I have been growing Liparis lilifolia quite well for several years in my bog garden. Several years ago, I came across a large number in a Pennsylvania state forest. While there were many growing in the oak woods, they were sparsely flowered. However, in boggy areas surrounding a lake, there were...
I would note that your japonicum is what I call "the Chinese japonicum." Your variety has a bright white base to the lip and bright "lipstick" around the opening. Most Japanese japonicum have a greenish base. It's not the white sepals and petals of formosanum. I had this variety from a Chinese...
Without assistance, Cyp formosana would be difficult in Montana as it is accustomed to milder winters. On the other hand, you’re in the right zone for cold growers like montanum, guttatum, and passerinum. Water requirements can be tricky.
I love the multiflorals, particularly sanderianum. I like dark flowers, particularly anitum. Marry the two and you have a match made in heaven — Paphiopedilum Yang-Ji Hawk. I got a great plant of it from Frank Cervera at the 2024 Paph Forum in Kensington, Maryland. Give me a year and if it's...
Yes. Watching with joy! Cyp formosana is one of the finest additions to our hardy orchid gardens. Much better behaved than its close cousin japonicum and in my opinion much prettier. In addition to its own incredible beauty, there are 10 (!) hybrids registered with it, include the second human...
Cypripedium season has begun in the Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore, Maryland). For me the first one up every year is Cypripedium formosanum. Should be in bloom by mid-April. It has been reliable grower here for about 5 years, planted in a raised bed beneath arborvitae trees. Soil was amended with...
Particular congratulations on the Habenarias and the Aplectrum. I don't recall anyone germinating them before. Are those the tropical Habenarias? What media are you using?
Thank you. This is very valuable information. Fortunately, it is consistent with what I've been giving them, treating them like my Paphiopedilums vietnamense and hangianum. Pictured is my happiest subtropicum, now 1 year in Baltimore cultivation.
Thank you for your wonderful documentation. The observation that Cypripedium subtropicum inhabits altitudes of 1,600m is consistent with my initial success in the air-conditioned zone of my greenhouse (seed-grown stock from Hengduan Mountain Biotechnology).
Here's my Ptarmigan (Snow Bird x medusa) in very rainy, hot Baltimore. Potted in 1:1:1:1 ProMix BX : Turface : Espoma Soil Perfector : course perlite. The pot it topped off at planting time with a mulch of granite gravel to keep the leaves clean and a scattering of Osmocote Plus.
With the advent of seed-propagated Cypripedium subtropicum at a reasonable price from Hengduan Mountains Biotechnology, I have been able to try the species under several conditions and can report initial success under one set of conditions.
I attempted last year with limited beginning success...
The parents of Cypripedium Otto, both pubescens and calceolus are recorded in nature all the way beyond the Arctic Circle. Calceolus has more problems with heat, but Pubescens grows all the way into Georgia and Alabama in the U.S.
I have no successful experiences with pot culture other than some odd ones — Cypripedium plectrochilum and Cypripedium subtropicum. Both of those reside in the air conditioned half of my greenhouse here the temperature never exceeds 75°F.
Cypripedium calceolus, the true Eurasian Yellow Ladyslipper and type species for all of Cypripedioideae, is a fussy grower in Maryland in my experience. Fortunately, its hybrid with Cypripedium pubescens, Cypripedium Otto (W.Frosch 1991) is much more tolerant and retains much of the charm of the...
I have been trying a large number of Cypripedium species and hybrids for the last 40 years and currently am keeping about 20 alive or better. The one standout is my Cypripedium pubescens (Willd. Hort. Berol. 1: 13 (1804)) 'Vigrous', planted as a single growth rhizome from a Michigan wildflower...