fundulopanchax
May 15th, 2005, 09:22 PM
The alba form of C. macranthos is extremely rare in culture in the US. Paul Perakos, a Cypripedium colleague who lives in mid-state Connecticut, obtained two specimens, both of which have just reached full bloom. Thus, I drove up to see them this morning.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/fundulopanchax/Cypripedium/Cmacranthosalba.jpg
What a magnificient flower! The other is an identical twin in appearance. Paul will cross-pollenate the two plants. Keeping fingers crossed for seed....
My own dark colored macranthos should be in bloom in the next couple of weeks. While Paul lives about 75 miles north of me, since I live near Long Island Sound, days are about 5 degrees cooler. Thus, while most of Paul's plants are in bloom, most of mine are still in bud.
Ron Burch
Paphgirl
May 15th, 2005, 09:41 PM
That's really gorgeous, Ron! I can even see the hairs up near the staminoid.
You know, it still amazes me that I grew up with these things in my backyard and paid very little attention. And now, here I am growing over 100 slippers and so amazed by them.
Sometimes I wonder if seeing them from start to bud to bloom is the reason. The Cyps are equally as unfathomable as the Paphs and Phrags, and yet now I regard them as the "forgotten" slipper because they seem so much more rare in cultivation.
Ron, is that true? Or just a perception...based on what is readily available out there?
Gosh, I feel like I've been descriminating without realizing it!
fundulopanchax
May 15th, 2005, 09:54 PM
At this time Cyp are still relatively rare in cultivation in the US but are rapidly becoming more common. Public nurseries like Garden in the Woods who have hundreds of blooming plants for sale at prices only slightly higher than most other perennials (and which have a very exotic look to them!) are making them more popular. This year, even my local nursery had several dozen Cyp pubescens, and at the same price as all the other perennials on the benches. They went very fast indeed!
In Europe many people grow Cypripediums. I jsut saw photos of the recent Macclesfield (the county which contains Manchester, England) Orchid Show - there were many Cypripediums in the judging, five of them Asian species that I have not ever seen. I used to have to go to Alderley Park in Macclesfied six times per year and the gardens there are spectacular and filled with all kinds of exotic plants, including many species of terrestrial orchids, in particular Cypripedium and Dactylorhiza (and I would kill to have roses that look like Macclesfield roses!).
Ron
Paphgirl
May 15th, 2005, 10:06 PM
At this time Cyp are still relatively rare in cultivation in the US but are rapidly becoming more common. Public nurseries like Garden in the Woods who have hundreds of blooming plants for sale at prices only slightly higher than most other perennials (and which have a very exotic look to them!) are making them more popular. This year, even my local nursery had several dozen Cyp pubescens, and at the same price as all the other perennials on the benches. They went very fast indeed!
In Europe many people grow Cypripediums. I jsut saw photos of the recent Macclesfield (the county which contains Manchester, England) Orchid Show - there were many Cypripediums in the judging, five of them Asian species that I have not ever seen. I used to have to go to Alderley Park in Macclesfied six times per year and the gardens there are spectacular and filled with all kinds of exotic plants, including many species of terrestrial orchids, in particular Cypripedium and Dactylorhiza (and I would kill to have roses that look like Macclesfield roses!).
Ron
Ron, that is excellent to know! I, well, :Shh: I would very much be interested in running the store at GITW or the local botanical garden, both in good proximity to me... but positions not open now....
Thanks for the info tho!!!!