PLEIONES

                           Bronze Award Winning Display at Ellerslie 1999

The PLEIONE is a group of small, semi-hardy, popular orchids of great beauty. They are easy plants to grow given the right conditions. For this reason they have been popularly called WINDOWSILL ORCHIDS.
PLEIONES make attractive displays in the shaded rock garden or patio pots under shade. Keep dry for the winter. In recent years artificial hybridization between various species and cultivated forms has led to a wide variety of exciting and exotic-looking hybrids. Each year we are able to offer a wider range of carefully selected superior clones.

Pleiones make excellent House or Rock Garden plants. They are such versatile plants they should be grown more. Easily grown and not requiring heat, there are some important requirements that must be met.

In their native environment:- Pleiones grow in a monsoon climate, either as epiphytes on trees or terrestrially, but they are always growing in free draining organic compost in a semi-shaded site.
What does this mean to the gardener who wishes to grow Pleiones?

As a house plant:- Position the plants in a south (Shaded) facing window in an unheated part of the house.

In containers in a woodland site:- Place the container on a sheltered south facing patio.

In the garden:- Planting under the eaves on the south side of the house in a raised bed of free draining organic matter proves very successful, or in a similar site under trees. In our garden compost used for growing Pleiones has been used as a mulch and now small colonies of Pleiones have established themselves under trees where it is moist in summer and dry in winter. They are certainly the most interesting and coveted "weed" to occur in our shrub border.
Pleiones are delightful plants producing in Sept - October a diverse range of dainty orchid shaped flowers from 2" (50mm) - 6" (150mm) high. The flower colour varies from various shades of soft lavender ( the most often seen colour) down to pure white or up to deep rosy red. They always have most interesting contrasting markings on the lip and in the throats of the flowers. A batch of seedlings we have grown appear at a glance to be the same but no two have the same lip markings.
For those of you who already grow, or are contemplating growing, these plants it pays to give them only small amounts of water leading up to flowering. However, after flowering and as the leaves develop, more water is required. In fact, over summer lack of water can be devastating.
Conversely, water can be equally devastating if they become wet during winter which is their rest period. I have my containers in a cool place where water does not reach them. I repot them as growth begins - being careful not to damage the new shoots and roots. They only produce one lot each spring. Pleiones are social plants and a group on a shallow pot is a great way to grow them. In fact most Pleiones I have lost have been as special plants growing on their own. Perhaps they die of loneliness.

