What a contrast to 12 months ago! Lush vegetation and a great showing of orchids from all the usual sites around Hobart is the order of the day this Spring 2024.
September saw the Diuris (pardina), Blues Fairies (Pheladenia deformis), Pink Fingers (caladenia carnia) and early Sun Orchids (Thelymitra species) at Peter Murrel Reserve, Waverly Floral Park, many spots in the Mt Wellington Foot Hills include the Huon Road, Waterworks, west of the Cascade Brewery and plenty of other sites. The Eastern Shore has been very productive too.
As October arrived later flowering “Spider” Caladenias such as echidnachila and clavigera appeared. The echidnachila – Fawn Spider Orchid – were larger and more robust than usual and we saw some interesting greenish shades. The Pottery Road area was the place to be for these.
The very scarce Caladenia filamatosa which had been robbed from its site right on the road verge in the Sandford area and thought to have disappeared made an appearance which is very pleasing. The few plants survived and flowered again this year in early October
A striking display of Sun orchids especially on the Eastern Shore appeared during October but as always happens, the windy and often overcast weather did make finding open flowers which could be photographed a challenge at times.
By early November, the later flowering Caladenias such as atrata and gracilis appeard in quite large numbers. The Sun orchids have been seen in the usual numbers again in many sites around Mt Wellington/Kunanyi and Eastern Shore such as the Sandford area.
C gracilis appeared in large numbers in areas previously burned. A spectacular 5-flowered specimen was sighted in bushland adjacent to the Huon road.
Bird Orchid species – Gunnii, triceratops and gramata seem to have benefited from the burn-offs around the Waterworks and there are masses of leaves and scattered flowers all over the Mt Wellington foothills.
A surprise was a large patch of Dainty Leek, Prasophyllum brevilabre in an area of controlled burn around the Waterorks tow years ao. This species seems to respond well to fire.
Bearded orchids are also now flowering ( 3 November) and the most commonly seen is the Purple Bearded orchid – platychilus/robertsonii.
By early November the earlier flowering species such as Cal carnia, and cracens had just about finished but Cal gracilis, atrata were doing well in the foothills. Seems to be a good year for these species.
