Cypripedium!!! - Orchid Board

InspirChid1712 · #1 10-18-2007, 06:24 PM

What does anybody know about cultivating Cypripediums in the backyard??? What is a good source to acquire these plants? Any types that are fairly easy??

Gin · #2 10-18-2007, 07:05 PM

Here is a site with lab. grown plants Cypripedium - Vermont Ladyslipper Company
I know a little about the Cyp. acaule . They require a sandy soil, a friend dug an area out (if your soil is sandy might not have to dig) he replaced the original soil with a mix of sand and potting mix , In the natural state a lot of them grow near pine trees , mulch in the winter after the ground freezes .As for the other Cyps. culture might be different .. Gin

Tindomul · #3 10-18-2007, 07:10 PM

Can they grow in pine choked, sandy soiled florida??

slipperfreak · #4 10-18-2007, 11:54 PM

Hey Elliot,
I wrote an article on this genus, as well as two species-specific ones on C. acaule and C. pubescens (I don't trecommend Cyp. acaule as a first Cyp though). You can find the links on this site's home page.

The hybrids are the easiest by far, but Cyp. pubescens is a very easy species as well. There are a few others that are not difficult. The rest of the genus is pretty hard to very hard to grow. It gets easier once you get some practice with the easy ones. Most species are temperate and need a cold winter dormancy to survive; they therefore do great in cold climates outdoors.

Tindomul1of9, there are a few species that will grow in Florida (some of the warmer growing Asian ones and Cyp. californicum). If there are any colder regions in Florida (sorry, I'm not a geographer), you would have more options. You want a hardiness zone of 7 or lower for most species. There are subtropical species as well, but these are not legal as far as I know.

slipperfreak · #5 10-19-2007, 12:14 AM

Forgot to mention: many people who live in warm climates grow these in pots, though it is not easy to prevent heat exhaustion in the summer.

InspirChid1712 · #6 10-19-2007, 12:44 PM

Thanks Joe! I tried Cyp. acaule when I was in middle school in my parents front yard under a pine tree. It came up and bloomed in the spring, but that summer was exceptionally hot and dry, so it didn't survive, and I was very sad. Cyp. guttatum is my favorite, but I don't think the conditions in Pennsylvania are cold enough for that species to flourish. Maybe I'll go with Cyp. reginae? It has such a lovley bloom, and I think the flowers are totally cute! What is the level of difficulty with that species?

slipperfreak · #7 10-19-2007, 08:11 PM

Cyp reginae is my personal favorite, and until I got into paphs was my favorite orchid. I started growing Cyps when I was in middle school too! It's quite easy; just note that it likes a little more moisture and more nutrients, as well as more light than other Cyps. It's quite adaptable though. It can form really impressive specimens if you fertilize lots.

InspirChid1712 · #8 10-22-2007, 11:45 AM

Thats so cool that you started with Cyps. in middle school!!! I thought I was the only orchid nerd from birth! So what is your favorite Paph? I go between sukhakulii and fairrieanum, but venustum is up there too. While I haven't grown any of these, the flowers are simply irresistible! My favorites are the species Phals., and I'm trying to build something of a collection. I hoping for my bellina's first bloom next spring, and my equestris should start any time now. Lueddemanniana is on my Christmas list... but my collection is already too big for my sun porch! They will all migrate to the cafe where I work to spend the winter as I can't afford to run the heat where I live. We'll go from being the Inspiration Cafe to the Orchid Cafe. Coffee grows in tropical places anyhow... it will create an authentic atmosphere! Peace

slipperfreak · #9 10-22-2007, 08:12 PM

My fav Paph is Paph micranthum, though my favs change all the time too. My orchid interests lie mainly with the slippers, but I like Phal species too, and minis, Catts and Coelogyne. There aren't really any orchids I DON'T like though!

It's crazy how fast a collection can grow. I have over 100 plants now, which are both outside and in (some are Cyps of course!), and my tropicals are mostly on a 3-tier shelf in front of my bedroom window, while some are in the living room. The scary thing is, my list of still-wanted plants is twice the size of what I already have!

InspirChid1712 · #10 10-23-2007, 09:44 AM

Yeah I know what you mean about having a big shopping list! Even though some plants a reasonably priced, with my limited budget, I can only afford a plant once in a while. They TOTALLY aren't $2 Walmart crotons or african violets! I guess you have to pay partially for the exoticism, and partially for all of the effort it takes to produce healthy orchids. I checked out that one site in Vermont that sells Cyps, but they are WAY too expensive for me right now. I can't even afford to run the heat to keep my existing plants alive... cello gigs still don't bring in enough to keep my plant-buying self appeased. Hmm, wellllllllll, maybe just ONE MORE orchid..... hmmmm...! :-D