# How fast do fuukiran grow?



## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 29, 2009)

Inspired by recent posts by Mark (Lanmark) and Pete (Neo-Guy) I thought I'd show you the progress of some of my _Neofinetia falcata_. The point is to give you all an idea how quickly these plants grow. As you'll see, growth rate is highly variable depending on the form.

Here's a real fast clumper, a pine needle form called 'Tousui'. It flowers very rarely, only in the fall, and singly from the center of the growth. You can see it has grown quickly into a big clump.

7/2006







10/2009






Another fast grower is the large Amami Island form called 'Omidori'. This plant is more than twice the stature of a normal neo. It has grown very well over the past three years.

8/2006






10/2009






A much slower growing plant is the famous 'Seikai'. It started out as a single growth plant and now, a short two years later, it has three new fans coming along. So, slower growing, but still clumping nicely.

6/2007






10/2009






And now, one that hasn't changed much, a variegated form called 'Orihime'. I bought this three years ago as a recently divided single fan. The first year it grew one leaf and it has averaged about two per year the last two years. The net gain has been basically nothing!

7/2006






10/2009






These show the range of growth for fuukiran in my experience. The plants shown have had the same basic culture - not ideal, but pretty good since they are native to this area.


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## callosum (Oct 29, 2009)

*hard work*

nice grown plants:rollhappy:


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## TyroneGenade (Oct 29, 2009)

Very impressive. I hope my 2 Fuurikan grow nearly as well. (By the way, any progress on deciphering that tag I sent you?)


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## biothanasis (Oct 29, 2009)

I have two one-growth plants that have started groing a new leaf each! Much better progress for me than usual!! And because of my orchid-tank they are alive...hehe!! But I wish they grew new roots too!!!!

Should I change something now that winter is coming??


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## Berrak (Oct 29, 2009)

I have no of those or similar but a very intresting thread - thanks


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## Linh (Oct 29, 2009)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> 7/2006
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> ...


Nice to see the progression of that Orihime. I remember seeing a pic of it here a few years ago. Your neos look really happy growing at "home".  At least you don't have to grow them on windowsills and under T5's in MN. I think my slowest one is Beniboushi. My Kuro Shinjyu and Houmeiden have put out the most new growths so far. Kinkounishiki and Akebono are coming along nicely but Hisui is on it's way to Japanese orchid heaven, I think. 

Does your Sekai flower for you every year?


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## SlipperFan (Oct 29, 2009)

Interesting. I would not have thought to photograph the plants as a record of how fast/slow they grow. 

Tom, you said they are native around you. Have you ever seen them "in the wild"?


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## neo-guy (Oct 30, 2009)

nice comparison of growth! I find that the larger more mature plants tend to grow faster with more offsets. There are some though, like you say..that are very slow growing!
Pete


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## JeanLux (Oct 30, 2009)

I am not (yet?) a Neo guy, but very impressive shots Tom!!! I esp. like the foliage of 'Seikai'! Jean


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## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 30, 2009)

To answer your questions:

Tyrone - Sorry, see the PM I sent you!

TY - In winter I cool them down considerably - between 0-10 C. They stay outside even during the frosts, but have overhead protection. They also are kept much drier in winter, but not dry. Humidity remains above 50% at all times. Once it gets above 15 C on average (April) they start to put out tons of roots, then I resume watering and fertilizing them until mid fall.

Tracy - The Orihime is driving me crazy, it is slow. I have two Seikai and yes, they flower each year. Occasionally one will skip a year. 

Dot - Yes, they are native to Kyushu, but nowadays wild plants are very, very rare due to over-collection. Whole businesses were run on wild collected plants in the old days so many desirable plants are essentially "ghosts" in the wild. Examples include Dendrobium moniliforme, Ponerorchis graminifolia, Cypripedium macranthos, and also N. falcata. Still, populations exist here and there, but their location is kept hush-hush.

Pete - I totally agree that larger plants grow better. My first suggestion to anyone buying these is get the biggest plant possible. I buy offsets quite a bit too though since they tend to be much cheaper. In the case of Orihime, it hasn't increased at all, while many others have grown multiple growths in the same period.


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## biothanasis (Oct 30, 2009)

How do you keep humidity over 50% outside?? Do you enclose them into something???


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## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 30, 2009)

biothanasis said:


> How do you keep humidity over 50% outside?? Do you enclose them into something???



Japan is a humid place, even in winter! I do have them in a mini greenhouse.


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## Lanmark (Oct 30, 2009)

You have some very nice plants! I struggle with Seikai in much the same way you struggle with Orihime. My Seikai has put out several (at least 6) tiny offshoots around the base of the main growth over the past two or three years. It's gotten only 2 new leaves, however, at the top of the main plant during that time and it never blooms. I think my problem is too little humidity. I grow my plants indoors under artificial light. Heat quickly becomes a serious problem, so fans come into play. I work hard to keep the humidity up, but given my situation, I seem to end up with either too much dryness or sudden swamplike conditions which only induce rot. My solution has been to mount most of my Neos on wood pieces or on high hollow domes of moss, keep the lights bright, the fans running, and thoroughly drench the plants twice per day. Most of them enjoy this constant wet/dry cycle. They do get bone dry between waterings. Some days (not many) I can't be home to do this, but on those days they at least start out wet. I reduce the speed of the fans and the temperatures get warmer while the moisture lasts a little longer.

Some of my plants are more naturally slow growing anyway. I think Seikai falls into this category. Kinginrasha seems to be a slow but steady grower. Surusumi is a little faster. Tensyou grows and clumps but isn't terribly speedy about the process and it never wants to bloom for me. Sobiryuu grows well but I find it must be pampered and coaxed along the way. Unkai is a very durable and steady grower, not fast, but much faster than Seikai and somewhat faster than Kinginrasha. My most vigorous plants are Shutenno and Hanakanzashi. Ootakamaru has a propensity to bloom itself to death. Lately I have been clipping off flower spikes as they begin to shoot up so the plant can conserve its energy and put it toward growth and development.


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## Roth (Oct 30, 2009)

There is a secret to grow light-speed neofinetias - and phals, as well as some paphs...

There are sticks from Taiwan and Japan around that looks a bit like that:






But their composition is different of course. I am using them, they contain triacontanol, folic acid, and a range of others things. Results are multiple growth and greatly enhanced growth. Sometimes you can spot them on some Taiwanese pictures, they can stuff a couple dozen in a pot, the ones that are available in Taiwan and Japan are NOT fertilizers, more a hormons/aminoacids/vitamins/various stuff supplement...

Another trick used by the japaneses is HB-101. First when I got that product I though WTF or something similarly polite, I made a trial, and apparently it really has an effect on making side shoots...

I am not too much in the fuk iran, but I grow quite a lot of mini holcoglossums, ascocentrum, and some neofinetia, so far my trials with those 2 products have been very promising...


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## mkline3 (Oct 31, 2009)

Look at all those healthy roots!


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## Lanmark (Oct 31, 2009)

Sanderianum said:


> There is a secret to grow light-speed neofinetias - and phals, as well as some paphs...



I will have to check these things out! I've not heard of them before now, and you've piqued my interest, Sanderianum. Triacontanol, HB-101... :drool: Do you know of any sources in USA?


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## biothanasis (Oct 31, 2009)

There are a lot products like this on ebay! Also in pellet form!!! Have a check!


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