PLEIONE SPECIES

Pleione Name	Price	Per each	per 3	per 10	per 100
Pleione Alishan (P. Versailles x P. formosana) The flowers are a good deep pink with fringed lips marked red and dark mauve. A nice line of variable vigorous seedlings.		6.00	12.00	30.00
Pleione Alishan Foxhill A hybrid clone with flowers of deep rose pink with ginger markings on the lip.		10.00	18.00	50.00
Pleione Alishan Merlin Deep pink flowers with tepals and sepals tipped white		12.50
Pleione Alishan Pat’s Choice Named for our long serving Nursery propagator. Pat chose this nice form for it’s tall stems and large flowers with attractive lip markings.		10.00	18.00	50.00
Pleione Alishan Tui This is one of our own hybrids The tepals and sepals are a deep petunia purple and the lip white with markings.		7.50	15.00	40.00
Pleione El Pico Pheasant (P.Versailles x P. bulbocodioides) Small vibrant pink flowers with lips spotted crimson on tall stems.		5.00	9.00	30.00	185.00
Pleione El Pico Starling Deep purplish pink flowers with lips spotted crimson on tall stems		Sold out
Pleione Erebus Red Shank (P. Versailles x P. Vesuvius) Deep lilac flowers, often 2 per stem, with golden orange lips heavily marked red.		Sold out
Pleione Etna Bullfinch (P. Speciosa x P. limprichtii) The deepest coloured clone so far. Lip marked red and yellow.		Sold out
Pleione Hekla (P. Speciosa x P. humilis) Early, dainty, short stemmed flowers of petunia purple, Lips are frilled with dark red markings. The new foliage is deep bronze which makes this form unique.		6.00
Pleione Irazu Mallard (P. Etna x P. Shantung) This is very nice, with very large flowers of deep mellow-purple, the yellow lips are heavily spotted red.		6.00	12.00	30.00	220.00
Pleione Piton (P. formosana x P. yunnanensis) Tall flowers of soft lavender with purple-lavender markings. The flowers, here last twice as long as any other cultivar.		Sold out
Pleione Rakata Nuthatch (P. speciosa x P. Shantung) Large flowers of deep apricot with lips of gold and red. The hybrid Rakata is amongst the largest and most vigorous of the Pleiones.		50.00
Pleione Rakata Shot Silk An outstanding hybrid. One of the best clones with large flowers on tall stems. A unique colour of deep salmon orange with magenta overtones. The lip is slightly paler with orange and red spots. With this variety it is most important to keep the pseudo bulbs cool over the winter otherwise they will not flower.		10.00	18.00	50.00
Pleione Shantung Apricot Brandy (P. formosana x P. confusa) The largest flowered form of the Shantungs. Yellow flowers with a pink overtone. The pink is more dominant when grown in too warmer conditions.		10.00	18.00	50.00	350.00
Pleione Shantung Ducat The deepest yellow we offer. Always popular with a prominent red marking on the lip.		30.00
Pleione Shantung Miki Well formed flowers with pink tones on the yellow, and red markings on lip. In warm temperatures can be quite pink.		10.00	18.00	50.00	350.00
Pleione Shantung Muriel Harberd Large yellow flowers with red markings on lip.		12.50	27.00	60.00
Pleione Shantung Silver Wedding Like most Shantungs, this is a strong and vigorous growing plant with large pseudo bulbs The flowers are also large and held on tall stems. The colour is white when grown in the cool, with red markings. However if grown in the warm, the flower will take on a hint of lilac. A very distinctive and desirable garden plant.		Sold out
Pleione Soufriere (P. Versailles x P. confusa) Flowers pale rose purple, The lips are pale and heavily marked red.		Sold out
Pleione Tolima Moorhen (P. specioas x P. formosana) Vibrant purplish-pink flowers with orange keels.		6.00	12.00
Pleione Tolima Nightingale Vigorous grower with mauve pink flowers, lip pink and white with reddish brown spots.		Sold out
Pleione Tolima Waxwing Large dark flowers, the lips heavily marked with orange-yellow on the lip spotted red.		15.00	30.00
Pleione Tongariro (P. Versailles x P. speciosa) Deep vibrant pink flowers with brick red lip markings		6.00	12.00	30.00
Pleione Tongariro Jackdaw Deep vibrant pink flowers with wide tepals and sepals. Lip markings orange, gold, and red.		12.50	27.00
Pleione Versailles (P. formosana x P. limprichtii) One of the most delightful Pleiones. Our clone has flowers of deep rose-pink with a paler lip spotted brick red with white lamella. Altogether a most rewarding plant. For best results keep cool during the winter months. Will flower from small pseudobulbs.		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00
Pleione Versailles Bucklebury Flowers of deep rose pink with lip spotted brick red. FCC. Similar to the above clone. The first named Pleione Hybrid		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00
Pleione Versailles Puffin Mauve pink flowers with wide tepals, lip heavily spotted bronze and deep rose.		7.50	15.00	70.00
Pleione Versailles Heron Pale mauve pink flowers with white lips marked orange brown.		6.50	12.00	30.00
Pleione Vesuvius Embers (P. bulbocodioides x P. confusa) Flowers of great poise that are soft pink with red spotting on the orange lip. One of the best Pleione hybrids.		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00
Pleione Vesuvius Leopard Large reddish pink flowers held on tall stems beautifully presented. The heavily frilled lip is orange, flushed red with red spots. This is certainly one of the best Pleiones. Sweetly scented also.		6.00
Pleione Vesuvius Linnet Large, dark, purplish pink flowers with a heavily frilled lip marked dark red.		12.50
Pleione Vesuvius Phoenix Flowers are large reddish pink with orange/yellow lip spotted red on tall stout stems		6.00	12.00
Pleione Vesuvius Tiger Fire A good, strong growing variety with bright glowing heavily spotted lips to the flowers.		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00
Pleione formosana 891101 A selected seedling with soft pink flowers with yellow lip markings.		7.50	15.00
Pleione formosana 891102 A selected seedling with large soft lilac pink flowers with a wide lip marked pale bronze.		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00
Pleione formosana Alba One of our most distinct and popular clones. Flowers large and of a most attractive glistening white. The lip is finely fringed and marked with greenish yellow.		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00
Pleione formosana Cairngorm Dainty white flowers produced from green pseudo bulbs. The lip is unusual with it’s pale brick red markings		7.50
Pleione formosana Clare Flowers large pure white, often two per stem. Lip markings pale lemon.		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Cutie Dainty pure white flowers , smaller than P. f. Alba, often 2 per stem. Lip marking greenish, pale lemon.		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Elms Large flowers of soft lavender make this form desirable.		Sold out
Pleione formosana Harberd's X Glistening white flowers of great charm with yellow markings on lip. This variety seems to flower a little later than P.f. Alba.		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Invercargill Dainty flowers of soft lilac.		7.50
Pleione formosana Iris A delightful clone with large pale rose purple flowers . The lip is frilled and marked red, brown, and yellow.		Sold out
Pleione formosana Lilac Beauty Flowers earlier than the other cultivars. A delightful lilac pink shade with a paler lip, heavily spotted with deep lilac pink .		5.00	9.00	22.00
Pleione formosana Lilac Petals Large flowers of soft lavender with pale lips marked bronze and red. An old form from the 1960's		7.50
Pleione formosana Lilac Splendour Large flowers of soft lilac pink. The pseudo bulbs are green		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Oriental Grace Flowers rosy-violet, lip paler marked brown and yellow. This is the popular form known for many years as P. Pricei. One of the best forms..		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Oriental Splendour A very free-flowering form with violet flowers, often two per stem, lip marked brown and yellow.		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Orwell Glory When grown in an enclosed area this clone has a light fragrance. The pendulous lilac flowers have yellow and brown markings on the lip.		6.00	12.00	30.00
Pleione formosana Phyllis Every A good vigorous form with large deep lavender flowers with bronze lip markings.		7.50
Pleione formosana Polar Sun The dainty flowers are a glowing, glistening white. Later flowering than the other white forms.		7.50	15.00
Pleione formosana Paul Every A lilac flowered form.		10.00	18.00	50.00
Pleione formosana Pukekura Surprise Very large flowers of soft lavender. Large green pseudo bulbs.		10.00	18.00
Pleione formosana Serenity Flowers pale rose, lip almost white, marked brown and yellow. Later flowering.		5.00	9.00
Pleione formosana Silver Lining One of our own releases and the only variegated Pleione. Leaves have white edges on the green. The flowers are identical to Lilac Beauty.		10.00	18.00
Pleione formosana Snow White Large pure white flowers with greenish lip markings.		10.00	18.00	50.00
Pleione formosana Mixed from Named forms A selection of clones. The flowers are lilac shades and maybe some whites. $1250 .00 per 1000		5.00	9.00	22.00	185.00

