Cypripedium fargesii, lichiangense and flavum

[Catwheazle]

After successfully cultivating two-leaved Chinese Cypripedia for over 20 years, I present my beliefs for discussion:
The plants are, if grown here in the Allgäu unproblematic. C. fargesii is sometimes damaged by late frost, but that does not bother him. C. lichiangense drives out later anyway.
First: Imported plants have i.d.R. no chance to survive, because the roots are cut back too much !!!
In winter, the plants must be very dry. So that they have water in the bud, they probably have very long roots. In my C. fargesii I found roots in 1m distance. (The roots are mostly in the depth !!!) Imported plants with short roots do not sprout either because of lack of water or rot because they are too moist. The balancing act between them is hardly possible. That's why pots are treacherous. Once in the phase of shoots poured too much = end :-(
Progeny plants e.g. from Belgian laboratories have the full long roots, but still need 1 -2 years of care to grow properly.
My soil for the two cypses is almost humus free! It is calcareous clay soil with gravel, which has a dry consistency of concrete, but always keeps a residual moisture.
In the winter I just put a big tarp over it.
Cyp. flavum is also doing well in these conditions, but also Paeonia obovata.
Maybe you are interested
greetings
Bernd

[Maggi Young]

Astonishing to hear how  long and deep the roots grow!

[Catwheazle]

Yes, I was also very surprised. The plants are on the north side of the house, which is protected by the canopy (here in the Allgäu, the canopies are much larger because of the many snow). Actually a place for outdoor cacti, if not the permanent shade would be.

[Maggi Young]

Seems you have found the perfect spot for them!

[Steve Garvie]

Congratulations on growing these difficult plants well for so long Bernd!

I struggle with these plants which will not grow in the open garden here. With cover it is not difficult to keep them dry in the Winter but I find that their leaves are susceptible to fungus infection during the late Spring -particularly if it is both warm and humid.

I have a plant of lichiangense and one of sichuanense planted in a covered bed (this is their 4th year). They had a disastrous growing season last year due to dust pollution and then damp humid conditions:




This year each plant has a single growth but didn’t flower.

As you say it is very difficult to manage these plants in pots due to the fine balance between adequate moisture at the root and excessive wetness causing rot. I prefer to grow lichiangense and fargesii in old polystyrene vaccine boxes in a greenhouse -not pretty to look at but it is easier to manage the watering and humidity exposure.

[Catwheazle]

Thank you for the praise :-)
I think that the climatic conditions are more favorable for me. I live almost in the mountains, at 800 nn and the climate should be much more continental like in Scotland :-) ... the soil itself is loamy gravel from Lech. Almost without humus. This soil has a very good drainage though hard as concrete.

[Maren]

Bernd, that sounds most interesting. I grow cypripediums quite successfully in unlikely situations and I would love to try the ones you mentioned. Did you get them from Phytesia? It would be nice to renew a longstanding friendship.

[Catwheazle]

Hi Maren,
I only have flavum from Phytesia. I've been buying the others for a long time (the oldest I've had for more than 12 years) and various retailers, some of them on the Munich Orchid Market (back then). To the Chinese two-leaved: the imported plants were usually very strongly cut back with the roots, so that they were difficult to establish. In the pot anyway not and in the field, baked in the hard clay, protected from rain, they were only to be brought to survival with Tensiometer. In the second year they were rooted and it was getting better. Compared to other Cypriedia, they are like cacti, except that they do not store the water, but rather bring down roots that are several meters long, and that they can use every residual moisture in the soil. I can compare them most with Pleione saxicola. This is also such a "water artist" is unfortunately always sold without roots :-( Meanwhile, it seems that I have the under control. Keep my fingers crossed! In the other autumn flowering Pleionen I have good experience with pots made But that did not work for saxicola, you have Pleione ... what am I telling you .....
best regards
Bernd