Scientific Name: Pheladenia deformis

Common Name: blue fairies

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Orchidaceae

Form Description: Leaf narrowly linear, bright green, sparsely hairy.

Height (m): 0.05 – 0.25

Flowers: 1, rarely 2, bright blue flowers, 20-30 mm across, widely spreading petals. A tri-lobed blue labellum densely covered with slender, curved blue calli.

Fruit: Papery capsule

Municipality
Break O’DayCircular HeadDerwent ValleyDevonportDorsetGeorge TownGlamorgan-Spring BayGlenorchyHobartHuon ValleyKingboroughLatrobeLauncestonNorthern MidlandsTasman
Plant Communities
Coastal VegetationDry Eucalypt ForestGrasslandHeath
Habitat Notes

Heathy and grassy open eucalypt forest, often with bulloak. Sunny heaths with a range of soil types.

Site Tolerance

Dry, Exposed, Shady

Soil Tolerance

Loam, Sandy, Well-drained

Frost Tolerance

Tender

General Notes

The only small blue Caladenia-like orchid in Tasmania. Uncommon.

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.