PLEIONE 2011

[ThomasB]

A really colourful Pleione opened a flower here. I got is as grandiflora but highly suspect that it's another form of x barbarae - a nice one with orange tones on the lip.

[Maren]

Very attractive, Thomas. But probably just a little disappointing since you expected something else and probably paid more than you would for a x barbarae?

My recent purchases of Pln albiflora and Pln grandiflora resulted in a glut of Pln aurita, very nice plants, mind you, but I now have rather more than I wanted and no albiflora or grandiflora, which is a pity, because the whites are what I really wanted. 

[Nick_the_grief]

Hi All,

been a tad busy with other things of late but thought I ought to post these.. My first ever Pleiones 


Pln bulbacoides



Pln vesuvius leopard



Pln vicky



Apologies for the quality & background but they were done on my Android phone

[ThomasB]

Maren, it was a bit disappointing as I already had several x barbarae and wanted to get another grandiflora. At least the bulbs weren't expensive.

Nick, your Vesuvius 'Leopard' is a beauty. I do like the lip!

A new one is flowering for me: Ganymede (Pln. yunnanensis x Pln. hookeriana)

[daveyp1970]

Can somebody put a name to what variety of shantung this please.

[ThomasB]

Another x barbarae is flowering. This time a very pale one, almost white with just some stains of colour on the lip.

Also flowering is Kima (chunii x aurita) but I think I like both parents more than the cross.

[Maren]

Hi,
just to let you know that Ian Butterfield got another Gold Medal for his display at the RHS Malvern Spring Gardening Show.  This is where he concentrates his efforts, having got tired of Chelsea Flower Show and the London Orchid Show.

The Malvern show goes on for another two days, well worth a visit.

[TC]

does anyone know what this Pleione is.?  The flower is about 3cm. long and is tiny compared to all the other varieties I have.  I do not know where I got this from - probably a plant sale.  All the bulbils were about pea size when I got them and it has taken 3 years for the first flower to appear.  I hope that the rest in the pot come out the same size.

[Maren]

Hi,
looks like Pleione Jorullo to me, but could be anything.

[ThomasB]

The flowering season for Pleione is not yet over. 
A flower of the delicate Pleione chunii and Pleione Soufriere.

[SteveC2]

My last two for this season, both delicate little gems, hookeriana and chunii.

[TC]

Hi,
looks like Pleione Jorullo to me, but could be anything.

Thanks for that.
Last year I planted 10 Pleiones in the garden as an experiment.  I did not expect the worst and longest Winter for 30 years. The garden was frozen and had about 12cms. of snow until the thaw came in February.  Our lowest temperature was -7c.  When I looked where the Pleiones  were planted, (including several Shantung bulbs ), they were on the surface having been excavated by Blackbirds.

About 4 weeks ago I saw a Pleione flower stalk pushing up through the soil and then within a week I had a flower which was perfectly formed and healthy.
 I do not know the variety - the usual lilac/purple colour.  Then some more separate leaves have appeared which are labeled Clare.

The hardiness of these plants surprises me.  We are told to keep them dry in a frost free place in Winter. These have survived happily in the exact opposite conditions

[Pieter]

it is the end of the line here. The last to flower for me this year:
- Pleione chunii
- Pleione Mawenzi

To show how small these flowers are, I placed a match stick in the pot (visible in the middle) to compare sizes.

Greetings

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Klein maar dapper Pieter ! 

Better late than never !!

[Pieter]

That is right Luc. It toke me two years to get these to flower but I am a happy man now.

Greetings