Unknown Pleione hybrids for ID/grex

[arisaema]

This was bought as P. bulbocodioides, and is apparently fully hardy here in N Denmark... It's obviously a hybrid, I'm guessing 'Shantung'? If anyone spots signs of virus on either please let me know...



This was bought as 'Tolima', does it look correct?

[Maggi Young]

I asked a friend who is a great Pleione grower - she looked at the photos and replied: 
" I am happy to give my opinion, please don’t take it as concrete proof, that would require DNA analysis and looking at the pseudobulb.

The top pleione looks to me like P. Glacier Peak, (formosana x grandiflora), a hybrid made by Ian Butterfield and registered in 2001. This proved very useful to Anthura, the Dutch pleione ‘factory’, who cloned them and mass produced them without ever giving them a name label; they are easier to sell that way on the Continent. A very nice pleione and reproduces easily.

The bottom pleione looks to me like P. Tongariro (Versailles x pleionoides), made by B. Williams and developed/registered by Ian Butterfield in 1981. This is a very durable hybrid, nice upright habit, good developer and makes a beautiful bowl when planted, say, 20 or more in a bowl."

Hope this helps.

[arisaema]

Thank you, Maggi! I'm surprised the Glacier Peak looking one is supposed to be hardy here, with that parentage you wouldn't expect it to... 'Tongariro' would make more sense than 'Tolima' considering how common it is, fingers crossed that'll prove hardy too.

[sjusovare]

I've been surprised several times to see pleiones that I had discarded the previous autumn (some formosana and grandiflora among those) flower in the spring in the pile of mulch after have spent the winter and some -8 frost there...
I think many are much hardier than we give them credit, providing they remain dry.