Pleione autumn 2009

[Paul T]

Wonderful, everyone.  Thanks.

[Maxime_P]

Pleione praecox (1 among 5 flowers)






Wharfdale is on my list 

[LarsB]

What a beautiful praecox. Much more yellow on the lip than mine. I have Wharfdale for swapping if you're interested.

[ChrisB]

I've got my first Pleione, not in flower when I got it.  It has survived the summer outside in an open cold frame on sand, and has recently lost is foliage.  I suppose it must be a spring flowering one (no indication on label what it is) so should I wait til spring to repot or do it now?  Should I keep it dry or wet?  Thanks for your patience....

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Chris,
Keep your Pleione completely dry while dormant. You can re-pot it at any time while dormant - in practise this could be any time from around now to the end of February. I usually re-pot all mine in January

Paul

[Paul T]

Paul et al,

I know that the rule is to keep the Pleiones totally dry when dormant, but I have found that in my conditions here (whatever difference that may be), mine do MUCH better if I water them on occasions while dormant.  In fact, mine stay outside now all year around and they do well for me, whereas I always found that those that I used to treat "properly" eventually dwindled away for me.  Mine may very well be easier types (I really don't know), but for me at least the no watering rule doesn't work and is actually detrimental.  I am not allowing any of my plants to read my reference books (or view these forums) so maybe they don't know.

The reason I am mentioning this is just so that if others are finding that the Pleiones are somewhat fussy and difficult for them, try a few in a protected area outside and see how they go.  Mine are in pots, not in the ground, but most of them are now multiplying well, whereas they used to go backwards and rarely if ever increase.  Yes, this goes against the normal teachings, but if you'd got enough then give it a try.  They have done SO much better since I stopped fussing with them.  

Just another point of view.  If trying Pleione for the first time I would definitely adhere to traditional teachings and keep them dry during dormancy, but if it isn't working out for you after a couple of years try a few outside.... you might be pleasantly surprised.  

And for reference, the Pleione I have outside are under a Magnolia, so they don't get heavy winter cover.  We get more rain in winter than any other time of year generally, and they well and truly get frosted on (probably to -4'C or so on occasions in that area, possibly lower at times).  Yes, this all goes against the books, but for some reason it is working for me for maybe 10 varieties so far.  My bigger problem, as I've mentioned elsewhere, is the darn possums deciding that the bulbs are a tasty fruit and having a nibble.  

[ChrisB]

Thanks for your advice, Paul.  I'll keep it with my 'do not water' group then.  Should I keep it on damp sand or just in a dry tray?

[Paul T]

Chris,

I'll leave it to others to give the advice on that..... after all, it didn't work well for me. 

[LarsB]

I grow some Pleione outside in the wet Danish winter. I grow them in the ground and it has worked well for several years, but sometimes all pleione in a particular bed dies over winter. The Danish winter is wet, but it is also windy and i assume that one of the reasons it works is that the surface of the soil dry quickly.

I'll not recomend anyone to give water to plants stored indoors. I have occasinally left plants indoors in damp compost during winter and that usually end in rot and fungus. 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Hi Chris,
I bring my Pleione inside late September - early October and the pots are then left to dry out completely.  They do not get any water at all and when I repot, mostly end of January, the compost is bone dry (they are in terra cotta pots).  I repot in a (slightly !!) damp mix of bark and moss.
Most of them do ok under these conditions...
Good luck ! 

[ChrisB]

Thanks Luc.  Its under glass now and will dry out.  I bought some orchid compost for when I repot it - after Christmas

[johanneshoeller]

Now the first Pleione has started to flower. It is p. var. reichenbachiana.


Edit : see comment by Paul Cumbleton about the naming of this beautiful plant : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6445.msg221724#msg221724

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Very handsome flower Hans !!!

[LarsB]

Very beautiful indeed.

[Ragged Robin]

Looks hand painted the marking is so beautiful Hans