# Pecteilis sagarikii



## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 6, 2009)

Here's a neat southeast Asian terrestrial. Pretty easy to grow and flower, but it doesn't multiply year to year. Like many of the SE Asian Habenaria species, this one goes dormant in winter due to dry conditions rather than cold. 

Here's the whole plant. It is small, standing no more than six or seven inches high. The leaves absolutely hug the ground and are subject to rots. Please excuse the mineral spots and crappy condition of the leaves - lots of bugs had lunch this summer.







Please DON'T call it the Donald Duck orchid - yuck! 






The side profile is fun too, especially that funky, curvy spur.


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## SlipperFan (Oct 6, 2009)

Cute. They look like some kind of white duck.


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## Ed3n (Oct 6, 2009)

Besides the condition of the leaves, you've done a great job in flowering this plant. It looks like some kind of bird with yellow bill and if you look closely you can also see the eyes of the bird. I can see an Eagle.Totally awesome plant, love the electric colour and uniqueness. Although without the flowers, the plant must look pretty plain.


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## paphjoint (Oct 7, 2009)

Awesome !!


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## NYEric (Oct 7, 2009)

Interesting, thanx for sharing.


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## JeanLux (Oct 7, 2009)

What a lovely shape for this white bloom with that cute yellow lip!!!! 
(sorry but when seeing the 1st pic, it def. recalled me Donald) Jean


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## smartie2000 (Oct 7, 2009)

quite cheerful too. I notice they have a spur as well


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## biothanasis (Oct 7, 2009)

Wonderful, Tom!!! What conditions do you give it to bloom??? Light? TY


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## Evergreen (Oct 7, 2009)

Very very nice :clap:


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## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 7, 2009)

biothanasis said:


> Wonderful, Tom!!! What conditions do you give it to bloom??? Light? TY



Lots of heat and humidity in summer. Grow it along with your paphs and that is fine. I grow it in a well draining, but highly organic mix - humus, plus perlite and sand. In winter I remove it from the pot and put the tuber in a freezer bag for the "winter". It stays warm however, not below 15 C.


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## biothanasis (Oct 7, 2009)

Oh, ty Tom!!! I thought it would be best not to put it in a mix with mostly organic matterial!! I must make some changes to mine but for next year!!

TY again!


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Oct 7, 2009)

SlipperFan said:


> Cute. They look like some kind of white duck.



I was thinking Bald Eagle? 
Nature is so awesome!


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## e-spice (Oct 7, 2009)

That's very pretty and well photographed.

e-spice


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## paphreek (Oct 8, 2009)

Very pretty! I had one that bloomed a few times, going through it's cycle. The last time it went dormant, it stayed dormant.


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## Kavanaru (Oct 8, 2009)

wow... that's a really nice one...


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## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 8, 2009)

biothanasis said:


> Oh, ty Tom!!! I thought it would be best not to put it in a mix with mostly organic matterial!! I must make some changes to mine but for next year!!
> 
> TY again!



Hey TY, don't use more than 50% organic material, or you may have rot problems. So humus, composted bark as half the mix and sand and perlite the other half.


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## mkline3 (Oct 8, 2009)

I also see eagle's beaks!


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## parvi_17 (Oct 8, 2009)

What a beautiful and unique little plant!


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## paphioboy (Oct 8, 2009)

Great species... Tom, I was wondering how much to feed Pecteilis as they don't have many roots. My susannae, which I bought in flower, gave me new growths after dormancy, but they are not even half the size of the previous growths..


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## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 8, 2009)

paphioboy said:


> Great species... Tom, I was wondering how much to feed Pecteilis as they don't have many roots. My susannae, which I bought in flower, gave me new growths after dormancy, but they are not even half the size of the previous growths..



I've been growing P. sagarikii for three years now and it performs about the same each year - 3 leaves and a handful of flowers. I fertilize exactly the same as for the tropical Habenarias from SE Asia, about every two weeks up until they spike, then I stop. I use a mild blend liquid Hyponex 6-10-5 at about 1/3 dilution (~1 ml per liter). I've been growing P. susannae for two years under similar conditions, but a bit more bright. Last year it started late and never flowered. This year it is around 80 cm tall and forming buds as we speak - YIPPIE!!! Important note: since the water quality is bad here, I repot yearly to cut down on accumulated salts. That could be your problem...


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## paphioboy (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks  I do repot yearly, so not sure if that is the problem. Do you add limestone in the mix for your susannae? I put a lot of charcoal and limestone, but the roots don't seem to grow very strong..


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## KyushuCalanthe (Oct 11, 2009)

paphioboy said:


> Thanks  I do repot yearly, so not sure if that is the problem. Do you add limestone in the mix for your susannae? I put a lot of charcoal and limestone, but the roots don't seem to grow very strong..



No, nothing special about the potting mix, the same as for P. sagarikiii. The water in my town is high in dissolved salts, so I don't add any lime, just a bit of charcoal to the mix. Lots of water and warmth early, starting around May, seems to be the trick. If I wait too long the plant can't flower before the true cold weather sets in. I'm not sure about the roots on mine, but they must be pretty strong. Usually goes dormant in December or January.


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## Stone (Aug 30, 2015)

I just found this while searching the web for information on this species. (bought a flask of it today) My books have nothing. How is your plant doing Tom. Still alive?? Have you learned any additional info?


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 31, 2015)

Stone said:


> I just found this while searching the web for information on this species. (bought a flask of it today) My books have nothing. How is your plant doing Tom. Still alive?? Have you learned any additional info?



Ah, I fear I've lost that little beauty - winter cold got the dormant tubers. If you grow them warm year round, I think they should be fine for you. Just back off on the water in winter to next to nothing and keep them warm. See if you can find the white flowered form too - it is big in comparison, and IMO may be a different species, or perhaps a polyploid.


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## naoki (Aug 31, 2015)

This is pretty! Too bad that you lost it.

Tom, how about Pecteilis susannae? Is it still alive? I received a tuber this summer, but it seems to be a tough plant to keep it going.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 31, 2015)

naoki said:


> This is pretty! Too bad that you lost it.
> 
> Tom, how about Pecteilis susannae? Is it still alive? I received a tuber this summer, but it seems to be a tough plant to keep it going.



Ha! I had that one for around 4-5 years, it flowered twice and I killed it too - even faster in fact :sob: Just too damn cold here in winter and as you know, old Japanese houses are not really heated...


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## Stone (Sep 1, 2015)

Thanks Tom, Sorry about the losses... So I'll basically grow it like Habenaria medusae..


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## naoki (Sep 1, 2015)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Ha! I had that one for around 4-5 years, it flowered twice and I killed it too - even faster in fact :sob: Just too damn cold here in winter and as you know, old Japanese houses are not really heated...



That's too bad, but you managed to make it flower twice! That is cool. Do you recommend that no water during the dormancy, and start to water when the leaves start to poke out?

Yes, Japanese houses are cold; my wife complains that my parent's house in Kagawa is colder than Alaska!


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## Stone (Sep 1, 2015)

naoki said:


> > Yes, Japanese houses are cold;
> 
> 
> 
> It makes you tough :evil:


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 1, 2015)

Stone said:


> naoki said:
> 
> 
> > It makes you tough :evil:
> ...


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