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  #1  
Old 02-11-2008, 05:22 AM
kavanaru kavanaru is offline
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Default Australian orchids...

Playing around in the web, I found a vendor selling several australian orchids... two of them have catched my eyes because I did not know them at all (and because I think they are gorgeous ) Does anyone here has experience growing "Diuris" and/or "Thelymitra"?

Orchids Gallery - Diuris orientis 'Wallflower Orchid'

myorchids/Thelymitra

http://gardenwebs.net/Thelymitra_variegata.jpg

Last edited by kavanaru; 02-11-2008 at 05:26 AM.. Reason: link updated
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  #2  
Old 02-11-2008, 07:58 AM
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Ray Ray is offline
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My understanding is that they are cool- to cold growing terrestrials, so that knocks them out of consideration for me.
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  #3  
Old 02-11-2008, 08:09 AM
kavanaru kavanaru is offline
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to be honest, that's exactly the same for me (not speaking about having to get rid of my cats - this chids seem to have grass-like leaves, which makes them a delicatess for the cats ) I was just curious... they are really cool plants
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  #4  
Old 02-11-2008, 09:08 AM
Jo Ann Jo Ann is offline
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I sure like that last one...
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  #5  
Old 02-14-2008, 08:23 PM
Undergrounder Undergrounder is offline
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Yeah kav there is definitely someone on here i remember that specialises in Aussie terrestrials.. or was it another forum... hmmmmmmmm.

Anyway i gtg now but i think i have some info on their culture in my book. From memory, those harlequin orchids are quite tricky. Most aussie terrestrials grow from bulbs that die back in the winter, and some have only a single leaf. Making them an annual.

or something. be back later.
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  #6  
Old 02-14-2008, 11:25 PM
lepanthes89 lepanthes89 is offline
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I grew Australian terrestrials in the past(still grow Pterostylis/Greenhoods).Thelymitra is extremely dificult to maintain,the Diuris a bit less so.
They grow from tiny tubers,go dormant in summer,need a specialized mix,many need their associated fungi in the soil(which you must "feed" with wood chips),......anyway you get the picture.
Sorry for the bad news.
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  #7  
Old 02-15-2008, 02:15 AM
Undergrounder Undergrounder is offline
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OK this is what my book says on the most common Aussie terrestrials:

Diuris (Donkey orchids):



Generally rewarding and relatively easy to grow in a pot. A suitable potting mix must drain freely and can be based on commercial mixes fortified with leaf mould or eucalypt shavings and coarse sand or gravel. Either plastic or terracotta pots can be successful and some spp. need a relatively large container. When growing they should be watered to keep the soil moist but not excessively wet and allowed to dry out completely while dormant overt summer. Repotting is necessary every 2-3 years. The taller spp. may require staking.

Thelmytra (Sun orchids):



Some spp. are easy, others very difficult. Pot in terrestrial orchid mix. Water regularly when plants are above groundm keep completely dry when dormant.

Wasp Orchids - Chiloglottis (The cool ones on the Discoery Channel):



Most spp. readily adapt to pot culture, flowering freely and increasingly in number. They are best grown in plastic pots in a sheltered position outdoors or in a cool glasshouse or bushhouse. Growers have had success with commercial potting mixes fortified with gravel. When the plants are growing, water them regularly but keep them dry while they are dormant over summer. Some spp. have a short dormant period and the tubers can sprout in mid to late summer. Repotting is necessary every 1-2 years. Leaf rusts can be a problem with some spp.

Duck Orchids - Caleana:



Difficult to grow.

Hammer Orchids - Drakaea



As Duck Orchids, the labellum swings down on contact with an insect pollinator to plant the pollen on its back. Difficult to grow, some success with methods similar to Caladena.

Greenhoods - Diplodium, Pterostylis:



Grow easily as pot plants and generally flower well. They multiply freely and build up to a potful in a couple of seasons. Specialist growers make theor own mix by commercial orchid potting mixer fortified with gravel have proved successful with easier species such as curta and nutas. Suitable conditions are provided in a bushhouse or cool glasshouse, with the tropical sppp. requiring extra protection. Most growers use plastic pots as containers. Water growing plants regularly but keep dry when dormant over summerl resume watering in the autumn. Repot every 2-3 years.

