Caladenia cairnsiana, pachychila – Zebra Orchids | Orchids of South-west Australia

Zebra orchids are small but beautiful orchids (One of my top ten favourites). Plants can be up to 30cm tall with tiny flowers 10-15mm long per stem. Hybrids between this orchid and any of the wispy spider orchids are common where the two are found together. Zebra orchids nearly always have a single flower per stem, but the occasional double flowered plants are found and very rarely, triple flowered plants.

Caladenia cairnsiana - Zebra Orchid

The Zebra Orchid is found in the lower south west between Bunbury and Esperance and also out to the western edge of the Wheatbelt. It is often hard to spot due to its colouring and size - it blends in with its surroundings. It favours sandy soils.

Caladenia cairnsiana - Zebra Orchid

Caladenia cainsiana - Zebra Orchid

Caladenia cairnsiana - Zebra Orchid

Caladenia x ericksoniae - Prisoner Orchid

The Prisoner Orchid name is technically only correct when applied to hybrids between The Dwarf Zebra Orchid, Caladenia pachychila and the Blood Spider Orchid, Caladenia filifera as this is the particular hybrid that was first named. However, hybrids between either the Zebra Orchid or the Dwarf Zebra Orchid and any of the wispy spider orchids will form similar looking hybrids and they are all locally known as Prisoner Orchids. Prisoner Orchids are often found wherever the two parent species are growing together with the hybrids sometimes being more common than the parent species. Hybrids with the Zebra Orchid as one parent are the most common variety of Prisoner Orchid.

Caladenia x ericksoniae - Prisoner Orchid

Caladenia x ericksoniae

Caladenia x ericksoniae - Prisoner Orchid

Caladenia ericksoniae - Prisoner Orchid

Caladenia x ericksoniae - Prisoner Orchid

Caladenia pachychila - Dwarf Zebra Orchid

The Dwarf Zebra Orchid is distinguished from the 'normal' Zebra Orchid by its smaller, paler flowers that have much more pronounced glands at the tip of the labellum. It is found throughout the Wheatbelt. It flowers earlier, from mid August to mid September. Flower colour is quite variable, ranging from almost translucent pale yellow to red.