# Cypripedium - Can it be saved?



## greenthumbguru (May 19, 2011)

I just recieved an adult blooming Cyp. Acaule in the mail. Unfortunately the way it was packed one of the three white fleshy roots had snapped 1/4" from where the root and stalk meet and was hanging by a thread. The remaining roots look healthy and are about 3" long. My question is, can it be saved? If so, what's the best way to ease the shock? Should I go ahead and snip the bloom to help the plant focus it's energy on healing or is it just a lost cause? Any help would be appreciated!


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## Dido (May 20, 2011)

Are the growht healthy and what is the look of the leaves. 
Do yu have a acidic soil to plant it in or pure fine bark a´nd perlite and water it with appelcider. 
I would look how it is doing in the soil, if the leaves are Ok and growing on. 
If it shows problems cut the flower, but if you cut it and will loose it anyway you have sen the flower. 

Do you have a pit for us of the plant outside and how the leaves look.


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## greenthumbguru (May 20, 2011)

*Thanks Dido*

The flower can't stand up on it's own and I've used the bark to help support the leaves so they remain upright, otherwise the whole plant would probably be leaning on it's side. As you can see from the pics, the plant itself looks fine and healthy. I guess my question is, since many of you have probably had this happen - accidentally snipped a root while uprooting a plant or damaged a root, what was the likelyhood of it surviving and what steps did you take in order to minimize the shock?


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## Dido (May 20, 2011)

Is all your bark like that. 
The one I use is really fine around 2-3 mm. 

The most important thing if you will not loose it, are the PH value of the soil. 

The best is to get a normal appelcidre and mix it with woter and than water it, to bring the PH down fore sure. 
They like light soil and most of them prefer it more on the dry side, but the most important is the PH and only rain water or RO Water. And use regulary appelcidre in the water. The bark should be fine like for phaph seedlings, the most say it is not important which soil if he is not heavy, but like for Phal it is to much and will kill it. 

Most Acaule die after infections. I use sometimes humin concentrates of the fish pond supply because this is good agianst fungus and bacteria. 

have a trial running with this leaves they put into tanks in asia, dont know the latin name. And they need a dry winter rest, to much water will kill them temp never killed one for me.


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 20, 2011)

I'd cut the flower off completely. As Dido said, acidic conditions are a must. Given that it has three short roots only and one is damaged, it probably won't survive the year. Are the roots cut short, or naturally short? If they are cut, then I think it is a gonner. 

Most, C. acaule sold (esp. on eBay) are wild collected/poorly collected. I don't know if that's where yours came from, but likely you won't be happy with the outcome most times.


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