# Cyp montanum



## parvi_17 (Jun 14, 2009)

This is a plant I haven't seen in person for 5 years and have lusted after virtually my whole life. Today I finally picked up 2 plants, and I can't remember a time I've been happier or more excited. The first is a large clump with 14 flowers; all of the stems have at least 2 flowers and 2 have 3! The second is a 2-growth plant with one stem having 2 flowers. The abundance of flowers creates a strong sweet fragrance that can be detected even from several feet away. 

First, a close-up of one of the flowers:




Next, a close-up of a trio of flowers on one stem:








The whole plant:




The plant with what is either a small parviflorum var. pubescens or a large makasin:




The flowers on the other, smaller plant I bought:


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## smartie2000 (Jun 14, 2009)

:drool: I can see why you lusted for the montanum! Amazing display. Where did you get them?


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## parvi_17 (Jun 14, 2009)

smartie2000 said:


> :drool: I can see why you lusted for the montanum! Amazing display. Where did you get them?



I bought these at the OSA meeting today. Hole's used to sell them for $90-120 for 1-2 growth plants, but 5 years later I got the big one for $50 and the small one for $35!!


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## smartie2000 (Jun 14, 2009)

Awesome deal!
I wanted to come today so badly but I had other commitments, but I'll be there for cyp season next year!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jun 14, 2009)

Great deals you got there! The montanum is spectacular. Do you know if this was raised from seed, or if it is a wild sourced plant? I'm interested only because wild montanum are notorious for being difficult to grow. The smaller plant I would call some form of v. pubescens. Variety makasin has very dark, highly twisted sepals and petals.

I'm sure you are one happy camper - congrats!


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## Kevin (Jun 14, 2009)

That's an excellent montanum! I'd love to have one one day! The other plant is var. pubescens. They vary considerably sometimes. How tall is it? That montanum must be huge!


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## John M (Jun 15, 2009)

Wow! That's gorgeous! Man(!), you're lucky to have found that at such a good price!


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## parvi_17 (Jun 15, 2009)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Great deals you got there! The montanum is spectacular. Do you know if this was raised from seed, or if it is a wild sourced plant? I'm interested only because wild montanum are notorious for being difficult to grow. The smaller plant I would call some form of v. pubescens. Variety makasin has very dark, highly twisted sepals and petals.
> 
> I'm sure you are one happy camper - congrats!



The montanums are garden divisions but they originate from an artificially-propagated plant.

A local nursery has in their display garden some var. makasin which have light greenish sepals and petals but grow only 6-8" tall and have very small flowers, so I always thought that var. makasin had light sepals/petals and var. parviflorum had dark ones. This plant is only 8" tall, but the flowers are intermediate in size between my other pubescens and the var. makasin I have seen.


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## parvi_17 (Jun 15, 2009)

Kevin said:


> That's an excellent montanum! I'd love to have one one day! The other plant is var. pubescens. They vary considerably sometimes. How tall is it? That montanum must be huge!



The parviflorum is 8" tall; the montanum is twice that.


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## parvi_17 (Jun 15, 2009)

John M said:


> Wow! That's gorgeous! Man(!), you're lucky to have found that at such a good price!



The larger one I had pre-ordered for this meeting, and other society members were drooling over it throughout the meeting. There were several other divisions sold, but this was by far the best! The smaller one I had to buy too because the price was so good, and I liked its stature and "poise".


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## CodPaph (Jun 15, 2009)

very very nice, great bloom, fanyastic


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## biothanasis (Jun 15, 2009)

Amazing!! I love the colour one the montanum!!!!WOW!


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## NYEric (Jun 15, 2009)

Excellent acquisition, enjoy!


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## streetmorrisart (Jun 15, 2009)

:clap::clap::clap:

I can understand why you're so excited because it's incredibly beautiful! This has been high on my "favorites I haven't seen in person" list since I knew what a cypripedium was. You're really lucky and you know it!


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## fundulopanchax (Jun 15, 2009)

That is one magnificient montanum! Congratulations!

I wish I could keep them going here long term but it gets too hot during the summer. I will likely keep trying different ways though. 

The yellow I would label as pubescens.

Good luck!

Ron


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## Jorch (Jun 15, 2009)

wow!! that's an amazing plant for $50! great buy for sure!! :clap:


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## SlipperFan (Jun 15, 2009)

Beautiful plants, and what a great buy!


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## Elena (Jun 16, 2009)

Beautiful acquisitions, congrats!


