Pleione 2014

[Slug Killer]

Alex, the grandiflora may be the same source all the recent albiflora have come from.

Christian Schreiner - http://www.gartenwerkstatt-schreiner.de

[Alex]

Hi David,

Thanks for that - it would make sense, as he has brought quite a few rarely seen things onto the market this year.

Is this a suggestion or something you have inside knowledge on?

Also, I think I am correct in saying that the Schreiner stuff is actually grown from seed by Camiel de Jong, then passed on to CS for selling, no?

Cheers,

Alex

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Alex,
Several years ago I provided Camiel de Jong seed of various Pleione, including the rare ones offered this past year (by Schreiner etc). It also included P. grandiflora, seed from good parents with excellent yellow lips. So it is likely that the plants you bought were grown by Camiel, from my seed, and then passed on to retailers like Schreiner. I do not know this for certain, but it seems highly likely. While I never have enough bulbs myself to supply demand for some of these things, supplying seed to nurserymen who can raise them to adulthood in good numbers is a good way of making things more available. I'm glad you managed to buy some decent plants. Enjoy!
Paul

[Alex]

Thanks, Paul - you must be right.

Thank you for spreading this seed around; a serious enthusiast with a source of high quality material and a commercial nurseryman with the technical ability and scale of Camiel de Jong is a powerful combination indeed. The results have been fantastic (two separate clones below, they are even yellower IRL) and it has been a real pleasure to get flowering bulbs of things like P. albiflora and these grandiflora.

Unrelated, also below is the first P. coronaria of the year, just opened today.

Alex

[Slug Killer]

Alex, Probably some of the nicest grandiflora I've seen.

I'm always amazed how some peoples plants are far more advanced than mine. For example, my Pleione coronaria are not yet showing any signs of growth but at a guess they have come from the same original source. Maybe I keep plants in the dark and cold longer than is needed?

[Alex]

Hi David,

I can take no credit, sadly - but massed together at the show they did look wonderful.

The P. coronaria is a bit earlier than the other clone I grow - this one originated from Kath Fairhurst - but I think my greenhouse is relatively warm, and I never refrigerate any Pleiones.

Alex

[Graham Catlow]

Enjoying everyone's posts, and a couple from me -

1&2 Pleione pleionoides
3 P. 'Shantung Ducat'

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Another small pleione, but a most common one.
Think it's pleione Tongariro
JP

[Maren]

Hi Alex,

the P. grandiflora you bought from me at the London Orchid Show last week were indeed from Schreiner via the route suggested and, had you asked, I would have told you.  They are quite extraordinary, some with 3 flower stems and 2 to 3 flowers on each. I think you picked two of the best, congratulations.

I arranged these in a cascading wave of basket fulls on my display, about 60 in all with over 200 flowers, and they looked rather nice. The RHS thought so, too, and gave me another Silver Gilt medal for my efforts. When I get some pictures from friends (my camera was ill), I shall post them on the forum.

As they are so large, I would suggest that you drop them very gently into a larger pot or bowl to give them enough room for the 3 or 4 large replacement bulbs you can expect from each by the end of the growing period. You would have to do this without delay because the roots have started to grow. This is how I do it:

1) hold the pseudobulb over the half filled pot/bowl so that it is suspended, not resting on the compost,
2) pour compost around it until half way up the pseudobulb
3) do not press down on the compost or you will break the roots
4) water gently but generously to allow the compost to settle around the roots.

Good luck.

[Maggi Young]

Well, Maren, seeing how good the plant is that Alex bought, I can easily imagine how magnificent your display of them was. Congratulations of your  Medal!  It will be super to see some photos when you can manage that.

[Maren]

Thanks Maggi, you are very kind. It was a lot of hard work. I managed to empty the van this morning and now I am sitting in a pile of plants, moss, ferns, driftwood, cloth, wooden boxes and other paraphernalia that went into my display. Soon everything will be back to normal.

[Kevin]

Hi,

I thought that I'd share a couple of the Pleione which I bought from Maren whist at the show this past weekend. I have to say that the Pleione was there in strength this year at many stalls! Maren's display was as stunning as ever and the colourful display a testiment to her ability to grow great Pleione.

I bought a couple of plants (but passed on the amazing P.grandiflora on show- and am regretting it now!).

Below is the P.yunannensis I bought. Such a dainty little thing! I also bought a great robust P.Piton (no photo) and I had to pick up a P.Achievement! This is a great Pleione, the intense colours of which are hard to capture on my phone! The flower was slightly dented on the way home with all of the other things I was carying it's unavoidable, and it's going over now, but I've done my best to capture the orange/pink in the lip.

Best,
Kevin

[karel_t]

Hi Maren,
Here are several photos of your stand at the London Orchid Show. It was very nice to meet you again  .
K.

[Alex]

Hi Maren,

Thanks for this. I didn't ask because I was too busy enjoying my new purchases at the time - and I think it is slightly bad manners to ask a nurseryman/woman where they get their stock from! They looked awesome on your display, as did the other Pleiones, so many congrats on your medal.

Alex

[monocotman]

Maren,

congrats on your display and medal.
I'ne just flowered one ofthese new grandifloras and they are super.
A real step forward!
If they increase well then there will be some super pans aound in a couple of years,

Regartds,

David