PLEIONE COMPOST:

Available from the Nursery during July/August.
A 6 litre bag of Pleione compost is $6.00 at the Nursery
(Posted price = $20.00 ie. $6.00 for Mix and $14.00 for postage).

TERMS OF TRADE

Minimum order $20.00 - Prices include GST
PLEASE SEND PAYMENT WITH YOUR ORDER or USE YOUR VISA or MASTERCARD

PACKING and POSTAGE:
PLEASE ADD $7.50 South Island; $9.50 North Island.
ORDERS ARE SENT JULY AND EARLY AUGUST ONLY.

NO ORDERS WILL BE SENT AFTER THE END OF AUGUST AS THE BULBS ARE THEN IN GROWTH.

Prices are for dormant flowering sized pseudo bulbs which we have grown in our own Nursery. Unfortunately it is impossible to guarantee flowers. However we are frequently complimented on the grade we send out and the sizes of pseudo bulbs grown this summer are no different.

MY GROWERS CALENDAR FOR PLEIONE ORCHIDS

NATURAL DISTRIBUTION

Central Nepal, East Taiwan, and from Central China, south to Southeast Burma, North Thailand and Laos.

HABITAT

14 Species growing in a wide variety of habitats, 1000m - 4200m. Preferred growing conditions are on almost bare branches of forest trees, on moss, or fallen logs, moss covered rocks, soil filled pockets on cliff faces and occasionally on grassland.

