Pleione 2013

[Hans J]

Eine Frage an alle deutschen Pleionen Sammler :
Wo kauft Ihr Sphagnum Moos für Eure Pflanzen ?

Danke
Hans

[Maren]

Hier

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Sphagnum-Moos-5-KG-1-A-Qualitat-getrocknet-gepresst-/120686315832?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D4639848346592997468%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D120686315832%26

[Hans J]

Thank you Maren - do you buy your sphagnum in Germany ?

[Maren]

Not usually, I have a couple of suppliers in England but they are out of stock at the moment. I should have bought it last year when there was supply. But of course you never know when suppliers are going to run out.

[Uli Lessnow]

I use  moldered wood for all pleiones. Sphagnum is doing well in a little
trough, but not in great quantity. It is available in the flower warehouse.
But I have no idea about the price.

[Hans J]

Thank you Uli !

Hans

[sottych]

Hello

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR ALL
Christian

[erf]

Happy New Year to all of you.

I have just bought some pleiones from Ian Butterfield and they arrived today....... Yes I know, I'm a lucky devil.
As a free gift, Ian included a bulb named Pleione Orizaba 'Grass Owl'. Do any of you know that one. I know the pleione Orizaba 'Fish Eagle', but have newer heard of this one. Do any have a picture of it or do I need to wait to flowering time 
Regards

[pseudobulb]

hi erf i  recieved   a  pleione orizaba grass owl  from  ian last  year， it is a tall grower with  pinkish  sepals  and petals，ouiet vigorous。

[SteveC2]

And so my season begins, with Wharfedale Pine Warbler, which in truth is a little late, but nice to have flowers in the greenhouse this early in the year.

[erf]

Thank you pseudobulb. I will look forward to see it flower. Quite a big bulb
Erling

[SteveC2]

Does anyone know about what I'm calling the "musical" pleiones?  Ebay and some continental traders are carrying a series of pleiones named Verdi, Rossini, Vivaldi.  I cannot find any mention of their parentage.  They are certainly not in Paul Cumbleton's list and a websearch brings up only the sellers' pages.  Now I know the dutch have started marketing cypripediums with trade names, Kentucky Pink Blush, Kentucky Maxi etc.  Has that now spread to pleiones or is some hybridist releasing new crosses on to the market?  Any thoughts!

Just checked suppliers' prices and they are very cheap so highly unlikely to be new hybrids.

[Kevin]

Hi Steve,

I've not heard of these before, but personally I'd pass on purchasing them as they are not registered hybrids (yet) or species. It's interesting that a commercial grower is starting to sell Pleione to the general public.... It will be imore nteresting to see if they sell well..... Does this also mean that pleione have been mass produced by meristeming?

This has been tried before. I was surprised to see some P.formosana for sale two years ago on a stand selling the usual fritillary daffodil etc bulbs in my local florist from a big producer of bulbs.... I forget who. The bulbs were producing leaves in the clear plastic bag already. I had to buy them as they were on sale for a few pounds. They did very well and continue to do so.

Regards, Kevin

[sottych]

Hello ,
I've also seen ads on ebay , so I try find (Vivaldi,Rossini,Verdi) I think these new species name is not existing in the official lists , but are products derived from Field Crop industrial shope that these species do not spread too much, to avoid confusion.
Cordially
Christian

[SteveC2]

Thanks Kevin, I had no intention of buying, but was just curious.  Ebay prices for pleiones are quite high this year and these seem to be attracting a few bids, which is sad if they are just formosana with trade names.  As for the prepacked "Formosana" I have it from a good source that most of them are Tongariro which are very vigourous bulbs, perfect for newcomers growing pleione, but they are definitely not formosana.  Tongariro seems to be the favourite with certain large bulb companies, but I have seen the same bulbs marketed as formosana, pleionoides, limprictii and pleionoides/limprictt whatever that means.  I bought one of each to test, flowers absolutely identical.  Like you I'm a sucker for bulbs which are flowering / producing leaves in the bags and usually wind up doing a deal with the garden centres to rescue them.  My wife calls them refugees, but then she's just as bad with prepacked acers and camellias.