Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Plants Wanted Or For Exchange => Topic started by: LarsB on June 20, 2009, 09:20:42 PM

Title: Pterostylis.
Post by: LarsB on June 20, 2009, 09:20:42 PM

I have a surplus of Pterostylis curta, truncata and obtusa. The yare Australian grond orchids, growing in winter and resting in summer. They are not frosthardy but only require 8 to 10 degrees celsius in the winter. I prefer to swap, but it doesn't have to be with orchids :)

Kind regards

Lars

Ontusa Corrected to Obtusa :-[.

Title: Re: Pterostylis.
Post by: Paul T on June 20, 2009, 10:19:10 PM

Lars,

Pterostylis curta at the very least is frost hardy to some degree.  My shade house gets below zero by at least a few degrees celsius, and they thrive and flower in there without a problem at all.  I don't specifically grow the other two species (I think the last one would likely be obtusa, not ontusa, just in case you have the wrong name on it) but  I grow a bunch of Pterostylis and they are all in the same conditions.  That said, they definitely don't like heavy frost directly onto them.  My shadehouse offers some protection and they are at the top to minimise frost.  They all take way lower than 8 to 10'C, so you may not need to keep them as warm as you are.

I hope this is a help.

Title: Re: Pterostylis.
Post by: LarsB on June 20, 2009, 10:36:48 PM

Thanks Paul. I grow them at that teperature because that is what the least coldtolerant plants can handle. I think i'll try curta outside in a protected place but we usually get a little more that light frost here. Still ,if oyu don't try ...

Title: Re: Pterostylis.
Post by: Eric Locke on June 21, 2009, 11:14:08 PM

Lars- I wonder how large your curta tubers are ?

In the past couple of years mine have not been much larger than peas,but having emptied my first pot today found several found several the size of cherries !!! Did not realise they could grow this large. :o :o :o

Eric

Title: Re: Pterostylis.
Post by: LarsB on June 22, 2009, 10:00:49 AM

My P. curta produce quite large tubers. The size of cherries is about right. P. Truncata is rarely larger than peas. Obtusa is relatively new for me so i don't know how large thay can become, but it looks like they are more like truncata than curta in size.

Title: Re: Pterostylis.
Post by: Eric Locke on June 22, 2009, 09:35:22 PM

Thanks Lars, I was not imagining it then. These are always sold as pea sized so I was rather surprised when tipping out the pot to find them so large. It always amazes me to find tubers right at the base of the pot and sometimes coming through the drainage holes.
I have not tried Truncata or Obtusa or even seen these on offer.

Eric