Getting Native Wild orchids?

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Another knowledgeable vendor of Cyps is Wayne Roberts of Roberts Flower Supply.
Orchid Growing Supplies - Plants for Sale Columbia Station Ohio | Roberts Flower Supply
My father is interested in growing Cyps and bought a few and Wayne really discussed with him what would grow well where my father wanted to grow them and which types were likely to be more successful (twice as we had to return to replace the ones eaten by chipmunks).

If you have ever had problems with squirrels, moles, mice or chipmunks, you probably should build a 'bulb cage' with chicken wire to protect them (as my father found out with the first round). They must be pretty tasty. :|

When you dig up a wild cyp and try to plant it in your own garden, they almost always die because they depend upon certain fungus, bacteria and other conditions found where they grow. The ones that can be successfully planted in your garden are usually seed grown for a few generations so that, through selection, offspring develop that are not dependent upon these microorganisms and conditions and can survive in an environment without them. There are some cyps that still are not all the way there, though, but that work is continuing.

The fungus is only required for germination and perhaps the earliest stages of development. The reason that wild collected Cypripedium have such a poor survival rate is that they have very shallow but extensive root systems. Digging one up the way one would dig most plants leaves the bulk of the root system behind, which kills the plant.

---------- Post added at 04:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:26 PM ----------

Originally Posted by mremensnyder

Snowflake,

Have you purchased any Cypripediums or other North American natives yet? There are many suppliers of our native orchids. Fortunately, this takes some pressure off of precious wild populations. The only two circumstances where I would collect a wild plant is either: a non-endangered species with permission on private property or from an area about to be destroyed or developed.

I purchased a Cypripedium acaule about 5 years ago from eBay, and kept it alive for two seasons in a pot by putting it into the refigerator for about 4 months to simulate dormancy. It didn't successfully bloom for me, and this is probably a species to avoid buying, even if you live in a cold winter climate like Lake Tahoe, since it is notoriously difficult to keep alive in cultivation. I saw a a healthy specimen growing right at the edge of the foot path at a State Park in PA this August.

I have also heard that Cypripedium parviflorum was a good species to start with.

I collect FL native epiphytic orchids and have been able to put together a collection of almost all species from ebay and a few online orchid vendors.

The trick with acaule is keeping them acidic enough. Acid conditions discourage the growth of organisms which cause rot. It's recommended to water them only with rainwater or some other mineral free source, to which you add about a tablespoon of distilled vinegar per gallon. I recently acquired some, so we shall see.

[MRay]

Have you tried contacting Dr. Mike Kane at the University of Florida? He has had several graduate students study native orchid tissue culture.

[Tindomul]

Great resources everyone. If I ever get a garden of my own I would do it.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

The fungus is only required for germination and perhaps the earliest stages of development. The reason that wild collected Cypripedium have such a poor survival rate is that they have very shallow but extensive root systems. Digging one up the way one would dig most plants leaves the bulk of the root system behind, which kills the plant.

---------- Post added at 04:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:26 PM ----------



The trick with acaule is keeping them acidic enough. Acid conditions discourage the growth of organisms which cause rot. It's recommended to water them only with rainwater or some other mineral free source, to which you add about a tablespoon of distilled vinegar per gallon. I recently acquired some, so we shall see.

Just wondering how it worked out with the C. acaule?

[Subrosa]

They grew nicely,bloomed well, and probably made the squirrel that ate them very happy.