Scientific Name: Thelymitra aristata

Common Name: great sun-orchid

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Orchidaceae

Form Description: A robust blue sun orchid, large fleshy, leathery, ribbed, dark-green leaf.

Height (m): 0.3 – 1

Flowers: Up to 40 blue flowers with darker blue veins and a white column with a narrow, strap-like, irregularly-toothed hood and converging column arms with white hair tufts.

Municipality
Break O’DayBurnieCentral CoastCircular HeadClarenceDerwent ValleyDevonportDorsetFlindersGeorge TownGlamorgan-Spring BayHobartHuon ValleyKentishKing IslandKingboroughLatrobeLauncestonMeander ValleyNorthern MidlandsSorellSouthern MidlandsTasmanWaratah-WynyardWest CoastWest Tamar
Plant Communities
Coastal VegetationHeath
Habitat Notes

Common in poorly -drained soil in open heathland and coastal scrub. Flowering promoted after fire.

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.