Cypripedium 2018

[Peter Maguire]

Since we don't seem to have a Cypripedium thread this year, I thought that I would post this one here....
Cypripedium guttatum was acquired several years ago, never flowered and for the last two years nothing had appeared in the pot as far as I can recall. I was thinking about tipping it out to see if it had succumbed to my carefully supervised neglect when this year magic happened - two shoots, one with a flower!

[Steve Garvie]

Very impressive Peter!
Not an easy plant in our climate.
It deserves to be first post in a Cypripedium 2018 thread.

[Maggi Young]

I've made a cypripedium thread and moved your two posts here - worth reminding forumists, perhaps, that it is possible for any of you to begin a new thread 

[Maren]

After my surgery holiday at the Chiltern Hilton, I appreciated being welcomed by my lovely cypripediums on the allotment. They never fail to gladden my heart. This autumn I will split them (yes, Michael, I will). I have already enrolled a helper because last year I found it impossible to do it on my own.
I would upload some pictures but I don't seem to have a button for attachments.

[Maggi Young]

Maren, if you choose the option to enter pictures as "Inline full size image"  from the attachments options they will resize automatically and post in the text box beside any caption you add.

[Maren]

Thanks Maggi, I'm a bit rusty.

The first two are in a raised bed on my allotment.

The Cyp Hank Small lingers in a pot outside my front door, where I left it two years ago after a show. It doesn't seem to mind but, of course, I water and feed it generously. The copper collar has been effective in keeping slugs and snails at bay, but I shall have to renew it because they lose their power after a couple of years or so.

[sjusovare]

Nice cyps Maren. Which mix did you use for the one in pot? I can't seem to keep them thriving when potted...

[Gunilla]

Cypripedium 'Pueblo' has started to flower in a shady part of the garden.

[Steve Garvie]

Cypripedium segawai



Cypripedium formosanum -slightly past its best due to the recent heat wave.



Cypripedium fasciolatum

[Graham Catlow]

Cypripedium 'Giselle' in a trough. Foliage a little pale - could do with a feed I think.

[angie]

Graham some of mine are pale even though I have fed them all the same. I had a problem of something making holes in my flowers. Not sure what and not happy about that.

Angie 

[Graham Catlow]

Hi Angie,
I haven't fed the troughs since I planted them a couple of years ago now so will do so. I might try a little 'Epsom Salts' to see if that helps.
It's possible that bees are making holes in your flowers.

Congratulations on your success the the Aberdeen show.

Graham

[angie]

Hi Angie,
I haven't fed the troughs since I planted them a couple of years ago now so will do so. I might try a little 'Epsom Salts' to see if that helps.
It's possible that bees are making holes in your flowers.

Congratulations on your success the the Aberdeen show.

Graham

Thanks Graham,  I wondered if it could have been bees. Next year I will be watching more carefully.

Angie 

[Maren]

Nice cyps Maren. Which mix did you use for the one in pot? I can't seem to keep them thriving when potted...

Sorry about the late reply. Not sure I have an answer for you, though. I dug up the C. Hank Small two years ago from my allotment when it was in full flower and I needed something to put on the Thames Valley OS table show. I just shoved it into the biggest pot I could find and topped off with a bit of hydroleca to make it look pretty. My allotment beds are made up of soil diluted with cat litter clay granules, Seramis, supergrade perlite, horticultural gravel, about 50/50. I'll put the plant back when it's finished flowering.

[Steve Garvie]

Some North American Cyps that were in flower in the second half of May:

Cypripedium parviflorum pubescens -a dwarf form obtained under the name of planipetalum but lacking the untwisted lateral petals/dorsal sepal of that plant.



Cypripedium candidum



Cypripedium reginae alba



Cypripedium acaule