Cypripedium acaule seedlings - in situ culture

[fundulopanchax]

Cypripedium acaule is a difficult species to cultivate for long periods. I raised a number of seedlings from seed and this spring distributed them for planting out. Each person planted them in pine forest (White pine) or in pine duff in pots.

Amazingly, nearly all of them grew well; indeed, those I planted under pines have done well with little attention as have others. Here is a seedling under a White pine and its new steward noted that he did very little - not even watering more than once or twice all summer. Potted specimens have done well, too.

We will see how they do as they go forward.

Ron

 

[Rick]

Very cool Ron
How many seasons before blooming?

 

[fundulopanchax]

How many seasons before blooming?

A good question. I closely follow a large population not far from me. From the time a seedling shows for the first year like these, it is usually three years to bloom. I hope these transplanted seedlings do so well!

Ron

 

[TheLorax]

Good work fundulopanchax! No, excellent work!

 

[cypris]

It is nice to see them and that you have had success - I myself have tried something similar in Western Norway - in containers - I just wait and see.

 

[NYEric]

I have to go to one of the Xmas tree guys and get some 'pine duff'!

 

[cdub]

I have to go to one of the Xmas tree guys and get some 'pine duff'!

You won't find pine duff there, only "fir duff." Most x-mas trees are balsam fir or spruce, not pine. I haven't observed C. acaule in situ under either tree type. I have seen Cyp. acaule thriving under hemlock (Tsuga canadensis).

 

[NYEric]

I hope you know, I don't speak greek!

 

[SlipperFan]

Interesting. Pine duff, eh?

 

[NYEric]

I didn't [dont] know the difference. I thought a Xmas tree was a pine tree.

 

[kentuckiense]

I didn't [dont] know the difference. I thought a Xmas tree was a pine tree.

I'm pretty sure most Christmas trees are not pines but at firs from the genus Abies.

 

[SlipperFan]

I suspect most people equate Pine trees with evergreens, thus the association of Christmas trees with Pine. A little logic:
All Christmas trees are evergreens, but not all evergreens are Pine, thus not all Christmas trees are Pines.

Of course there are exceptions -- I've seen some very non-evergreen Christmas trees.

And of course, everyone knows that the tradition of using evergreens to celebrate Christmas was "borrowed" from pagans who used evergreens to celebrate the Winter Solstice...

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

My menorah is so much easier.......................Eric

 

[Persephone]

My menorah is so much easier.......................Eric

The menorah is based on the first menorah in the Temple which was fashioned after an Almond tree. So you see, you have a tree anyway!

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Great!!! and I don't even have to keep it in water..................

 

[TheLorax]

My menorah is so much easier.......................Eric

Ours is so much easier too. No risk of burning down the house and it doesn't shed needles or leave that sticky resin on everything it touches.