Raising Pleione Maculata from seed - Orchid Board

s1214215 · #1 02-21-2009, 08:32 PM

Hi Everyone

I found 2 plants of Pleione Maculata with pods at the market today here in Bangkok. I would like your opinions on the whether or not the pods will mature as they were bare root and not many viable roots at that. I have planted them in lightly packed live moss in an open slat pot and keeping them in an airconditioned room with my flasks under lights.

About how far from maturity are they? Do they need any special treatment when it comes to sowing in flask? Here are the pics.

Brett

lambelkip · #2 02-21-2009, 10:11 PM

Brett, Pleiones are very hardy plants. I would expect at least one of them to survive if cared for properly. the pods are very close to maturity, and the pod that is more shrivelled looks like it might be ready to flask. no special treatment is needed, they're a little easier than a lot of other orchids.

s1214215 · #3 02-21-2009, 11:23 PM

Hi Kip

I found the Pleione website last today and they have a section there on raising from seed. The Pleione Website It recommends using half strength media. Are you sowing seed on and specific media? I am wondering as I am not sowing the seed myself and will get a Bangkok lab to do it. I am not sure though if they will make a special media up though.

Brett

lambelkip · #4 02-22-2009, 02:37 AM

Most labs will use a flasking media at full strength. when the plants start to get crowded in the flask, they are moved to a new flask, with a different media made for re-flasking.

the owner of the Pleione website is using a complex formula to make his own flasking and re-flasking media, which may or may not be better than the commercially available media. The lab you use will probably have their own custom formula.

s1214215 · #5 02-22-2009, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lambelkip

Most labs will use a flasking media at full strength. when the plants start to get crowded in the flask, they are moved to a new flask, with a different media made for re-flasking.

the owner of the Pleione website is using a complex formula to make his own flasking and re-flasking media, which may or may not be better than the commercially available media. The lab you use will probably have their own custom formula.

Thanks Kip

I appreciate the information... Now all I have to do is hope the pods make it and I get viable seed.

Brett

rogerman · #6 02-22-2009, 05:30 AM

Hmmm..... Brett, where did those pods actually come from before they were sold to you at a market? I'm just saying this because they look like the wild plants that I got from another market. Just be careful old man P.C plod doesn't catch up with you. If you mount the plants on trees you'll be fine though.

s1214215 · #7 02-22-2009, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerman

old man P.C plod doesn't catch up with you. .

Do you mean the police?

I cant be sure. The guy claimed they were nursery grown, but TIT.

My main reason for buying them is preservation. I want to share plants I raise from flask back in Australia. The seller wanted me to buy the 10 plants he had, but I only wanted the ones with seed pods

rogerman · #8 02-22-2009, 06:01 AM

Yuup...... That is one thing they are very strong about.

s1214215 · #9 02-22-2009, 06:03 AM

I dissagree about Thai police being serious about preservation. I go to the Jatujak market often and often see police walking past pillaged plants. Not to mention turning a blind eye to all the illegal animals sold there. I know a few sellers in the fish market and they seem to know when there is a raid coming and shut shop.

rogerman · #10 02-22-2009, 06:14 AM

My shade house and six others around this area have all been searched by the police....lucky I have a contract with a Govt department for the wild plants I have..... I also agree that the police are never serious about their jobs. The police are only at Jatujak to make it look like they are doing their job (to get paid).
I will be selling at Jatujak on Wednesdays and Thursdays soon at the plant market.