I plan to submit images of my blooming Cypripediums. This is Cypripedium Gisela, which was registered by Frosch in 1991. This is the most common color pattern for this hybrid. Blooming in my garden in Wilton CT in May, 2004.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/fundulopanchax/Cypripedium/CypripediumGisela15May2004.jpg

Ron Burch
fundulopanchax

That is a beautiful shot of a beautiful Cyp hybrid! Thanks for posting and please do post more.

I'm not sure I even knew there were Cyp hybrids! What a dope am I! :roll: Like other hybrids, are they "easier" than the Cyp. species to grow?

That's really gorgeous! I can now see how people into the tropicals would wish to grow the natives also. :joy:

now this is really tempting me to try some cyps in my garden, very nice

Cypripedium hybrids are all much easier to grow than some of their parents. This is especially true if one wants to grow Chinese species over long periods - some of them are nearly impossible. Sometimes this is because they were really stolen from the wild and suffered injury, other times it is due to the nature of the Chinese winters, which are as cold as ours, but do not often suffer from late frosts once the buds start to swell in March. Our own natives know to stay under cover until well into April and May but once the first day arrives above about 40 F many of the Chinese species grow full-force and eventually (usually the first year!) a frost will kill them. Other than that, all the Cyps with the exception of three Mexican species (which no one can successfully grow!) all of the American and Chinese species are hardy to about -40 F. Indeed the most accomplished breeder lives in the Bavarian Alps and only grows outside - his view has always been that he is looking for hardiness and if a new hybrid cannot tolerate a winter in the Alps, then it is not hardy enough!

Many beautiful species are very easy to grow in the garden - the first one I got, about 10 years ago, is still alive despite all of my unintentional attempts to kill it (I should caution that squirrels are very good at killing them - but also easy to guard against)! If one propagates from seed, then in a decade or so, one can have 100s to 1000s in a shady part of the garden. A few years ago, a farmer outside of Tokyo died - this led to the photographing of his colony of Cypripedium japonicum. He had been propagating for nearly 25 years, and he had a solid patch of more than 30,000 plants - quite a site when in bloom!

There are quite a few hybrids - I have about 20 and usually 4 - 6 new ones are registered each year. There are about 45 species, of which about 12 are easy to grow and are readily available. For the Cypripedium lover about 39 are available from someone or another but some are extremely difficult to keep going for long periods of time. I currently grow 15 species and am slowly gaining enough experience to keep some of the more rigorous species alive (actually, depending upon others' experiences!).

Ron Burch

Here is a Gisela that is blooming now. This plant was obtained as two stems in the fall of 2003. In spring, 2004 it had two flowers, one on each stem. This spring it has seven stems and six flowers. A very nice plant for those who are considering trying a Cypripedium - many consider this the most tolerant of a variety of conditions.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/fundulopanchax/Cypripedium/GiselaClump20May2005.jpg

Ron Burch

How lovely!!! Very nice and thanks for posting! :clap2:

Oh, I just love that! Love your Gisela - For some reason it still amazes me that they looks just like the Asian slippers when they open, and that I grow the Asian and South American Paphs and Phrags, and not our native slippers - yet! I will try some when I get these other indoor slippers down, and have a home of my own and safe property to grow in.

In the meantime, I will live vicariously through your lovelies!

look great Ron :clap:

Nice pictures:)

Do anyone know if Gisela Hell (light in German) is the same as Gisela Pastel, and if they grow as vigorus as the normal Gisela.
It would be nice to know if they are nice and forgiving too

Thanks for the pictures

Joakim

Very nice, great photos

Gisela Pastel and Hell indeed the same as Gisela in their requirements. They are simply lighter siblings.

Ron

And next year? Maybe 14 stems and 12 flowers? One can hope. That's one I should try given their vigorous growth. Great growing!

All your Cyps are beautiful, and so are your photos of them!

Ron,

Another beauty, thanks.

Ron,

Extremely beautiful!

thanks