Pleione 2018

[Anders]

Hi Julien

No, my virused Bletillas come from different sources. B. formosane is from Albiflora, B. Soryu is from Laneside Hardy Orchids (don't know where Jeff Hutchins got it from), B. Brigantes is a clone that has been passed on in Danish gardens for more than a decade, and a plain striata was bought as very dry bulbs some 20 years ago. I think that either one of them had virus and passed it on to the others or they picked it up from one of my Pleiones.

Anders

[sjusovare]

Well, we'll never know for sure, it is possible that many bletillas sold since decades were carrying dormant viruses which just started to show those last years because the plants are weakened by the stress caused by the erratic climate, it should also be noted that over here we also observe an increase of viral activity in many crops (not only ornemental), which would support that theory, maximized by the fact that the same climatic variations also favorize aphids which are known vectors.

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Can viruses be passed on from orchid seed?  In most plants the seed is clean even if the plant is infected but I don't know about orchids.

[Anders]

Hi Jan

I don't know if this has been tested specifically for orchid viruses and viroids, but generally it will depend on the virus type and to some degree on the environmental conditions and genetics of the host plant. Some types of viruses are seed-transmitted. Chemical disinfection can reduce the risk that the viruses will enter the developing embryo inside the seeds. My guess would be that mature orchid seeds disinfected with hypochlorite solution will have a very low risk of infection, whereas the risk will be much higher by using the green pod methods where only the outside of the seed pod is sterilised.  Symbiotic germination with seeds that are not disinfected would probably have a higher infection risk than germination of hypochlorite treated seeds. I have had suspected virus infection in a couple of sterile flasks. The seedling leaved had white streaks on several seedlings in each flask. It may not have been viral infection, but I threw all of them in the bin to be on the safe side.

Anders   

[sjusovare]

At the difference of some viruses which sometimes infect seeds from the outside via virions coming by the dehiscent pod's wall, members of the potyvirus familly (to which the PFBV infecting pleiones is part) infect seeds at the cellular level during the seeds development, so unfortunately, if the pod parent was viral, it's likely most of the embryo will be as well, and disinfection is not likely to change the outcome in this case....

[Luc Gilgemyn]

As it's cucumber time in the Pleione world  maybe this is of interest for some.

I used to pot my bulbils among the mature pseudobulbs and the result of the number of bulbils that survived was rather poor.  This year, I decided to give them a different (separate) treatment and I'm very happy with the results so far.  Only one grex didn't grow.

The biggest bulbils so far measure up to almost 10 mm now, which to me, is surprisingly big.

They are planted in a far less coarse mix containing finely chopped moss, very finely seaved bark, some leafmold and a small percentage of J.I. compost.  I never let them dry out in the heat and drought we had over the laste couple of months. They seemed to have liked that 

[sjusovare]

Has someone received Ian Butterfield's catalogue this year?

[Maggi Young]

Julien - Maren Talbot gave the link to Ian Butterfield's 2017-2018 catalogue  in late September 2017 - so you may be a little early in looking  for it.
 I expect it will be linked from Maren's website  when it is available, as usual .... http://www.heritageorchids.co.uk/

[Michael J Barrett]

First time I’ve grown these as I grew up in a very different clim. I’ve always liked orchids. Hopefully
I get these to re bloom next year, with some yellows too.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

First time I’ve grown these as I grew up in a very different clim. I’ve always liked orchids. Hopefully
I get these to re bloom next year, with some yellows too.

They're lovely aren't they Michael !  Looking quite good !

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Has someone received Ian Butterfield's catalogue this year?

I'm also somewhat worried Julien !  I think we got it earlier than this in the past few years. 

[Graham Catlow]

Pleione x Confirmation

A full pan of flowers this year. It started flowering several weeks ago in full leaf so some of the blooms are going over now.

[Bart]

Wow!  Very nice.
I had about 14 of them 3 years ago and lost all but one of them to a dodgy repotting mix. It is recovering in pure rockwool, and will hopefully flower next season... Such a nice flower. Well done for getting such a massive pot of them!

[Maggi Young]

Julien - Maren Talbot gave the link to Ian Butterfield's 2017-2018 catalogue  in late September 2017 - so you may be a little early in looking  for it.
 I expect it will be linked from Maren's website  when it is available, as usual .... http://www.heritageorchids.co.uk/

There will be no new Butterfield’s Pleiones catalogue published this year. Last year's is still currently available on the Heritage Orchids website for reference if you do not have a copy.

[Mark Griffiths]

Question re the spring hybrids - when can they be lifted? I prefer to lift mine and I'm wondering when the roots die - is it as the leaves fall or is it later? I'm trying to make as much space in the greenhouse so lifting earlier will help me.