Delightful Disa

[DavMac]

If you are in New Zealand in January then New Plymouth is the place to be if you like Disa.

The Taranaki Summer Orchid Show is held on the third weekend in January. It is an opportunity for enthusiasts from around New Zealand and overseas to get together and see plants we don't get to see at the Winter and Spring shows around the country.

Below are a few photos of the Disa Display and a few close-ups.

David

[Maggi Young]

My goodness, that looks to have been a super show!

[Paul Cumbleton]

Great display David, thanks for sharing the photos. I have just a dozen or so pots of Disas at home where they provide some welcome colour after the Pleiones have finished flowering.

Paul

[maggiepie]

Delightful is right, here's yet another plant I didn't know.
 

[derekb]

Great photos David, Helen I am no Disa expert but at the last count I had 130 growing but if you are thinking of growing some remember you will need heating as they say not below zero but mine went down to minus 3c but would not recomend it.

Derek

[maggiepie]

Derek, thank you very much for that bit of information, there's no way I could grow them here, but I hope you post some pics of yours.

[johnw]

Now that I have picked myself up off the floor, I can hardly believe these Disas.  I think back of the few I grew in live green sphagnum, year two they went into decline but rejuvenated amazingly when the moss was renewed with live . Then they died later.

Sumptuous display.

johnw

[Michael]

Quite amazing display! The flowers are huge compared to the smallish size of the plants! And those reds are like nothing i've ever seen before! Thanks for the pictures.

the yellow forms are a bit weak

It seems that you and Aeropetes tulbaghia have the same tastes, Rob 
That's why the yellow form is so rare in Nature. Anyway, i have seen pictures of clones that have the upper sepal tesselated, wich looks rather nice!

[Joakim B]

Great treat You gave us all with those photos
Really gives the colour to the Winter here in Northen hemisphere.
Thanks and hope to more
Joakim

[SueG]

Dave Parkinson plants in east yorkshire http://www.daveparkinsonplants.co.uk/specialise in Disa'a and had a stunning display at the Tatton Park Flower show a couple of years ago when I was there, they were also really pleasant people to talk to. The colours are just amazing, I bought a couple which I am slowly killing, sad to say.
Sue

[derekb]

Sue, I have had several plants from Dave and he is good at answering mail, dont forget the original plant dies over winter and should throw up 3 or 4 babies but do not pot them up until they start groing away in the spring.

Derek

[Rogan]

Disa uniflora is certainly an iconic plant. I grow mine as you would a carnivorous plant - in a 50/50 mixture of course sphagnum peat and washed river sand. During the growing season I stand my pots in shallow rain or distilled water. Recently I was fortunate enough to visit the orchid house at Kirstenbosch botanical garden and drooled over their magnificent Disa collection - here are a few of the plants I saw:

[Michael]

I wish I could have been there, Rogan!

I guess there is another magnificent Disa (Disa graminifolia if i am not in error) that has the most impressive deep blue colour, just like the Australian sun orchids...

I wonder why that blue Disa remains pretty unknown amongst gardeners....

[SueG]

Sue, I have had several plants from Dave and he is good at answering mail, dont forget the original plant dies over winter and should throw up 3 or 4 babies but do not pot them up until they start groing away in the spring.

Derek
do I reduce the watering in winter when they die down - I've done this anyway due to forgetting to water them so I hope it's OK 
Sue

[derekb]

Sue I leave mine standing in about an inch of water and as that evaporates leave it for a couple of days then refill, NEVER let them dry out.
Michael I should be having the Blue one sent later in the year and my friend says she will tell me how to grow it.

Derek