# kingianum - who grows it?



## Heather (Aug 6, 2008)

Hey y'all! 

So, I've been growing a fairly large Dend. kingianum all summer. It's nice; a healthy and happy plant. I'm kinda digging it. I could auction it off at my society's auction this fall. Then again, I'm kinda digging it and might want to keep it. 

So, it's been thriving outside with very little care on my part. A lot of rain this summer. Been pretty damp for the most part. Gets am and pm sun.

If I were to surmise it's conditions this fall-spring, I'd say it will be dry, 50-60 degrees and live on the floor, not that close to my CFLs. No direct sun. 

Think it needs more light than that? There's a possibility I could set up a light for it of it's own but I'm really trying not to expend a lot of energy on this plant. It was a freebie and promised to be an easy one. 

Thanks for your input!


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## Roy (Aug 6, 2008)

Heather, if its growing well without elongated canes, like they are looking for light, and they are filling out well I would leave it where it is. Has it flowered for you??


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## Elena (Aug 6, 2008)

In the winter I kept mine on the south facing window of an unheated room so it was dry, fairly cold and got as much light as is possible to get during the winter in the North of England. It flowered around...Feb, I think, and stayed in flower for a while. 

I know what you mean about liking it, it's just such a happy plant.


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## Leo Schordje (Aug 6, 2008)

Best grower in the US of Dend kingianum is Dr. Wilfred Neptune, look up his website - he has detailed culture info. He has gotten MORE than one FCC & CCE's on his various D. kingianums. He is a friendly guy too, so email him. 
Leo


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## NYEric (Aug 6, 2008)

I'm sure I'm killing the ones I have, they're hybrids from eBay, (OrchidTN), so I'm no help!


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## Heather (Aug 6, 2008)

Leo Schordje said:


> Best grower in the US of Dend kingianum is Dr. Wilfred Neptune, look up his website - he has detailed culture info. He has gotten MORE than one FCC & CCE's on his various D. kingianums. He is a friendly guy too, so email him.
> Leo



Yup. I know Dr. Neptune, he lives nearby, actually. Already done the culture look-up, I was looking for more opinions.


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## fbrem (Aug 6, 2008)

Mine does awesome in almost full sun and high heat. If the developing leaves have a purple tinge to them you're doing fine. Also they need to really dry out (mature psbulbs shrivel moderately) and cool down in the winter to bloom well. These things are supposed to be really tough plants as they grow in full sun in humus filled rock crevices in Aust. Thanks all I know. I've probably told you nothing new though.


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## Heather (Aug 6, 2008)

How about light levels in the winter - I guess that's what I'm most nervous about (not sure I have enough!)


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## NYEric (Aug 6, 2008)

I guess I can move mine a little to get more sun, thanx.


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## fbrem (Aug 6, 2008)

*lots I'm pretty sure*



Heather said:


> How about light levels in the winter - I guess that's what I'm most nervous about (not sure I have enough!)



Grow mine in the south side of a plastic wrapped porch about 2 feet under a 400w MH lamp, so yeah, I think a buttload of light is needed.

Forrest


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## Candace (Aug 6, 2008)

Give it a go over winter and see. If you don't give it enough light you'll know. It won't bloom or bloom with only a couple flowers and the leaves will be too dark.


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## Ron-NY (Aug 6, 2008)

heather, you can't beat the fragrance of a Kinggie. stick it in a south window for the winter. I have some of Wilford's plants in my collection. He instructed me with my first one many years ago. I leave mine outdoors until right before the last frost and then they go into a "greenhouse" window that I installed for my winter cool rest needed species


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 6, 2008)

In New England give it all the winter sun you can. Mine gets no sun in winter, just bright shade, but I live at 34N latitude. It is watered very little and it is extremely pot bound. Average temperature between 40-50 F. Mine usually sets bud in February, but I stall watering until late March so that it blooms in April/May. In summer it gets sun and tons of water and fertilizer. Unstoppable in those conditions!


