Pleione 2013

[SteveC2]

I'd seen that they were coming but it was still a nice surprise to walk into the greenhouse tonight and see Pleione Confirmation in flower.  I know it's early, though a week later than in 2012 and three weeks later than in 2011, but I don't mind.

[gregork]

Very nice!

[erf]

Very nice and early. Mine are not even close.
Regards Erling

[Maren]

Hi,
nice flower - amazing timing!!!

[LarsB]

It's early. The last couple of years it has been saxicola that has been the first to flower, but this year it is a couple of maculate that has been growing in the windowsill in my livingroom during the winter. (Sorry, no pictures yet). The one that has been grown a little colder is acting more normal. I've grown maculata in the windowsill for a couple of years, but it is the first time it has developped that much earlier. ANyone has any experience with that?

[SteveC2]

I think that Lars has hit the nail on the head with his comment about keeping these pleiones on the windowsill over winter.  My plants have two choices; in a frost free (-ish) greenhouse or on a windowsill where the temp gets down to about ten degrees at night. 
As a result maculata and Confirmation spend the winter indoors whilst others, such as winter flowering Barcena and Tarawera, stay out in the greenhouse and are perfectly happy.  Why?  Well I'm told maculata really does better in the warm, and at anything from £15 to £30 a bulb my Confirmation is not going anywhere where there is a risk of freezing!  The shoots start growing soon after flowering has finished and grow throughout the winter.  I have been told that this will not do them any good, but after four growing seasons one bulb has become seven even after I gave two away to friends.
On the down side I've tried praecox under the same system and I do not think that it's overly happy.

p.s. its amazing how much damage a single tiny snail can do to pleione flowers 

[Snuffeldyret]

I need to sell at least half of my collection. Any advice on where to advertice? I live in Norway..

[LarsB]

You're outside EU, so you will need CITES papers no matter where you want to sell. I haven't tried it myself, but EBAY is said to be the place to sell.

[Bart]

Waiting for a little bit of light to shine on my pot of Pleione Confirmation and the leaves to fall off, I noticed today that the first flower has faded! And still its grey and dull here in N. Yorkshire. So here are a few pictures from a couple of days ago.

[LarsB]

That is a nice looking pot. How many new growths do you have per bulb?

[Bart]

Thanks Lars,
There are 6 bulbs, 2 with one flower and 4 with 2. It seems to be a fairly consistent pattern to get 2 growth per pseudobulb. I have never had any bulbils. Does anyone know if that is the norm for P. Confirmation?

[Tony Willis]

Pleione saxicola flowering for the first time for me.Not particularly lovely as the flower is very small,it may improve in future years.

[Danshi]

Another saxicola, flowering for the first time for me, too. Bought the bulb in winter with two shoots, now the plant has a total of 8 flowers/buds! Unfortunately the stalks are very short and some didn't emerge from the soil completely. I repotted the plant in a wide bowl, so the new bulbs will have more room to spread out sideways next year.
Other pics are a probably flowering sized bulbil on a humilis with unusually shaped bulbs and Pleione Zeus Weinstein.

[erf]

Nice growing Danshi. I realy love Pln saxicola. Unfortunately I am not very good at growing them.
Regards Erling

[LarsB]

In my experience, saxicole has a tendency to dig itself into hte compost.