Pleione Confusa - Orchid Board

brianwstephens · #1 07-24-2013, 04:20 PM

I bought this little pleione confusa from the San Mateo Arboretum Society greenhouse yesterday. I live in Burligame (San Francisco Peninsula) so I'll be growing this plant outside, but other that its temperature range I don't know much about it. Online information hasn't been extremely helpful, so do any of you know much about the care for this one? I'm also wondering if it has already bloomed for the season or if I can still look forward to that before it dies back in the winter.

RosieC · #2 07-25-2013, 03:02 AM

This has probably already bloomed this season. Most bloom in the spring then start growing. There are some that flower at the end of the year, from what I can find this is a spring blooming one.

I don't particularly know this species, but I grow my spring blooming Pleione's in a mixture of peat, sphag, fine bark & perlite. I keep them moist but not too wet. I've read that watering from the bottom can be good to help promote roots to grow down to the water, especially in the spring as they are getting going, but I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not.

The old bulbs will die back, and this year's growth will form the bulbs which then support the new shoots next year. Always keep the previous year's bulbs as long as possible to support the new bulbs as they grow.

brianwstephens · #3 07-25-2013, 01:27 PM

Thanks for the advice!
I'm bummed that I missed its bloom for the year but I'll have something to look forward to in the spring

haika · #4 04-23-2014, 01:26 PM

I just bloomed my first Pleione x confusa which I got from Keeping it Green Nursery, Stanwood, WA. I tried to upload a photo but this interface (manage attachments) does not allow me a live browse button to do so. Clicking on the 'insert image' button also does not function (ie. nothing happens). I grew many Pleiones in Fremont CA back in the 70's but they seem to do much better up here near Seattle WA.

haika · #5 04-23-2014, 05:01 PM

Here's my Pleione x confusa 'Golden Gate' which opened it's bloom this past weekend

RosieC · #6 04-24-2014, 05:01 AM

Oooh lovely!

RandomGemini · #7 04-24-2014, 10:42 AM

haika, I have noticed a lot of slow downs on the forum lately. It may not be anything that you are doing wrong, just an issue with the internet between your internet provider.

Thanks for sharing that lovely pic. What a beautiful flower!

haika · #8 04-24-2014, 12:08 PM

I think I'm 'in the groove' now with forum access. I can't take credit for that lovely P. x confusa but if I rebloom it next year, I'll be patting myself on the back (grin). It's so much nicer in flower form than any of the P. forrestii I've bloomed (and subsequently lost). I REALLY REALLY want to keep this one going! I'm going to be experimenting with fertilizing this growing season using the Dyna-Gro GROW formula which is recommended by The Gardens at Post Hill....and the psbs on the Pleiones I received from them this spring in a trial order were HUGE! Typically, I just use the water change water from my tropical fish tanks.

RandomGemini · #9 04-24-2014, 12:15 PM

I have a tropical fish tank and a Phal Bellina that is growing very slowly, it makes me tempted to try watering it with the waste water from the aquarium... Just to see if I will get any improvement.

haika · #10 04-25-2014, 11:06 AM

I just make sure I don't use water from the African Lake cichlid tanks (pH in the 8's). I also avoid my guppy tank water which has salt in it (also higher pH). I have also been experimenting with what the feed store calls a limestone grit (for chickens) in the potting medium. I've wondered about adding a little crushed oyster shell (again....from the feed store). Since I'm buying big bags of the stuff for my poultry, it's right there enticing me! Some years I've been lazy and haven't repotted in spring, but I do think Pleiones benefit from fresh compost annually. It's all a big experiment......