# About Cypipedium candidum, parviflorum, and Xandrewsii



## The Orchid Boy (Sep 11, 2012)

I am going to order one of the above cypripediums. I just want a little about each one. I especially want to know their light and moisture requirements. We also have clay soil...


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## goldenrose (Sep 11, 2012)

Are any native to your area? 
Are there cyps that can do well in clay soils, even with amending to improve drainage?


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## Linus_Cello (Sep 11, 2012)

Another option, you could use Terrestrial Orchid Medium for Outside Beds 

http://gardensatposthill.com/website/StoreSupplies.htm

I have parviflorum in a semi-shady area. The soil is slightly clay, but I've added some soil and sand to improve drainage. I found parvi to be relatively easy and hardy. Here's a pic of mine (pubscens var. parvi: http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25598)
I can't speak to the other plants.


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## The Orchid Boy (Sep 11, 2012)

All are native to my area and my grandma can remember going into feilds and picking lady slippers. Now they are very rare here in NE.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 12, 2012)

Hey orchid boy,

They should do well in your climate (Nebraska, yes?) in a lightly shaded to moderately sunny spot. Watch soil moisture if you are growing them in more sun - they don't like to dry out. I'd avoid full on, midday sun if possible.

If your soil is heavy clay, be careful about mixing in sand since you can end up making concrete! If it is more crumbly, you can add some, but I'd use more coarse materials like soil perfector, turface, finer grained pumice, etc. The link given by Linus will put you in the right direction. Don't bother using perlite in the open grown since it tends to float to the surface over time. 

The pH should be around neutral to slightly acidic for C. parviflorum varieties and C. x andrewsii, while C. candidum likes a bit more lime. If your soils are already basic, don't bother amending them with lime.


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## cnycharles (Sep 12, 2012)

the candidum really would want full sun and no competition from surrounding plants, and can be really calcareous and pretty wet. it often grows in this crusty gray/black mud that is formed by a certain bacteria that takes up the calcium, and makes whatever it is that is crusty in the soil. can't remember the term for the crusty black mud though, too much time on the roofs changing greenhouse plastic last two days


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## Linus_Cello (Sep 13, 2012)

cnycharles said:


> can't remember the term for the crusty black mud though, too much time on the roofs changing greenhouse plastic last two days



Anoxic? Anaerobic? Too bad they need lime conditions; would like to try them in my bog garden.


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## cnycharles (Sep 13, 2012)

...... marl. looking at the post, it popped into my head. marl is the noun term for the crusty, calcareous black/grey mud


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 13, 2012)

I don't want to be contradictory, but I highly recommend a free draining mix with a nearly neutral pH (a tad more lime for C. candidum) for all of these. In nature a number of Cyp species can be found in wet conditions, but that doesn't translate well to cultivation. 

In Cribb's famous book The Genus Cypripedium published years ago, Dr. Holger Perner talked about "black peat", a product produced from grass instead of sphagnum moss, as a possible compost component. His recommendation was to mix it with non-acidic sand such that the resulting compost was just colored by the peat, not dominating it. A lot has been learned since those days about Cyp cultivation, so I'm sure his ideas would be different now.

Trying to match natural conditions in the garden is not advisable for most Cyps, at least that is my take with the ones found in wetland ecosystems. Exactly why they grow in such areas is not necessary well known (perhaps it is the cooling effect in more southern locations), it is not because the plants need wet roots.


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## kentuckiense (Sep 15, 2012)

I know next to nothing about Cyp cultivation, but I have some experience seeing them in the wild.

The only C. candidum population I've seen was the funny MD one that grows on an extremely steep, wooded slope of limestone talus. Literally, the hill was entirely limestone talus.

I've seen C. parviflorum var. pubescens in a few places. In southeast Virginia (Williamsburg area) I've seen them growing in mature deciduous forests with what I would assume to be neutral or somewhat basic substrate. The substrate contains a lot of fossil seashells (Chesepecten jeffersonius, to be precise. Including a 6 inch one I found near some plants!)


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## Dido (Sep 17, 2012)

Hy i only wanted to say, if you never grown cpys before start maybe with reginae and then go to parviflorum and pubescens, I would not recommed starting with candidum, there are experienced grower outside which have problem with that one. 
So why not starting with ormal ones. 
If you have a lot of clay and sand, you should think on kentuckiense. 
Hybrids would be great too. 
So if you could get a Ulla silkens or soemthing like that could be great too.


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## The Orchid Boy (Sep 21, 2012)

I think I might try C. parviflorum or C. Xandrewsii. The place I have in mind would have direct sun for a few hours of the day, when the sun is directly overhead. The rest of the day it would have dappled shade. Does this sound alright?


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## Dido (Sep 21, 2012)

If the soil fits this kinds could be fine

by the way, in europe the netherland grower with low prices offeres now more kinds. 

he has Fargesii for sale too. And many other kinds


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## cnycharles (Sep 21, 2012)

The Orchid Boy said:


> I think I might try C. parviflorum or C. Xandrewsii. The place I have in mind would have direct sun for a few hours of the day, when the sun is directly overhead. The rest of the day it would have dappled shade. Does this sound alright?



that seems to fit the habitats where these are around here. mostly sun, but shade at some time of the day or light/shade mix all day


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## The Orchid Boy (Sep 27, 2012)

I read somewhere that you don't put the roots into prepared soil at all. You just lay them along the ground and then cover the roots with leaf litter and then mulch. It also says to keep well watered until established. Is this the correct way for planting? I thought you prepared the soil and then dig a wide but not deep hole and don't burry the roots deep, but still burry them. Also how should I prepare the soil for Cypripedium parviflorum?


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 27, 2012)

I prepare the soil somewhat, then plant the roots shallowly into the mix. The exception is C. acaule. I plant those in my LI place, where they are native and the "soil" is nearly pure acidic sand, with oak leaf humus. I plant those directly into the natural soil, again, shallowly. However mulch is not enough. I either put rocks over the root area, or wire mesh. Otherwise, squirrels will dig them up within 24 hours. The mesh is removed the following spring, and rocks remain in place.


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