goofys Cyps 2013

[goofy]

hello friends,
its frosty outside,
minus 15 Celsius last night here.

Nevertheless the first Cyp flower opened in the cold frame (in pot)
The hybrid was made and registered by Mr. Frosch in 2001.
But this is a remake with macranthum alba parent.

I think it is so early because of its segawai parent............
(the segawais are near to open their flowers next week)

Cypripedium Bernd (macranthum alba X segawai)



enjoy

[monocotman]

Cute!
I love alba cyps.
Mine are still just showing through in the pots - nothing is extending during this miserable spring weather.
Even formosanum is only a couple of cm high,
David

[goofy]

hello friends,
no doubt, spring is here

how funny is the formosanum this year?
more than 30 shoots, but only one flower....................

Cypripedium formosanum 2013


Cypripedium segawai nice two stem plant this year, one double flower


this little gem is flowering in the cold frame
Cypripedium plectrochilum


enjoy

[Peter Maguire]

how funny is the formosanum this year?
more than 30 shoots, but only one flower............

That happened to my formosanum last year. It had about 25 shoots and 3 flowers - I'm hoping for better things this year...

[LarsB]

I really like Bernd. Is it a good grower?

Lars

[goofy]

sorry Lars, I cannot tell so much,
I just received it last autumn.

it seems to be a little weak, from the segawai parent ?

but it is well worth to try

cheers

[Anthony Darby]

If it's -15^oC outside, what is the temperature inside the cold frame?

[goofy]

hey,
I keep it frost free over the winter......................

[Anthony Darby]

Ah, not a cold frame then.  Explains why your cyps are so far ahead, but why frost free?

[goofy]

hey,
I plant all new aquisitions the first season
and some "delicate" species like the plectrochilum or debile
and other small species in pots in the "cold frame"
for better protection and "controlling"

climate here can be very rough with severe frosts,
but most no snow cover...............

cheers

[Anthony Darby]

I can see that but pots of most species can cope with -18^oC with no protection.

[monocotman]

Anthony,

I beg to differ with you on your last statement.
It depends totally on the species and hybrids.
It may even be clonal.
I definitely had some winter kill in pots in the severe winter of 2010/11.
I lost a few plants, some were knocked back and lost some roots and growths, some lost just flower buds and some were unaffected.
'Birgit' and 'Gisela' died away completely.
Gabriela lost some growths and roots and produced some small twisted stems.
The various macranthos clones I grow lost their flower buds - they were all brown when the shoots emerged.
Macranthos var hotei lost some roots and spent last year recovering.
Some plants - most of them hybrids, appeared unaffected.
So Goofy's procedure of protecting plants over winter, at least until established, seems to be an excellent idea,

Regards,

David

[Maren]

I agree with you David, I have had similar experiences.

My theory is that damage is caused not so much by low temperature but rather by huge swings in temperature. Research tells us that winter temperatures are pretty steady in the places where our cypripediums come from. The fact that many of them grow on the northern side of hills explains that there is no daily heating up from the sun, which can be quite significant, even in winter.  That's why I find it beneficial to plunge the pots and keep shading on them all year round.

[Anthony Darby]

I had no problem with pots - most of them large ceramic, but some plastic, on my patio in Dunblane in the 10 years I grew them, but most were hybrids. No need to shade in Scotland.

[goofy]

Some plants - most of them hybrids, appeared unaffected.
So Goofy's procedure of protecting plants over winter, at least until established, seems to be an excellent idea,

tks David for your statement,

thats what I found after about 40 years of growing Cyps successfully 
I am not a millionaer, so I must be cautious.........
...........and like to enjoy flowers EVERY YEAR, so NO RISK.

cheers