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## Heather (Aug 6, 2008)

Hmmm, okay. Thanks all. I may have to bring it to work (we have a greenhouse that is mostly unused except by staff) for the winter, I have absolutely not one window with southern exposure in my house, and I'm not sure I'll be able to designate a CFL for the plant. It's been doing great outside this summer though.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Aug 6, 2008)

kingianum is real easy to grow....I keep mine in full sun all winter indoors, 1/2 day sun outdoors from April to November. I keep it dry all winter. as I said, easy to grow...not easy to bloom. Every few years it will produce a few buds, which usually blast. I haven't noticed any fragrance on the few blooms that I've gotten....but that just may be my clone. Take care, Eric


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## TADD (Aug 7, 2008)

Hey H,
Kinginaums are great little plants. I have mine in pots and several are mounted. I keep them completely dry in the winter and I give them a huge temperature drop. I actually put them out in my "mud room" being from New England you know what that is. They get real strong sun and no heat all winter. The are stationed next to all of my neofinetias (pots and mounted). If the weather is going to get down into the teens here I will bring all of them in to the house but put them out if it is staying above freezing. I do mist them about once a week with a spray bottle, but that is about it. I sometimes forget. The kingianums bloom profusely for me here in Charlotte. But then again it could be the plants I have also.


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## MoreWater (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah, you need both lots of LIGHT and COOL for winter. One without the other = no flowers according to my experience.


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## toddybear (Aug 8, 2008)

I have a ton of these as they keikei like crazy. Mine get just bright light in the basement window in the fall (Oct-Dec.) and kept cold (50 F or lower) and dry. They start to spike in late Decemebr when I move it upstairs to an east window and 60 F. They then bloom in Feb. My canes are rather long so my light is not as high as it should be but they bloom profusely all the same.

At work, I also have some in our greenhouse. They get quite high light levels all year but I also keep them cool and dry in Oct-Dec (maybe 55-60 F). They also flower profusely in Feb. but their canes are quite short and compact.

I think they will flower regardless to light levels but the key is cool and dry in the late autumn. They need that rest to initiate their spikes.


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## NYEric (Aug 8, 2008)

OK, following the above advice I moved mine to brioghter spots. For the record both of mine are hybrids and have 20 canes about 14-18" long, ie. not small plants.


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## Phil (Sep 12, 2008)

I've found kingianum to be the most forgiving Den. I have. In southern Ontario, I put mine outside on a east facing deck from May to end of Oct with lots of water and fertilizer. When I bring it in it goes under not very strong lights, fairly cool, with no water for Nov and Dec. I start to water it in Jan. but no fertilizer (that just brings on new growths) and it generally starts to bloom late Feb./March. Not spectacular flowers, but cute and lovely fragrance.


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## streetmorrisart (Sep 12, 2008)

Hardy doesn't really cover it. I have a clone of it that only grows 2" tall--it has more growths than I'd care to count in a 6" octagonal basket. I follow the same regime as Phil, but it shocked me this summer by blooming on just one of its growths completely out of season. Strangeness...


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## likespaphs (Sep 12, 2008)

i now grow lots of these as Dr. Neptune made a very generous donation to the society's auction.
i think they grew and bloomed well in the greenhouse with the easter lilies so i'm looking forward to the spring!


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## swamprad (Sep 12, 2008)

streetmorrisart said:


> I have a clone of it that only grows 2" tall--.



Ahhh, interesting. My plant is also small, perhaps 4 inches tall or so, with multiple growths, and I've wondered all summer if it is blooming size or not. We'll see!


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## streetmorrisart (Sep 12, 2008)

swamprad said:


> Ahhh, interesting. My plant is also small, perhaps 4 inches tall or so, with multiple growths, and I've wondered all summer if it is blooming size or not. We'll see!



It very well could be BS, as the size seems to vary a lot. This is the one I have: http://www.sborchid.com/plantdisplay.php?ocode=DEN1775


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