Native Orchid Species of the Toowoomba area

Presented by the Toowoomba Orchid Society

Edited by John T Woolf

This Webpage is produced and maintained by the Toowoomba Orchid Society Inc. in the interests of the Conservation of our beautiful Native Australian Orchids and to assist Toowoomba’s residents in learning more about the Ecosystem in which they live. If you would like to learn more about, or have some questions regarding Toowoomba’s Native Orchids come along to a Toowoomba Orchid Society meeting held the Fourth Friday of each month (except Sept & Dec ) at St. Pauls Church Hall, cnr James & Phillip streets Toowoomba commencing at 7.30pm.

Mrs Joyce Leyden and the late Mrs Charlotte ( Lottie ) Lehman compiled the following information over many years, travelling thousands of kilometres spending almost every weekend covering an area in a radius of 100 kilometres of Toowoomba. We sincerely thank Joyce and Lottie and the many others who ‘Tagged’ along assisting with the finding and identification of these forest wonders. The site locations have been omitted for obvious reasons, all our native orchids are protected under state laws so when you find them, enjoy them in their natural habitat and take home only photos and memories.

Nature has provided these fascinating Orchids with their unique colourful sweet-scented blooms. Artificially propagated plants of many of these species are available from Nurseries and they can be grown quite successfully under cold growing bush-house conditions or acclimatised in the garden, and once established need very little attention, and only light fertilizing.

Below are links to the various beautiful native orchid species broken into their various genera

EPIPHYTIC and LITHOPHYTIC SPECIES



AUSTRALIAN TERRESTRIAL SPECIES

Growing terrestrials or 'groundies' as they are more commonly known as is a very rewarding hobby. There are many factors to be taken into consideration when attempting to grow these orchids, and conditions similar to their natural habitat are ideal. They need a well drained potting mix, and must never be over-watered. After the flowering season the plants die down and the tubers lay dormant, during this period they can be lifted and repotted, ready for the next growing and flowering season.