Hime seikai growth rate and care
 

I have a little single growth hime seikai, and it must have 6-8 small curved leaves. I have seen it mentioned that this is a slow growing neo, is that correct? If it is, how much growth shoud I look for/expect each growing season/year? Is hoping for 2-4 leaves to emerge this spring/summer unlikely? Could it begin a new growth this year?

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One or two leaves if you are super lucky and give it good culture. Bad choice if you are interested in blooming it. I have had my Hime Seikai for 8 1/2 years and never bloomed it. Most growers you hear about who have bloomed it, purchased it from a commercial grower who initiated the spike. If your conditions are different from mine, you might have a small chance. I grow indoors under natural sunlight. I suspect that the most unfavorable aspect of my conditions are low winter humidity which might be the reason for never blooming it. Note plant shows good example of root training.

If you prefer small growing neos, tamakongo is a better choice for a beginning neofinetia grower, as it is easier to bloom than Hime Seikai (although not as easy as many larger neos) , is a strong grower and is not as costly.

Making mistakes in choice of plants purchased and growing decisions is guaranteed in this hobby so it’s best not to be discouraged as you will learn. Depending on what you are after, Hime Seikai could be a mistake or a good purchase. I’ve been at it for over 50 years and still make mistakes which are unavoidable.


Are you growing under natural sunlight or lights? Bark or bark mix or sphag?

Pay attention to your plant and see what it does. Hime seikai can be a bit of a slow grower, so enjoy each new leaf (and root) it produces. I have had one for a few years now and it has yet to bloom for me (same with my seikai which has around 10 growths), so I just enjoy the cute leaf pattern.

Best of luck with your plant!

Mine a while ago was not terribly slow, but slower than other bean leaf varieties. I have since sold it off in favor of Seikai though.

In regards to flowering, I find that Himeseikai, as well as Seikai and Jukai need a cooler, longer, more consistent winter rest than most varieties to reliably bloom.

Less light and even allowed to dry out completely or just cooler? During super storm Sandy my electricity was out for 11 days resulting in nighttime temperatures in the low fifties and daytime low sixties but no flowering. Most of my other neos really appreciated it with prodigious flowering the following Spring.

Winter rest does not mean dry out completely. Enough water to prevent dangerous levels of dehydration is still necessary.

11 days is not enough for this one. I find that mine need 2-3 months of regular nighttime lows in the high 40s, low 50s.

Not being sarcastic but do you use your refrigerator for this?

No. A standard fridge would be dangerously cold, but I've seen examples of people rigging up wine fridges with lights that could potentially work.

I once had a Masdevallia which I subjected to the refrigerator at night but neither did it initiate blooms nor did it damage the plant. Finally got rid of it because it was too much bother.

Warning: YMMV

Well... If those are the requirements for blooms... I will keep myself content enjoying the foliage... I grow outside with the coldest winter nights in the mid 50s (days in mid 60s)... and those are only occasional... It is a lovely plant and I have the space for it. :)

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I just checked the “warmest” part of my refrigerator, the butter compartment on the inside of the door, with my maximum minimum thermometer and it registered 40 degrees minimum.

Realizing that this is lower than recommended, but I am almost tempted to try it out next winter as I am getting tired of the plant not blooming. I understand it might not survive but I have come to the point of not wanting it otherwise. Also it would be valuable to see what happens in the name of orchid culture.

While the nighttime temperatures definitely need to be low during winter rest, i'm not 100% sure on the effects of the daytime temperature. It might need to be fairly low as well. However, sticking it in the fridge for months without any light would probably be bad too.

It’s a chore but I would be moving it back and forth every day between my fridge and growing bench only 15 feet away. The daytime temp may end up being too high at 74 degrees but we will find out.

You're on the Jersey shore. This means you get COLD periods in winter. Perhaps you do not have any place in your house which could get cold during winter? Say, a spare room with sunny windows where you can shut off the heating vents?

If this is so, then - yes, you will have issues with blooming stuff like himeseikai and seikai.

In winter I keep my himeseikai and seikai in a breezeway between my garage and kitchen. I actually need a portable heater in there (I use an oil-based wheeled radiator unit to keep the temp above freezing at the least during winter) The temps in the breezeway regularly reach around 40+ Fahrenheit in winter, but also often in the 50's range. This is for several months. I also let them dry out - and, in fact, shrivel somewhat --- then rejuvenate them by watering them copiously and standing them in saucers of water.

So far this year I count about six spikes on my hime-seikai and 4-5 spikes on my seikai.

ETA: I also keep the colder-growing stuff in this breezeway --- Holcoglossums, dendrobium nobile derivatives (e.g. Dend. Ise), cold-growing Epis, cold-growing vandaceous types, that sort of thing.

I garbaged mine a year or so ago, why continue to suffer from a mistake made in purchasing it?