Phaius (These would be better in your humid environment):



Generally easy, need shade, warmth, humidity and free air moevment. Pot in a humus-rich freely draining mix. Water regularly and feed with liquid fertiliser. Repot every 2-3 years. A greenhouse is recquired in colder areas.

Caladenia:



As for Donkey orchids, but slightly harder to grow, usually surviving for a few years and fading away. Best results achieved in drier climates with low humidity. Growing readily but shy to flower.

Petalochilus:



As for Caladenia, storing dormant tubers with a ripe banana promotes flowering.

Last edited by Undergrounder; 02-15-2008 at 02:18 AM..
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  #8  
Old 02-15-2008, 06:56 PM
Don Perusse Don Perusse is offline
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Great job "Undergrounder". I think you covered this thread pretty good. Love the pictures too. Thanks for the info. The one I noticed that does well here in So. Georgia is the "Phiaus". I have several in varying colors.
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  #9  
Old 02-16-2008, 02:11 AM
Undergrounder Undergrounder is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Perusse View Post
Great job "Undergrounder". I think you covered this thread pretty good. Love the pictures too. Thanks for the info. The one I noticed that does well here in So. Georgia is the "Phiaus". I have several in varying colors.
Thanks but don't thank me, Thank "Native Orchids of Australia" by David L Jones.

anyway you got me interested in getting a hold of some terrestrials myself, and other than your European dealers, it seems that Les Nesbitt is the local (probably world-wide?) expert and grower. He gives really good advice here:

Australia's Native Orchids

http://www.anosvic.org.au/ANOS_Terre...tion_Notes.pdf

Its just a pity his email doesn't seem to be working.

There's also a forum Terrestrial Orchid Forum :: Index

Last edited by Undergrounder; 02-16-2008 at 02:22 AM..
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  #10  
Old 04-01-2008, 10:07 PM
Andrew Andrew is offline
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Australian orchids...
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I seemed to have missed this post so apologies for the late reply. I grow a number of tuberous Australian terrestrials. As others have said they are mild temperate/mediterranean climate terrestrials so they need cool winters (mine take temperatures down to 0oC) and warm summers to do well. They should be kept moist-damp from autumn to spring and dry over summer. A free draining, organic-rich soil mix is generally used. My mix consists of 2 course sand: 1 soil: 1 wood shavings: 1 leaf mould + a bit of bone meal but there should be simpler mixes about.

Regarding Diuris and Thelymitra, ease of culture depends on which species you want to grow. Those Diuris species with long thin tubers tend to be easier to grow than those with more globular tubers. I find Diuris orientis, longifolia (and presumably most of the corymbosa group) and drummondii quite easy to grow and quick to multiply. They can be shy to flower if disturbed so leave them for 2-3 years before repotting. Globular tubered Diuris can be a bit more tricky. They're slower to multiply and the smaller daughter tubers often resent repotting. Species worth trying are Diuris sulphurea, maculata, pardina, chryseopsis and behrii.

Thelymitra are a mixed bag in terms of ease of culture. All resent moisture during the summer dormancy and watering the plants during warm weather can rot the tubers. A lot of the blue species eg nuda, pauciflora and the species that have recently been split from nuda and pauciflora are comparably easy to grow. Others such as epipactoides have proved difficult to maintain more than a few years even for the most capable growers (possibly a mychorrhizal problem). I have no experience with Thelymitra variegata but the related benthamiana dies if you look at it the wrong way in my hands so I imagine variegata would be just as difficult. Species I've found grow and multiply well are nuda, macrophylla, arenaria, brevifolia (both common pauciflora types), graminea, rubra and carnea. Most of the man made hybrids seem to be fairly easy to grow as do the natural hybrids X macmillanii and X chasmogama.

Andrew

Last edited by Andrew; 04-02-2008 at 01:21 AM..
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