Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Ground Orchid FAQ – Your Questions Answered

Spathoglottis ground orchid growing in the ground

Why should I buy them?

Because they give you more bloom for less effort. They flower on and off almost all year, they’re tough, and they come in colors you can actually plan a garden around.

Will they survive winter in my area?

In frost-free zones, yes, they come back bigger every year. If you’re farther north, just keep them in pots and bring them inside for the cold months.

Do they really bloom in shade?

They do. We’ve got a clump under a big oak and it still puts on a show. Not as heavy as full sun, but enough to brighten the spot.

How big do they get?

Depends which one. Spathoglottis stays neat, about knee-high. Nun Orchid shoots up tall spikes that can hit 4 ft. So you can go small or dramatic.

Are they hard to care for like other orchids?

Not at all. Forget the bark mix and misting bottles. Just plant them in soil, keep the water steady, and feed once in a while. That’s it.

Can I grow them in pots?

Absolutely. They do great in containers. Makes it easy if you’ve only got a patio or you want to move them in for winter. Use well-drained soilless mix like Abundance Potting Mix.

Do they attract pollinators?

Yep. Bees love them, butterflies too, and every so often a hummingbird will check them out.

What is the best fertilizer?

For extra blooms, we use Sunshine Orchidasm – Orchid TotalFeed Booster. Works like a charm!

Shop ground orchids

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Who do you think is winning? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cats Bob and Cash playing

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What flowers do NOT attract bees? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Butterfly on a flower that doesn't attract bees

❌� What flowers do NOT attract bees?

Most tropical flowers bring in pollinators, and bees are usually first in line. But what if you’d rather avoid them? Maybe you’re allergic, or just don’t want bees buzzing around. Good news: some flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, or even flies - but not bees.
  • 👉 Quick rules:

  • ✔️ Night-blooming + strong fragrance = moths or bats, not bees.
  • ✔️ Red tubular flowers with little scent = hummingbirds or butterflies, not bees.
  • ✔️ Rotten or fermented smell = flies, not bees.
  • ✔️ Carnivorous plants = trap insects, no bee nectar.


1. Night-blooming, fragrant - moth and bat flowers

Bees forage by day, so many night-fragrant flowers skip them.
  • ▫️Brugmansia - Angel’s Trumpet - big, hanging blooms, moth and bat pollinated.
  • ▫️Cestrum nocturnum - Night-blooming Jasmine - powerful night scent, moths only.
  • ▫️Hylocereus Dragon Fruit - huge cactus flowers, bats and moths.
  • ▫️Brunfelsia - Lady of the Night - sweet fragrance at dusk, no bee interest.


  • 2. Hummingbird and butterfly flowers

    Bees don’t see red well. Tubular reds, oranges, and yellows usually go to birds and butterflies.
  • ▫️Hibiscus - hummingbirds and butterflies visit, bees less so.
  • ▫️Heliconis and Gingers - designed for hummingbird beaks, bold tubes are for birds, not bees.
  • ▫️More good picks: Ruellia, Sanchezia, Aeschynanthus, Aphelandra, Anisacanthus, Cuphea, Fuchsia, Iochroma, Justicia, Lonicera, Hamelia, Russelia, Odontonema, Tecomaria, Bougainvillea.


  • 3. 🐱 Fly-pollinated oddballs

    Some flowers smell bad to us but irresistible to flies.
  • ▫️Amorphophallus (Voodoo Lily) - rotting meat scent.
  • ▫️Tacca (Bat Head Lily) - spooky black flowers, fly-pollinated.
  • ▫️Stapelia (Carrion Flower) - also fly-pollinated.
  • ▫️Aristolochia (Pelican Flower) - giant, bizarre fly-traps.


  • 4. 🌸 Specialized orchids

    Not all orchids rely on bees. Many use moths, butterflies, or beetles instead.
  • ▫️Vanilla orchid - its natural bee pollinator is absent in most regions, so no bee appeal elsewhere.
  • ▫️Brassavola nodosa and others - open at night for moths, not bees.


  • 5. 🕷 Bonus: carnivorous curiosities

    Carnivorous plants don’t offer nectar. They trap insects instead, so bees stay away.
  • ▫️Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant) - uses pitchers of liquid to lure and digest insects.


These flowers keep the beauty, fragrance, and wildlife appeal - but without making your garden a bee hotspot.

🛒 Explore butterfly attractors

#Butterfly_Plants #How_to #Discover

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Mulberry yogurt swirl: quick n fun exotic recipes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Mulberry yogurt swirl

Mulberry yogurt swirl

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An intelligent man. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Mr B the cat planning his evening at TopTropicals

Mr B the cat planning his evening at TopTropicals

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Five small tropical trees that bloom for you all summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

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5 small tropical trees that bloom all summer or year around. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

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Where did her tail go?! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Matilda the Manx tailless cat