Ponerorchis

Matt Mattus mmattus@charter.net
Wed, 13 Jul 2005 18:06:03 PDT
I am completely addicted to Orchis graminifolia. I first saw them in Tokyo
at a few specialist nursery's, then acquired a few from some friends there.
I travel to Japan frequently on business and June is when you see them at
most of the Nurseries growing in small Neofinetia pots and elaborate orchid
pots. You even see them in the Ginza district in fancy store windows, at
temples and at the supermarket.

I have not found them to be hardy here in New England, but they grow well in
my cold greenhouse, yet mine do seem to loose their robustness over a few
years, I still have not perfected growing them.
In Japan, they are almost fanatical about them, much like the other Japanese
orchids Neofinetia falcata and Dendrobium moniliforme. All grown since the
Edo period by Samurai and the wealthy, all three of these orchids are grown
in the manner of goten Engei, or Shogunbutsu -traditionally grown in small
orchid pots and displayed with many fancy cultivars selling for outrageous
sums of money. There are festivals for them much as they have festivals for
other flowering plants like Chrysanthemums and Hydrangea.

My friend Masashi's site is worth looking at to learn more about all of
these plants and these orchids.
http://homepage3.nifty.com/plantsandjapan/…

In the states, I have found them at Barry Yinger's site Asiatica.com

I buy my Poneorchis wholesale from another Japanese site and they are
extremely reasonable if you buy them in large numbers, they are quite
inexpensive and yes, culture is very similar to Rhodohypoxis, Mine also get
the same treatment.

Matt Mattus
Worcester, MA
Zone 5


On 7/13/05 7:28 PM, "John Lonsdale" <john@johnlonsdale.net> wrote:

> Brian,
> 
> P. graminifolia is reputed to be hardy here but I've never tried it.  Mine
> are in pots and very easy to grow, the biggest danger is too much water and
> thence rot.  After they've flowered they'll stay in growth for a long time
> then just go to sleep with the fall.  At this point I put the pot in the
> greenhouse and don't give them a drop of water until spring rolls around
> again.  They are happy bone dry in the pot.  If you knock them out be
> prepared to play hunt the tuber - they are like many Orchis that gather a
> coating of whatever medium they are in that very effectively camouflages
> them.  Treat them like a pot of Rhodohypoxis.
> 
> Best,
> 
> J.
> 
> John T Lonsdale PhD
> 407 Edgewood Drive,
> Exton, Pennsylvania 19341, USA
> 
> Home: 610 594 9232
> Cell: 484 678 9856
> Fax: 801 327 1266
> 
> Visit "Edgewood" - The Lonsdale Garden at http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/
> 
> USDA Zone 6b
> 
> _______________________________________________
> pbs mailing list
> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php


More information about the pbs mailing list