Calanthe kawakamiense (Hardy Calanthe Orchid)

Light ShadeZone: 7b-9, guessing 36" tall Origin: Taiwan

This mind-boggling Taiwan native is the counterpart of the Japanese C. sieboldii on steroids. The evergreen ground-hugging, olive-green foliage gives rise in early spring to 3' tall flower spikes of large, fragrant, bright yellow flowers. I'm not sure how much more you could ask from a hardy perennial! We haven't trialed these north of Zone 7b, but if you garden in the tundra north of us, you may be willing to experiment outdoors with a good mulch or consider growing this as a houseplant. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)