and most satisfying, method of growing Schizanthus is to grow from seed. The time of sowing depends on when you want them to flower:
For spring flowers; sow in Septembers and overwinter in a frost-free greenhouse.
For summer flowers; sow in spring to early summer under glass.
In temperate climates, Schizanthus is not very weather proof and the UK tends to get damaged by prolonged wet weather. But at least scorching temperatures are more easily avoided and the plants tend to last longer. By lightly shading the glass when they are in flower, they will last longer and keep fresher.