My 2010 cypripediums

[angie]

Anthony that's a nice pot full of cypripedium Sabine. I would have been too scared to leave out such a wonderful plant like that this winter but you have just shown us that they are hardier than we think. Did you keep it under a canopy or anything?
Angie

[TheOnionMan]

One tends to forget that most cyps are hardy down to -25^oC. Here is Cypripedium 'Sabine', which has not moved from this spot on my patio for three years. This year we had -18^oC, which turned many pot grown bulbs to mush, but had no effect what so ever on my cypripediums.

Anthony, a magnificent cyp!

[Maren]

Hi Anthony,
that's a beautiful potful. What's your compost and aspect?

[Anthony Darby]

No canopy. The wall at the back is East and is 4' high with a blue picket fence on top. An Iris unguicularius growing on the wall is completely dead, but it was attacked by voles. I don't see any life in the pot of Lilium nepalense next to it.

[johanneshoeller]

Some more Cypripedium
Sebastian
andrewsii
flavum
shanxiense
calceolus hybrid (shanxiense)
franchetii
candidum
flavum

Stephen,

I have three different subtrates in my garden (because the chances of the garden):
-native soil from our limestone mountains (for my very old calceolus and my first Chinese Cypripediums): is not the best for most Cyps.
-coarse pumice or broken burnt clay pepples, a little composted conifer bark, pine bark, fine quarz sand called in our native language  Flins, a little Beech leaf mould (the best substrate)
- the same substrate but with a little peat, more Beech leaf mould and limestone.

I do not fertilize, only plants in the second substrate (Wuxal)
 

[Anthony Darby]

Hi Anthony,
that's a beautiful potful. What's your compost and aspect?

Maren, the compost is 80% inorganic (Seramis® and perlite) 10% fine bark and 10% loam.

[Maren]

Hi Anthony,
that's very re-assuring. Mine is very similar, with a handful of cat litter thrown in (that's the granular type, available from some Tesco stores and recommended by Paul. There is an interesting writeup about it somewhere on this site.).

[Slug Killer]

Maren

Here is the link to the information I sent Paul on Cat litter.


http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2008/100908/log.html

David

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks David. The reason for the Seramis® in the mix is that my pot of 'Sabine' hasn't been repotted for nearly 4 years. I will be investing in cat litter this year.

[Anthony Darby]

Two clones of X Ventricosum album and my clump of 'Emil' with over 50 flowers.

[TheOnionMan]

Two clones of X Ventricosum album and my clump of 'Emil' with over 50 flowers.

Anthony, both are OUTSTANDING!

[Maggi Young]

Two clones of X Ventricosum album and my clump of 'Emil' with over 50 flowers.

Anthony, both are OUTSTANDING!

Aren't they just! and he's always moaning about the weather.... seems the cyps, at least, don't mind it!

[Maren]

Fabulous clumps, Anthony, such a beautiful show. May I ask how long you have had them?

[Anthony Darby]

Maren, the X Ventricosum in the cyps in pots I have had since I bought it as a single nose from Ian Christie at the 1999 Early Bulb Display. There's a pic of in in the June 2002 Journal. The Album and 'Emil' are more recent acquisitions about 5 or more years ago.

[Graham Catlow]

Hi,
Three from my collection today.

Cypripedium guttatum
C. guttatum
C. palangshanense
C. formosanum

Graham