Hello all,

I have a Cypripedium macranthos that I have kept in my fridge during this winter. Due to a problem, the temperature in the fridge inceased and my Cyp broke its dormancy. When I saw the problem, the new growth was 2 inches tall and unfortunately a slug found it before me! :( The new growth died very quickly and I thought that this Cyp wad definitely dead (it had only one growth). This happened last mid december.

Since this problem, I have kept my Cyp in my home and wattered it regularly, keeping hope even if I believed it was certainly definitely finished...

And today, I have had a look in its pot and here is what I have found! :Party:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9789/cmdj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Two new very healthy white buds! So I have potted it again immedialtely of course!

So my question is: should I put the pot in the fridge again to make the vernalization complete (and if yes how long?), or should I keep it in my house at 20°C to let the new growths develop? I am so excited, I don't want to kill it again! :hyper:

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best regards,

Mafate

I don't know the answer, sorry but it must be very exciting to see new growths!:hyper:

Hi, Mafate,

Cyp's are pretty tough and losing a bud is more of a disaster for us than them! Since these buds will not bloom this year, and may not even come above the medium surface, you can place the pot back in the refrigerator until the end of May, then take it out for the season - this will give it a head start to recovery. If the buds do not rise above the medium surface this season do not worry. Just keep it watered and fertilized and next year, or the year after, it will be blooming again!

Ron

The only thing I could add to Ron's words are that when you repot it, use an oversized pot and fresh compost. I also would consider cut off all decayed roots, rhizome, etc. and treating the entire plant with fungicide - I usually dip the entire thing into a small pail of the stuff for several minutes. I've found C. macranthos to be particularly tough in many respects, coming back again and again if it has enough stored energy in the rhizome. Good luck with your plant.

Hello all,

thank you very much Ron and Tom for your answers. I am very pleased to see that this Cyp is not dead because it is a white or yellow form of macranthos, so not so common!

I will be in holidays for four weeks next May (lucky guy I am! :D) in the island of La Réunion. Should I keep it in the fridge until the beginning of May (just before I leave) or when I will be back at the end of May? I prefer this last solution but won't it be too late to give it a growing period long enough before next fall?

Have a nice day. Best wishes,

Mafate

I will be in holidays for four weeks next May (lucky guy I am! :D) in the island of La Réunion. Should I keep it in the fridge until the beginning of May (just before I leave) or when I will be back at the end of May? I prefer this last solution but won't it be too late to give it a growing period long enough before next fall?



You can leave it in the fridge, but just before you leave for holiday check it for any sign of growth. Macranthos has a way of breaking dormancy even in the fridge. However, if it looks unchanged then it should be OK. Don't worry about it not having enough time to grow. This species in particular is very fast in developing new buds - usually within 3 months. Enjoy your vacation, a friend of mine just got back from La Réunion!

Hello Tom,

ok, thank you very much for your answer, I will check before I leave.

Best regards,