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For the first time, the Bucket Orchid is blooming at the Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank on the Ball State University campus.

Collection Curator Cheryl LeBlanc said she purchased the orchid in August with grant money the university acquired.

“It’s been growing happily for several months and now it’s finally blooming,” LeBlanc said. “I feel like a new parent.”

Bucket Orchids are native to the Amazon of South Africa. Male bumblebees and the flowers work hand-in-hand for pollination and reproduction. The male bees are attracted to the liquid which is stored in the flower’s bucket.

Bees fall into the bucket and exit thru a “tunnel.” As the bee visits other flowers, it helps in pollination. The liquid from the bucket gives the bee a sweet scent, which helps in attracting female bumblebees.    

“(Bucket Orchids) are not common at all in greenhouse collections, and they’re more uncommonly bloomed in those collections,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc said it took weeks for the tight little bud to become a flower.  In fact, she said it took about 15 to 20 hours for the orchid to fully bloom. LeBlanc does not know when the plant will bloom again.

“Since this is my first time, I can’t tell you much about when it’s going to bloom,” LeBlanc said. “(Bucket Orchids) grow in hot environments. My guess is that it will set flowers again next summer and bloom about this same time next year.”   

The Bucket Orchid is just one of over 1900 orchids housed in the Christy Woods greenhouse.

Members of the community are invited this week to see the orchid in bloom.

The greenhouse is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.