# Mexipedium xerophyticum in a bonsai pot



## JPMC (Jul 7, 2012)

I've had this plant for over 10 years and always kept training it around a 10 inch bulb pan. I placed it in a 20 inch oval bonsai pot this Spring and it really took off. It has 14 new growths this year so far. I guess that it just likes its space.





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## NYEric (Jul 7, 2012)

Whaa.. why wont mine do that!? Thanks for sharing.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 7, 2012)

What is your potting mix? It looks like clay pellets, charcoal and some kind of little white stones.

Great looking plant, and very happy.


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## JeanLux (Jul 8, 2012)

Impressive !!!! Jean


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## likespaphs (Jul 8, 2012)

holy carp!


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## Rick (Jul 8, 2012)

These guys really take off when they're happy. Good blooming this season too.:clap:


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## JPMC (Jul 8, 2012)

SlipperFan said:


> What is your potting mix? It looks like clay pellets, charcoal and some kind of little white stones.
> 
> Great looking plant, and very happy.



Thanks.

It's mostly medium Hydroton (1/2 inch) with a top dressing of coarse (1/16 inch) sand and medium (1/4 inch) Stalite.


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## cnycharles (Jul 8, 2012)

http://www.repotme.com/potting-media/Stalite-Small.html
ah, it says that voles hate stalite (which might be an excellent replacement for volcanic rock)... I wonder if slugs/snails also hate it, which would be a boon for orchid and ground plantings..

very nice plant! your media sounds alot like what the soil/ground material was described as in the site description, where the original mexipedium was found


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Jul 8, 2012)

Really stunning! You have done an amazing job with this plant!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9300 using Tapatalk


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## Lanmark (Jul 8, 2012)

Wonderful! :clap:


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## Tom499 (Jul 8, 2012)

Really, really sweet!


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## SlipperKing (Jul 8, 2012)

Excellent culture and plant.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 8, 2012)

Looking fantastic! Mine has done better since I moved it two years ago into a similar setup, but it ain't took off yet...maybe this year.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 8, 2012)

JPMC said:


> Thanks.
> 
> It's mostly medium Hydroton (1/2 inch) with a top dressing of coarse (1/16 inch) sand and medium (1/4 inch) Stalite.


Thanks! I've not heard of Stalite, but it sounds like an interesting medium. Your Mex is sure doing well in it!


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## W. Beetus (Jul 8, 2012)

Great looking plant! I'm thinking about doing something similar with mine, hopefully it will like it.


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## NYEric (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks for the info.


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## eaborne (Jul 26, 2012)

Great job!


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## paphioboy (Jul 28, 2012)

cutie!


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## Leo Schordje (Jul 28, 2012)

I like it, well grown,

Hey, you said bonsai pot, that means it could be a nice pot, how about a picture of the whole composition, plant and pot? Do you do bonsai too? it is my hobby when I want a break from orchids. 

For the non-bonsai nuts on this forum, there is a subcategory of growing bonsai which is the artistic growing of flowering plants and grasses in bonsai pots for display, called Kusamono and Shitakusa depending on whether you display the pot with a tree or as a specimen to be appreciated on its own. 

So show us the pot!


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## JPMC (Jul 28, 2012)

Leo Schordje said:


> I like it, well grown,
> 
> Hey, you said bonsai pot, that means it could be a nice pot, how about a picture of the whole composition, plant and pot? Do you do bonsai too? it is my hobby when I want a break from orchids.
> 
> ...



I do not grow bonsai trees, but wish that I could. I live in a 1200 sq. ft. apartment and orchids are all I can manage. I'm not sure which category of Japanese gardening this plant fits, but it does look a bit like some of the images I've seen of this plant in its native state.




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## SlipperKing (Jul 28, 2012)

Great shot. I grow mine in a bonsai pot as well. They seem to do OK.


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## Leo Schordje (Jul 29, 2012)

Nice quality pot. The linear line of the lip and the bottom band create a nice horizontal image, well suited for when this cluster fills out even more. Nice choice of pot.


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## Chuck (Nov 25, 2012)

Very well grown plant. Tremendous number of blooms on a relatively compact clump.