CLIMATE

The summers are wet and relatively warm. In winter (dormant season) it is cold and dry. In this period the plant is dormant with no leaves or live roots. Those growing at higher altitudes are covered with snow for part of this time.

CULTIVATION

1. DO NOT OVER WATER DURING SPRING when the new roots are emerging at the base of the new shoots. The compost must be only slightly damp to force the new roots to search for moisture.

2. When the plants have developed root systems do not give a check during the growing season. ie. keep well watered and well fed.

3. Plants should be given a suitable rest period during the winter months with low temperatures and dry compost.

4. Plants should be grown in shallow clay pots or pans as they are shallow rooting plants. Pleiones are community plants and are best grown close together in groups. The pots should be cleaned after use and before re-planting sterilized with Jays Fluid, Janola, or Formalin at 1 part in 49 to reduce the possibility of fungal attack.

5. In many parts of the country Pleiones may be grown outdoors. They must have the appropriate soil conditions. This can usually be achieved with a raised bed in a shaded site where winter wet may be controlled, eg. under the eaves on the shaded (south side) of the house. It is important that out of season frost must not reach these plants when in growth.

COMPOST

Many combinations of compost have been successfully used. The mix I have used successfully over the last few years consists of:
1 part Crushed Pine Bark
1 part Pine Duff (rotted Pine Needles)
1 part Coarse Peat
1 part Chopped up Sphagnum Moss (6mm)
As flowering approaches add
5ml teaspoon of 9 month Osmocote Plus per 200ml pot or 5 litres of mix.
Use the coarsest part of the mix in the bottom of the pot and the fines for around the pseudobulbs.
An easy mix to convert is, a good potting mix and add 25% chopped sphagnum moss.
DO NOT COMPACT THE MIX. KEEP SOFT, OPEN, AND WELL-DRAINED.
In the home a windowsill, in the bathroom, or kitchen is best for growing PLEIONES because of the moist atmosphere and plenty of fresh air. For adequate watering and maintenance of humidity, capillary watering can be recommended, especially during the summer growing season.

PROPAGATION

Mature pseudobulbs will have a natural increase between 2-4 times for the usually grown forms of P. formosana and P. Versailles. 1-3 small pseudobulbs appear at the top of the old pseudobulbs and 1-2 flowering sized bulbs are produced.

PESTS

Bees - May pollinate the flower which soon fades to form seed.

Vine Weevils - Eat the roots and pseudobulbs.

Mealy Bug - Suck the sap of the plant.

Aphids - Transmit virus and distort the leaves and flowers

Red Spider Mite - Indicates too dry a conditions.

Slugs and snails - Chew the leaves and flowers.

THE YEAR FOR THE PLEIONE

JULY:

Pot up pseudobulbs just before growth commences. Place coarse compost in the bottom of the container, finer grade on top. Insert pseudobulbs to half their depth. Compost at this stage should be only damp. Do not water until buds appear.

AUGUST:

Flower buds appear at the end of the month, so this generally means that you should begin watering. Keep compost on the dry side to begin with. Over watering at this stage can damage the roots, which could be fatal.

SEPTEMBER:

While plants are in growth they benefit from air movement. A butcher's fan in a well ventilated shaded greenhouse or grown close to a ventilator is beneficial.
At this time of year I use 30% shade which is maintained throughout the growing season. In more Northern areas a shade house or sheltered shaded patio is ideal.

OCTOBER:

As the flowers fade the leaves begin rapid growth. Begin to liquid feed with Fertiliser at 50% normal dilution rate.
IF USING OSMOCOTE LIQUID FEEDING WILL NOT BE NECESSARY.
Remove old flower stalks to prevent seed being produced. This will increase vegetative propagation.

 

NOVEMBER - FEBRUARY:

Maximum tolerable day temperature 32'C (90'F)
Plants benefit from a humid atmosphere and have a high water requirement. This is when your potting mix must hold both large quantities of water and air. Plants may be placed outside in a cool, semi-shaded corner. If liquid feeding at the end of January, use at 50% normal rate.

APRIL - MAY:

When the leaves begin to turn yellow reduce watering as growth has finished for the season. In about 3 weeks the leaves turn brown and the roots die.
This is the stage harvesting may begin. Care must always be taken with the buds at the base of the pseudobulbs.

BLUE MOUNTAIN NURSERIES

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TAPANUI  WEST OTAGO

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