Pecteilis radiata (white egret flower, "Sagiso")

Japanese name: サギソウ （鷺草）
Scientific name: Pecteilis radiata

[Overview]
A perennial 15–40 cm tall, found in sunny wetlands.
It is a terrestrial orchid.
It has tuberous roots.
The leaves are simple, 3–5 growing alternately on the lower part of the stem, linear to lanceolate, 5–10 cm long and 0.3–0.6 cm wide, with entire margins.
A raceme at the stem tip bears 1–3 white flowers about 3 cm across.
The lateral petals and dorsal sepal form a hood, and the large lip is conspicuous.
The lip is deeply 3-lobed, the side lobes spread out, and the margins are finely cut.
A spur 3–4 cm long hangs down behind the flower.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by bulb division.
It prefers sunny, moisture-retentive soil that is low in nutrients.
If strong midsummer sun causes leaf scorch, provide 50–60% shading.
From spring to autumn, place a saucer under the pot and keep the pot standing in water; in winter dormancy, stop this, but water when the soil begins to dry so that it does not dry out completely.
In early summer, apply diluted liquid fertilizer once or twice a month.
Pests and diseases include viral disease, thrips and aphids.
Prevent viral disease by spraying a fungicide regularly.

[Notes]
The Japanese name likens the shape of the flower to a white egret.

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