Chuck


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## Mrs. Paph (Nov 25, 2012)

Coooooool :drool::clap:


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## cnycharles (Mar 15, 2013)

bump

I just repotted my plant into a big tupperware container, and I was wondering if the people who grow in the flat bonsai pots could tell me how you drain the water out (does it have a hole or two in the bottom), and is there usually a residual amount of water that sits in there for a few days? also in this pic the center part of the plant has a lot of moss growing around it; is there some old media there that holds the moss, or something else? - thanks


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## SlipperKing (Mar 15, 2013)

cnycharles said:


> bump
> 
> I just repotted my plant into a big tupperware container, and I was wondering if the people who grow in the flat bonsai pots could tell me how you drain the water out (does it have a hole or two in the bottom), and is there usually a residual amount of water that sits in there for a few days? also in this pic the center part of the plant has a lot of moss growing around it; is there some old media there that holds the moss, or something else? - thanks


Mine has one hole in the bottom


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## JPMC (Mar 16, 2013)

cnycharles said:


> bump
> 
> I just repotted my plant into a big tupperware container, and I was wondering if the people who grow in the flat bonsai pots could tell me how you drain the water out (does it have a hole or two in the bottom), and is there usually a residual amount of water that sits in there for a few days? also in this pic the center part of the plant has a lot of moss growing around it; is there some old media there that holds the moss, or something else? - thanks



The pot in the first post of this thread has one hole. The moss is now growing throughout the surface of the pot. I keep it watered every other day in the winter and every day in the summer. Whenever any plant I have is kept moist, moss grows on the potting medium surface.


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## Leo Schordje (Mar 17, 2013)

Most bonsai pots have fairly large holes, or multiple holes. Xeriphyticum is one Phrag I don't let sit in water. So having drainage is good.


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## cnycharles (Mar 17, 2013)

thanks, good to know


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## Heather (Apr 22, 2015)

Just adding that I grow mine in a similar pot. Have for years and it seems to love it. Three spikes this year! Good thing since it is my only remaining slipper orchid!


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## NYEric (Apr 22, 2015)

So sad. Maybe you can take advantage of the auction at the Slippertalk Orchid Forum. ity:


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## MaryPientka (Apr 23, 2015)

Fantastic! I wonder if a rambling besseae would like a bonsai pot.


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## Ssarner (Aug 22, 2021)

Leo Schordje said:


> Most bonsai pots have fairly large holes, or multiple holes. Xeriphyticum is one Phrag I don't let sit in water. So having drainage is good.


What medium do you use to pot your mexipedium xerophyticum? Someone local gave me two. I better learn how to repot them quick before they die on me. That someone told me I have to let them sit in half inch water. Any advice will be appreciated.


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## PhragNewbie021 (Aug 22, 2021)

Can't see the plant or the pot. Can you resend?


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## Rockbend (Aug 23, 2021)

I grow them in a bark/peat mix, in 3" pots, and water every 5-7 days.

The big plant is in an 8" bulb pan with peat/gray rock mix and gets watered the same.


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## Ssarner (Aug 23, 2021)

Rockbend said:


> I grow them in a bark/peat mix, in 3" pots, and water every 5-7 days.
> 
> The big plant is in an 8" bulb pan with peat/gray rock mix and gets watered the same.


Thank you for replying back. When you say water, do you mean water with weak fertilizer? If no how frequent do you fertilize?


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## cnycharles (Aug 23, 2021)

It makes a big difference to your watering, where you live and your conditions. It grows where it’s hot, humid and very bright. If you are very cool then likely you don’t want thick media sitting in water. When I first had another one, when it was in a light stand, in a compot tray with clear plastic dome, it looked happy grew and flowered. Then I had to move a few times and many things weren’t happy. My most recent after trying to change conditions it was unhappy; recently put it near more light and put a dome over it (more humidity) and it’s looking alive again.
People who have easier time growing it either are in south where warm and humid, or provide lots of light. Your conditions will provide how you’ll need to grow it.


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## Rockbend (Aug 24, 2021)

Ssarner said:


> Thank you for replying back. When you say water, do you mean water with weak fertilizer? If no how frequent do you fertilize?


When I water, I use only water. I foliar feed 2-3 times a month in summer, and I use a tiny bit of slow release fertilizer in the pots.

Regarding cnycharles comment above, I grow Mexipediums hot, humid, and bright!


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## livingorchids (Sep 1, 2021)

I don't usually post but wanted to add that I also have had good success with bonsai pots and inorganic rock media that I use for my trees. The picture is of a small flask that I got about 2 years ago originating from Orchid Inn. I have not repotted since but will do it next season. It is grown indoors under 48" tube lights and have not lost a single seedling. The 1 single growth had no roots so I tried it by itself and is growing good now. The original seedlings are shown in the 7.5" x 6" bonsai pot.


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## BrucherT (Sep 2, 2021)

Excited for this thread…then saw that the pics are dead. Sigh.


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