# Thelymitra megacalyptra



## Mafate (Apr 12, 2021)

Hi all,

My Thelymitra megacalyptra (Victoria, Australia) is actually blooming.






Can you see the toon screaming in this last one? ;-)


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## DrLeslieEe (Apr 12, 2021)

Wow, fantastic!

Culture tips please?


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## PeteM (Apr 12, 2021)

Very nice, Love the color, flower presentation on the spike and the screaming! Thanks for sharing, I've never seen this before.


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## Mafate (Apr 12, 2021)

DrLeslieEe said:


> Wow, fantastic!
> 
> Culture tips please?


Thanks!

Thelymytra species are summer dormant and rest as tubers during this period. At this time, you must keep them completely dry. New leaves will emerge in late summer, then you can water regularly and fertilize once a month with low EC level (around 0.3 mS/cm) like for Disa species. Culture in full sun is essential. They can tolerate low temperatures (I keep mine at about +2°C during winter but it is said that they can tolerate light frost until -5°C). When the plant starts to bloom, reduce watering and stop completely when its leaves die back. I grow them in a substrate mainly made of peat + around 5% of quartz sand (I was advised not to add more!). However, I will try to grow them in a mix made of Akadama/Kanuma/Perlite next season as I don't like peat. Anyway, substrate must be well draining and acidic.

Thelymitra megacalyptra is not that difficult to succeed with.


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## abax (Apr 12, 2021)

Beautiful, unusual color and the screamer is quite wonderful. Thank you for the late
night smile.


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## emydura (Apr 13, 2021)

That colour is wonderful. Is this an autumn flowerer or are you from the northern hemisphere?


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## musa (Apr 13, 2021)

What a beauty! Thanks for showing it.


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## GuRu (Apr 13, 2021)

These flowers are absolutely stunning.   I don't grow such species but am always fascinated by their flowers. Furthermore I read they would be hard to grow. When I read your growing advice I'm wondering how you get the peat wet again after such a stong dry period? Do you always repot before the growing season starts?


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## Ozpaph (Apr 13, 2021)

lovely flower and superb photos!


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## NYEric (Apr 13, 2021)

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I'm a little jealous, my Thelys never did anything, and died promptly.


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## dodidoki (Apr 13, 2021)

I had an idea till this time, that sp. is impossible to keep alive.How do you grow it?


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## Mafate (Apr 13, 2021)

emydura said:


> That colour is wonderful. Is this an autumn flowerer or are you from the northern hemisphere?


Yes, I live in France and the plant is blooming actually.

Did you ever see them in the wild in your country? There are real beauties among this genus.


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## Mafate (Apr 13, 2021)

GuRu said:


> These flowers are absolutely stunning.   I don't grow such species but am always fascinated by their flowers. Furthermore I read they would be hard to grow. When I read your growing advice I'm wondering how you get the peat wet again after such a stong dry period? Do you always repot before the growing season starts?


For sure it is very difficult and long to get the peat wet again after such a long rest period, and it is the main reason why I would like to change their substrate next season. Moreover, when the peat is finally wet again, I am always afraid that the tubers will rot. So I will try akadama and kanuma.

I haven't cultivated this genus for very long: I have had my oldest Thelymitra for only 2 years, so I haven't repotted them yet. They have always remained in their pot during their rest period. As already said, when they have all gone dormant within a few weeks, I will repot them in a substrate made of kanuma and akadama. Then I plan to repot them every 2 or 3 years.

You should give a try to this genus, and the only seller I know in Europe is one of your compatriots. ;-)


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## Mafate (Apr 13, 2021)

NYEric said:


> Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I'm a little jealous, my Thelys never did anything, and died promptly.



I lost some too in the past, you should try again!


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## Mafate (Apr 13, 2021)

dodidoki said:


> I had an idea till this time, that sp. is impossible to keep alive.How do you grow it?


Please see my growing tips above in this thread.


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## emydura (Apr 13, 2021)

Mafate said:


> Yes, I live in France and the plant is blooming actually.
> 
> Did you ever see them in the wild in your country? There are real beauties among this genus.



Yes, I see them all the time including your species. In fact, I posted some photos of a few species you can see near where I live which you can see here -





__





Some Australian terrestrials


This is for Eric. Today I went out with a few local orchid fanatics looking for native terrestrial orchids. There were quite a few Sun Orchids (Thelymitra) in flower. These are so hard to identify to the species level and there was much debate about what each one of these was. So with absolutely...




www.slippertalk.com





I grow some too. I have a hybrid that is easy to grow and flower. I recently bought some tubers of the species ixioides.


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## tnyr5 (Apr 13, 2021)

In the US, the hardest part is obtaining them lol.


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## Mafate (Apr 14, 2021)

emydura said:


> Yes, I see them all the time including your species. In fact, I posted some photos of a few species you can see near where I live which you can see here -
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You're a lucky man to live where they grow David!  I wish I could visit your country but it is so far from mine...

T. ixioides is a wonderful species with all its dark dots, but unfortunately I have never seen it for sale here in Europe. But my holly grails are T. variegata, T. speciosa and T. pulcherrima, but I think that unfortunately they will remain a dream!

All the best.


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## Mafate (Apr 14, 2021)

tnyr5 said:


> In the US, the hardest part is obtaining them lol.


The same here in Europe Tony, I know only one source, fortunately a very serious person.


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