There and back again with C. kentuckiense

[KyushuCalanthe]

Well, considering the wonderful plants that have been showing up on this forum, I feel a bit embarrassed about showing anything, but...

Here's my C. kentuckiense plant. I've grown it since 2008 and since then it has been an up and down ride. First it increased, flowered with three blooms in 2011, then got a fungal rot, then looked like poop for a couple years, and this year it is flowering again on four growths!

The truth with Cyps is that you cannot expect them to always be OK - you really have to work at it. In southern Japan's climate this is particularly true since plants are pushed to their heat tolerances - and sometimes beyond. For now I'm pleased.

 

[SlipperKing]

Very good Tom. Do you feel you have now mastered the culture of this species? What did you use to clear out the fungus? K-Lite?

 

[JPMC]

I love it! Mine is still struggling to hold on. It's looking better this year but not a great as yours.

 

[NYEric]

Not bad for being so far from home!

 

[Linus_Cello]

I'm surprised that C. kentuckienses has heat issues as they are found in Texas. Are you further south latidudinally than TX?

 

[Clark]

Nice pic on the right.

If I google C. kentuckiense, Tom's article pops up #2(behind Wiki).
Excellent read. And was surprised about many things with this species.

 

[Erythrone]

Graceful!

 

[MaryPientka]

Lovely!

 

[Dido]

Nice one Tom I like it congrats

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Very good Tom. Do you feel you have now mastered the culture of this species? What did you use to clear out the fungus? K-Lite?

Rick, mostly I just waited. I did soak it in some Physan this year before repotting, and have been soaking the medium every month or so as a prophylactic. I repot yearly, so am not too worried about build up of salts as a problem.

I'm surprised that C. kentuckienses has heat issues as they are found in Texas. Are you further south latidudinally than TX?

Just about dead on with Atlanta, right within the acceptable heat range of this species. Perhaps if I had a proper place to grow them (not an urban lot), I'd do better. This plant started out in a raised bed near the C. formosanum/C. japonicum clump - exactly where it ran into rot problems. I think soil microbs might be the tough issue with some species here. Having said that, no Cyp wants hot roots and that's what they get starting in mid July until late September with daily averages (night and day averaged mind you!) exceeding 25 C. Cyps hate that, even the heat tolerant ones.

Nice pic on the right.

If I google C. kentuckiense, Tom's article pops up #2(behind Wiki).
Excellent read. And was surprised about many things with this species.

I try my best on all fronts!

I remember back in my high school days when I was communicating with Carson Whitlow (late 70s) and he told me about "an exciting new species" he had seen in Kentucky. And here we are all these years later and I'm growing it in Japan. Life is an odd thing.

 

[abax]

And I've never, ever seen it in KY. Go figure. acaule-yes showy-only
occasionally.

 

[cnycharles]

Heat tolerance depends a lot on what's in or under the soil, that is able to cool the roots. Many places in upstate ny they are in soil that is above water or springs so that can keep it cooler; a raised bed with afternoon sun will just keep warming up


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[KyushuCalanthe]

Heat tolerance depends a lot on what's in or under the soil, that is able to cool the roots. Many places in upstate ny they are in soil that is above water or springs so that can keep it cooler; a raised bed with afternoon sun will just keep warming up.

That's true Charles. I think a lot of people mistake Cyps to be water loving, when if fact they are more cool loving, in particular the roots. It was amazing to see C. tibeticum, C. flavum, and C. shanxiense growing almost in water in Sichuan - a very subtle balance I wouldn't want to try to replicate in the garden!

The native soil where I grow Cyps in beds is a sticky loamy muck in the summer due to the intense rains. In building the raised beds I first mounded up this soil, then put a layer of pumice, silica sand, and bit of bark on top to around 20 cm deep. The theory was that the wet substrate below would be like a reservoir of water to facilitate evaporative cooling through the airy growing medium. It seemed to work pretty well for a few years, but then I got into disease trouble - fungal or bacteria rot. I think the soil microbs are just too strong here for plants that already are on the edge of their limits. For that reason, I'm growing everything in pots again this summer (fingers crossed), except C. formosanum and C. japonicum.