Pleione formosana collected from wild----How to grow them?

[wertherZC]

Hello, everyone!

I'm a newbie Pleione grower from Shanghai, China.  3 weeks ago I went to Mt. Daming in west Zhejiang Province and collected some small bulbs of Pln. formosana.

I've read an article in Chinese with indicates that Pleiones won't survive when collected during the growing season, because even the root is only slightly damaged , the whole root system will die and new bulbs for the next year won't be developed successfully. Collections of wild Pleiones can only take place when they are in dormancy.

When I collected them, I haven't read the article yet and Pleiones are obviously in the growing period (21th, May....flowers fading, large leaves coming out). 

My question is: are there chances what they can survive? I collect some of them quite carefully, possibly without roots being damaged. Pictures shown below are the bulbils with still healthy leafs and even some buds of new leafs.

I use moss collected from their original inhabitant place to grow them. Because it's quite hot during summer in Shanghai (28 celsius degrees today and 30-35 mostly during July and August), I use a fan for air movement and water them several times a day because of large vaporization.  Do I have to improve my growing method?

Best wishes!

WertherZC

[wertherZC]

Here are the pictures taken in the wild
(1-4 taken in 21th May 2012, with fading flowers,  5-7 taken in 10th May 2009, flowers in good condition)
note that Pleione seedlings are almost everywhere in IMG_8389

[Ian Y]

Welcome to the forum it is wonderful to see the pictures of the plants in the wild

I would like to remind everyone that the SRGC believe collecting plants from the wild should only be done in a sustainable way and in accordance with the relevant regulations.

It is a fact that all the plants we grow in our gardens have wild origins and without occasional controlled  and authorised collecting from abundant populations we could lose many beautiful plants from our gardens.

[wertherZC]

I've been informed that plant collection is illegal in Scotland and most european countries. If my behavior of plant collection is inappropriate, I'm sorry about that! Indeed, I do feel a little bit guilty to be a destroyer of nature, especially a destroyer of such beautiful creatures.

I also envy you all who have a very developed market of rare plants that can propagate plants on its own without doing harm to the natural world. In China, pleiones and other rare plants certainly can also be bought on the market, but they are mostly collected from the wild.  If you buy them, you stimulate the business and collections for commercial purpose (with will certainly cause worse destruction to nature compared with individual collections) will go on. So I'd rather not buy plants from the market but collect them by myself. To live peacefully with nature, I think our country still has a long way to go. 

Because pleiones are native in China, they are quite abundant in some regions (I've heard its bulb is used as a traditional medicine),  I think that's another reason why they are not cherished and protected by us. 

As most of you don't collect pleiones in the wild (And also no places to), so they won't be disturbed during growing period. In that way, my situation seems to be quite unique. Despite that, I'll try to do my best. If I fail, next time I'll only enjoy them in the wild!  Take only pictures!

WertherZC

[daveyp1970]

Werther i would love to see pictures of other native flora,i think a lot of people would.

[Maren]

Hello Werther,

I agree, it would be nice to see more pictures of pleiones in their natural habitat. It is interesting to see in your picture how they grow on moss on a rock. Knowing how plants grow in nature is a great help to improving their cultivation in 'captivity'.

As to what to do with them now, you will find information on the websites of many contributors to this forum. It is risky to re-pot pleiones when they are in full growth, and I would not normally do it. But sometimes, especially when exhibiting, plants get knocked over and depart from their pots, and then it is necessary to put them back without breaking he roots. I make a mound of compost in the pot and drape the roots over it so that the longer ones reach down into the pot and the pseudobulb sits on the highest point of the compost. I then gently cover the roots with the remaining compost. At this stage it is important not to firm them in because that would, no doubt, break the roots. Instead, I just push down gently with one finger in each corner of my square pots. That is sufficient to stabilise the plant.  A quick watering finishes the job.