# Cyp. kentuckiense



## parvi_17 (May 17, 2010)

Yesterday was one of the most exciting days ever for me... Glen Decker visited my society and I had the opportunity to blow my wad on a number of his incredible plants... and on top of that, a (kind of) local Cyp vendor showed up with 3 Cyp kentuckiense plants in bloom! This is the first time I've seen a flower of this species in person, and needless to say I would've bought all three of his plants if I had more money. This species is quite hard to come by in these parts! I had to snap a couple quick photos so I could share my happiness .


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 17, 2010)

Good luck for you Joe! Yes, this one is stunner in person. I've got three lovely buds coming on mine right now and my fingers are crossed heavily - please don't let anything bad happen to them before they open!


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## Heather (May 17, 2010)

I think kentuckiense is my favorite Cyp. Congrats! And yeah, Glen is pretty cool too, miss seeing him back east.


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## parvi_17 (May 17, 2010)

Heather said:


> I think kentuckiense is my favorite Cyp. Congrats! And yeah, Glen is pretty cool too, miss seeing him back east.



He is a very cool guy! I was impressed. His presentation was very informative and entertaining.


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## SlipperFan (May 17, 2010)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Good luck for you Joe! Yes, this one is stunner in person.



Stunning in the photos, also!


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## NYEric (May 17, 2010)

Sounds like a fun day.


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## smartie2000 (May 18, 2010)

:clap: the size of them were amazing!
I really badly wanted to purchase a Cypripedium, but I have to wait


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## parvi_17 (May 18, 2010)

smartie2000 said:


> :clap: the size of them were amazing!
> I really badly wanted to purchase a Cypripedium, but I have to wait



The size is the main thing that amazes me about these. The pouch is the size of a chicken egg! Shawn said that the flowers get even bigger when the plants mature.

With the huge flowers you often see in the hybrids, I wonder how big Philipp is?! Shawn had some of those too... I could've spent a mint if I hadn't already on my pre-order with Glen!


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## Dido (May 18, 2010)

Really nice photos, till now I every time lossed my kentuckiense. 
This year I have one growin, but i am szill hopeing it is a reall one. 

The leafes are growing need few more days, to see the bud


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## biothanasis (May 18, 2010)

Gorgeous flowers!


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## fundulopanchax (May 18, 2010)

Very nice! It is a spectacular species!

For those who find they waste away over a few years, I have had that problem in the past as well. However, I saw them in their habitat and realized that they were growing in pure, fine sand. I keep mine is sand now (a thin layer of finely ground leaves over it to help retain moisture) and they do wonderfully. I planted 50 second year seedlings in pure sand in 2006 and 48 were still alive in 2000 with 26 of them in bloom - quite a site!


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## Dido (May 18, 2010)

Really interesting should try it. Next time. 
Have seedlings Ulla X Kentuckiense so I can try it with these one first.


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## Jorch (May 19, 2010)

Great buy!! I would've snatched it up in a heartbeat too! it's beautiful :drool:


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## goldenrose (May 19, 2010)

:smitten::smitten: Love the cyp!


parvi_17 said:


> He is a very cool guy! I was impressed. His presentation was very informative and entertaining.


What presentation did he do? It was kovachii when I saw him.


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## parvi_17 (May 19, 2010)

fundulopanchax said:


> Very nice! It is a spectacular species!
> 
> For those who find they waste away over a few years, I have had that problem in the past as well. However, I saw them in their habitat and realized that they were growing in pure, fine sand. I keep mine is sand now (a thin layer of finely ground leaves over it to help retain moisture) and they do wonderfully. I planted 50 second year seedlings in pure sand in 2006 and 48 were still alive in 2000 with 26 of them in bloom - quite a site!



Thanks a lot for that info! I've been debating what to plant it in. I always knew that it liked sandy soil, but when I saw the mixes you have posted on your website I liked that idea too. Now I think I'll stick to the sand.


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## parvi_17 (May 19, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> :smitten::smitten: Love the cyp!
> 
> What presentation did he do? It was kovachii when I saw him.