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## gerhard (Dec 4, 2009)

Joe, this is a beautiful plant.
Can you tell us a little more about its culture. Surely you asked the seller how he handled the plant. What soil is he using in that pot? It looks like a pretty humus rich soil. Watering, fertilizer, etc.How did he grow that plant prior to the division in his garden. I like to know, because I killed several montanums before. To me acaule is EASY compared to montanum.
Also what does OSA stand for.
Gerhard


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## parvi_17 (Dec 4, 2009)

gerhard said:


> Joe, this is a beautiful plant.
> Can you tell us a little more about its culture. Surely you asked the seller how he handled the plant. What soil is he using in that pot? It looks like a pretty humus rich soil. Watering, fertilizer, etc.How did he grow that plant prior to the division in his garden. I like to know, because I killed several montanums before. To me acaule is EASY compared to montanum.
> Also what does OSA stand for.
> Gerhard



Hi Gerhard,

I believe the seller had the plant growing in a compost-rich garden soil, something that you could probably get away with here because our climate is very dry. Elsewhere you are guaranteed to kill it with such a soil. I didn't ask the seller how he grows it because I had already done considerable research on this plant's culture and didn't even think about it!

Even though it _might_ have been possible for me to grow the plants in a more or less standard garden soil, I elected to follow the advice of more experienced growers (in my research) and planted it in a sharply-drained soil similar to what you would use for alpines (which is essentially what this plant is). The soil is a Pro-Mix base (Pro-Mix is peat with lots of perlite added and a product called Mycorise which apparently is a type of mycorrhizal fungus, though whether this particular species will aid the orchid or not I don't know). The key to its composition is grit, which you can buy at agricultural feed stores. I use a medium grade that is very much like fine gravel. I also add sand and a little compost. Then I top-dress with coarse grit. The soil mix is very gritty in the end and water drains through it quickly. It is better, I think, to water frequently to keep the soil damp, than to risk the plant rotting during the late winter/spring when water pools above a heavier soil!

I have been very careful about watering and only water enough to keep the soil just damp. I fertilize at half strength every 2 weeks.

As of this fall, both plants have survived and are ready to put on a great show next year. One is potted and sitting in the fridge; the other is in the garden. The potted one has ENORMOUS growth buds on it - I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

OSA stands for Orchid Society of Alberta.

PS I planted the garden plant in a raised bed for added protection from water pooling.


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## Yoyo_Jo (Dec 4, 2009)

I have got to get up to Edmonton to an OSA meeting in the spring. Seems like there's always some one up there with cyps for sale. Is yours from Tom?


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## parvi_17 (Dec 4, 2009)

Yoyo_Jo said:


> I have got to get up to Edmonton to an OSA meeting in the spring. Seems like there's always some one up there with cyps for sale. Is yours from Tom?



They are from Tom! 

We do have quite a few members who sell Cyps. 90% of the time they are parviflorum var. pubescens, but occasionally you see reginae and montanum offered, and once in a while others as well. But even the parvis are incredible plants at excellent prices. I always seem to buy one even though there are more of them in my yard than there are peonies (of which I am also very fond)!


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## Yoyo_Jo (Dec 4, 2009)

Yeah, good to know, I'd like to try a parvi.

I bought a hybrid in the fall from Shawn Hillis, "Marie", so it will be interesting to see how it survives - I got it into the ground in mid October.

Nice blizzard action going on here today; spring seems so far away. :sob:


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## parvi_17 (Dec 4, 2009)

Yoyo_Jo said:


> Yeah, good to know, I'd like to try a parvi.
> 
> I bought a hybrid in the fall from Shawn Hillis, "Marie", so it will be interesting to see how it survives - I got it into the ground in mid October.
> 
> Nice blizzard action going on here today; spring seems so far away. :sob:



We are getting the same nasty weather up here right now. 

I look forward to seeing how your Marie turns out. I have never seen one in person before and I've seen few photos, and it seems to be quite variable.


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## gerhard (Dec 5, 2009)

Hello Joe,
thanks for your explaination, it was of great help. It would be nice, if you would continue to post the progress of this plant next spring, summer and autumn. I will continue to try it myself, hopefully I will succeed.
Gerhard


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## parvi_17 (Dec 5, 2009)

gerhard said:


> Hello Joe,
> thanks for your explaination, it was of great help. It would be nice, if you would continue to post the progress of this plant next spring, summer and autumn. I will continue to try it myself, hopefully I will succeed.
> Gerhard



I'm glad I was able to help.

Of course I will post photos of the plants next year.


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## NYEric (Dec 6, 2009)

I'm hoping some of the cyps I planted in NYC this year come back.


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