Scientific Name: Caladenia alata

Common Name: fairy fingers

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Orchidaceae

Form Description: Leaf erect, narrowly linear, sparsely hairy.

Height (m): 0.06 – 0.15

Flowers: Flowers 1-2 short lived, white to pink with dark red bands, mid-lobe orange to yellow, calli yellow, column green with red bands.

Fruit: Papery capsule

Municipality
Break O’DayBurnieGlamorgan-Spring BayHuon ValleyKentishKing IslandKingboroughSorellTasmanWaratah-WynyardWest CoastWest Tamar
Plant Communities
Coastal VegetationHeath
Habitat Notes

Heathy open forest, teatree scrub and heathland.

Site Tolerance

Exposed, Moist

Soil Tolerance

Nutrient-poor, Poorly-drained, Sandy

Frost Tolerance

Tender

General Notes

Short lived and self-pollinating, occurs where habitat has moderate to high fire frequency.

Propagation Calendar

  • Flowering Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Seed Collecting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sowing Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Cutting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Specialist Method

Seed Information

Seed Treatment Notes

Orchid seeds are very minute yellow, brown or blackish dust-like particles. Orchid seeds are produced within a capsule that splits at maturity and releases thousands to millions of seeds. Dispersed by wind and water and only germinate following infection of the embryo by a suitable mycorrhizal fungus. Very few seeds become mature plants. For more information see Jones, Wapstra, Tonelli, Harris (1999): The Orchids of Tasmania.