It was probably the same one you saw. He covered kovachii and its hybrids. What impressed me, is that it wasn't just a bunch of photos. The photos were great (especially the habitat ones), but each one was explained in an informative and entertaining way. The photos really supplemented the dialogue, which is the way a presentation should be. Too many people just show a bunch of photos of flowers. I can do that at home! Glen's not a boring guy!

I sincerely hope he returns here, not just because of his outstanding plants, but his outstanding presentations.


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## kentuckiense (May 19, 2010)

Congratulations on the purchase! It's certainly a gorgeous example of the species.

While we're on the topic of kentuckiense, I've got a question that perhaps Ron et al. could answer. The vast majority of cultivated C. kentuckiense that I see are very distinct. They tend to have extremely dark dorsal sepals and lateral petals. The lateral petals also tend to be relatively short with loose twists. I think every cultivated plant I've seen fits that description. Anyone know the genetic provenance of such plants? IE, from the gulf states? I ask this because the only population I've seen in person (in VA) has plants that look quite different from all other photos I've seen. Long dorsal sepal and lateral petals that are lighter in color and more tightly spiraled. Here's an example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kentuckiense3.jpg


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 19, 2010)

kentuckiense said:


> While we're on the topic of kentuckiense, I've got a question that perhaps Ron et al. could answer. The vast majority of cultivated C. kentuckiense that I see are very distinct. They tend to have extremely dark dorsal sepals and lateral petals. The lateral petals also tend to be relatively short with loose twists. I think every cultivated plant I've seen fits that description. Anyone know the genetic provenance of such plants? IE, from the gulf states? I ask this because the only population I've seen in person (in VA) has plants that look quite different from all other photos I've seen. Long dorsal sepal and lateral petals that are lighter in color and more tightly spiraled.



Yes, I've noticed the same thing while pictures of wild plants show a lot more variation - yellow pouch color, intense spotting on the pouch, lighter sepal/petal color, and even an "alba" form. I suspect that the vast majority of plants in cultivation were derived from limited stock, hence the lack of variation. 

Carson Whitlow was the first to artificially propagate this species, starting nearly 30 years ago. His original plant was from the type site in Kentucky, but he mentioned having plants from Oklahoma as well. I suspect these plants formed the first base of available stock, but who knows for sure. I do know he had an impossible time trying to export the species due to CITES regulations and the circumstances under which the original plants were collected. 

Nevertheless, plants made it into Europe (no surprise!), but from what source I imagine the response would be mute. I have heard of plants in cultivation from Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. The original plants cultivated were no doubt divisions with mass production of seedlings starting sometime in the mid to late 90's. Germany was the introduction point in Europe. In the states Carson offered divisions throughout the 90's and by late 90's Bill Steele was offering seedlings. Soon after in the early 2000's various nurseries were online selling plants - White Flower Farm, Hillside Nursery, and Vermont Ladyslipper Co., to mention some.

Of course that Virginia population is a disjunctive group, as you well know. There also has been some conjecture that introgression with C. parviflorum v. pubescens is at work with them, hence their unique phenotype. 

Direct answer to your question - who knows for sure where the original stock is from? I don't think you'll hear the specifics spoke out loud. Check out Carson Whitlow's article on CITES and the beginnings of this species coming into the broader cultivation scene: CITES - Blueprint for Extinction. An interesting read whether you agree with him or not.


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## McKatelyn (May 21, 2010)

http://www.cypripediums.com/Index.html sells two forms of kentuckiense. Next year I plan on ordering some of the all yellow form. Another quick note about them growing in sand. Make sure you grow them in a silica sand because the white calcium sand is very alkaline and will kill them. I come from an area were the ground water has a ph of 8.4 and the only Cyp that grows wild in candidum so lowing the ph is a big one for me with many Cyps.


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## McKatelyn (May 21, 2010)

BTW, I talked the the owner of that nursery that sells those two forms and he told me the all yellow form is super tall (I think he said 3 feet tall plants). Both forms are from different locations in MO.


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## NYEric (May 21, 2010)

Missouri!?


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## McKatelyn (May 21, 2010)

Sorry, I said MO. I think they are from two sites in Arkansas. I talked to him on the phone last summer and I believe thats what he said about them.


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