Hi All,

Just wondering how people deal with potting Phrags with new growths with long rhizomes well above the potting level? Do you just bury the old growths or pot them at an angle?

Here are some photos to illustrate. I have a ton of Phrags growing like this.

http://www.lienluu.com/sof/R1.jpg
http://www.lienluu.com/sof/R2.jpg
http://www.lienluu.com/sof/R3.jpg

Lien

Hi Lien,
I have been burying the older previously bloomed growths deeper in the pot than I normally would to account for this growing habit. I'm not sure that's the best solution but so far, so good.

I would suggest watering more often, or more thoroughly. Plant stolon and growths usually start higher in an attempt to either reach more sun, or get more water.

I would suggest watering more often, or more thoroughly. Plant stolon and growths usually start higher in an attempt to either reach more sun, or get more water.

schlimii and some of its hybrids, i.e. hanne popow, are notorious for being "climbers". it has absolutely nothing to do with culture, it is in their genetics so to speak. probably trying to avoid the buildup of leaf litter in situ. paph lawrenceanum is a notorious climber too. as far as i know there is nothing you can do to avoid it, so one either ends up burying the old growths like what happens in nature (and they die off) or you can secure a wad of sphagnum to the base of the new growth. keeping that moist will allow the new growth to root, and then it gets separated. i find these things are hard to grow into specimen plants, not only due to their growth habit, but also because of the affinity for the old growth to die off.

I think the upward growth is inherited from besseae, and probably a few others. I have not observed it to be a problem with schimii. It's primary hybrids in my greenhouse are behaving. But YMMV. Hanne Popow is almost impossible to grow into a pretty specimen plant because of this habit. I heard someplace that since they (besseae) grow on stream bed slopes they tend to grow up the slope naturally so their roots stay wet but their leaves are above water lines. Never seen them growing in the wild, personally. I have seen growers slant one side of the pot up on a block to trick the plant. I have also seen besseae and Hanne Popow grown as a mounted plants on cork with lots of sphagnum and it worked well for this grower. His plants looked as good as potted ones.

Hanne Popow is almost impossible to grow into a pretty specimen plant because of this habit.

Hi Al and Bozo,

That's exactly the plant I am having this problem with, all of my other Phrags, don't tend to do this, but all of the Phrag. Hanne Popows do this. I guess i'll just have to bury part of the old growth. I did also wrap some with sphagnum, as Bozo suggested.

P. besseae itself i don't have too much of a problem with, sometimes they get longer rhizomes, but nothing as long/tall as with P. Hanne Popow.

I did once have two specimen sized besseaes. They were potted in 24 inch tubs with 30+ growths. Many of the growths never rooted, but bloomed and continued to produce new growths, which also never rooted because they were above the medium. however, I guess there were enough growths with roots to sustain the clump.

They eventually got too large though so I sold them to a good friend. I wish I had kept them.

Lien

I've had the problem worst with my two fischerii hybrids, Barbara LeAann and Beverly Fischer. Of course, there's besseae in both of those two, but my besseaes aren't behaving that way, at least not currently. So far my schlimii and Hanna Popow are behaving. St. Ouen looks as though it may be a climber.