Japanese terrestrials 2023

[Roberta]

First flower to open! Going forward, these little plants will get their own thread (so far, the other 2 in the pot are just a bit behind this one, but each has a whole head of flowers to open.) Flower is about 1/2 inch (1 cm) Very cute! A couple of warm, bright days, I think were the inspiration.

[estación seca]

I've had a lot going on this year, so I had to leave mine in the refrigerator longer than I wanted. I planted them about 2 weeks ago. I used 3.25" / 7.5cm square pots with medium pumice, topped with a little sphagnum. I stood them in a container of rain water. The Spiranthes are up, but not the others.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I've had a lot going on this year, so I had to leave mine in the refrigerator longer than I wanted. I planted them about 2 weeks ago. I used 3.25" / 7.5cm square pots with medium pumice, topped with a little sphagnum. I stood them in a container of rain water. The Spiranthes are up, but not the others.

These been in the pot for almost 5 weeks (came from Tarzane group about a week before the ones from Kusamono) and they were already well-sprouted. So yours will be along presently... I have mine in a mix of about 80% kanuma and 20% akadama. They're just getting sprinkled every day while it's warm and dry, I'll cut back a little when the marine layer and cool weather come back (which they will) Your place is a lot drier than mine.

---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:06 PM ----------

Of course, the real test of whether I can actually grow these won't be known until next spring... these came to me already eager to go. But I have to get them past dormancy (winter in the 'fridge ) and ready to go again before I can declare victory...

[MateoinLosAngeles]

My Amitostigma enomotoe from Kusamono Gardens just started to bloom. The other one I ordered is a Grass Leaf Orchid which so far has no signs of spikes but seems to be growing a lot too.

I'm building my indoor growing setup in my new apartment so I kept these with a couple of oncidiums facing a NW window with almost unobstructed natural light, no artificial light. I have a building to my left that blocks afternoon light in winter but in summer direct sunlight hits the window at a 25º-45º angle. I keep pushing the plants to the left so they stay in "the shade" but they are so thirsty for light they seem like they are gonna come out of the pot.

The Amitostigma tubers were laid horizontally in the pot, two tubers with the eye facing the window and one facing back (I was trying to see if that would create a fuller pot). The two facing the window are in bloom whereas the back one has only unopened buds, the window ones are also about 25% bigger, and their spike is longer, however, the back one has a thicker and taller stem. They grow really fast and I keep catching the flowers hitting the direct sun light (and I keep pushing them back). They seem to be very light hungry and seem to appreciate it even if it gets a little hot. I have a fan in the room that is aimed at my cattleyas getting full sun in the afternoon but it's pretty far from the other plants, it might create some indirect currents but I don't think enough to cool a plant down.

The light measures (using Photone App on iPhone) about 100-150 umol/m2/s throughout the day and goes up to 300-350 umol/m2/s for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Overall they might be getting an average of 150-200 umol/m2/s throughout the day.

As for other care, I've been watering twice a week at 50 ppm N. They're both in 3" aircone pots, the Amistotigma is in a mix of Kanuma, precision Orchiata, some perlite and about 10% grodan cubes, the Ponerorchis is in 25% grodan cubes and 75% Kanuma. I've only seen the Kanuma dry out slightly if I skip a watering, otherwise they seem to be staying fairly moist.

Edit: notice the flower all the way to the right seems to have a heart-shaped dot!

[Roberta]

Nice! Definitely the Amitostigma are the most eager to bloom. (Kew considers them also Ponerorchis, but the Ponerorchis graminifolia has a different bloom time) My Ponerorchis graminfolia are also still growing leaves, no sign of flowers yet. Actually, glad that their timing is different to give each a time to be "front and center".

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Actually, glad that their timing is different to give each a time to be "front and center".

Agreed!!

[MateoinLosAngeles]

A little update, the Plover Orchid is in full bloom, and the Grass Leaf Orchid is in bud.

What has caught my attention is that the Plover tuber that I planted facing away from the window has taken longer to bloom but resulted in flowers of a much deeper purple on a thicker stem and darker foliage. Whereas the two tubers planted facing toward the window bloomed much faster and elongated a lot (almost twice the length as the other one) as if they seemingly tried to stretch as much as possible into the light.

Next year I will keep this in mind and perhaps grow these under lights straight above the plant. Lower light might give me a show with a deeper color, and the lamp placed on top might get a more symmetrical show. Heck, I might plant them in a traditional Kusamono pot and try to make some traditional Kusamono arrangements!

[Subrosa]

I swear this wasn't there when I looked a couple days ago, and now it's in spike! Ponerorchis keiski, in the ground as nature intended.

[Subrosa]

While checking out the lady slipper starting to bloom I noticed these little green and white things. Pecteilis radiata 'Ginga'

[Roberta]

So nice, so exciting! It's wonderful to see them emerging in nature. Compensation for a cooollllddd winter! To make mine happy they're going to have to go into the 'fridge, alas.