# Cyp reginae (Bright and early!)



## parvi_17 (Feb 23, 2009)

I just bought this at a show this past weekend. I paid quite a bit, but it was just too big and robust to pass up. The other two reginaes I have have bloomed a maximum of two times and they are still young plants, but this one is a bit older. Hopefully it will clump a bit over time. Because I find Cyps so asthetically pleasing when they are leafing out, I decided to take a pic now. It will be in flower quite soon, probably on both stems. The taller stem is 15" tall right now, which is a little taller than my younger reginaes have grown to once they were in flower, the past couple of years. I have found this species to be quite slow-growing, even with lots of fertilizer.


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## NYEric (Feb 23, 2009)

Nice, I wish I could get some that size. Why are they leafing out this early in the season?


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## parvi_17 (Feb 23, 2009)

NYEric said:


> Nice, I wish I could get some that size. Why are they leafing out this early in the season?



The previous owner had this plant on a stange cycle where it is put into dormancy earlier than normal and comes out earlier than normal, hoping to show it. However, it was a little too early for the show this weekend. I haven't decided whether I will try to get it on a natural cycle or leave it as is, and show it every year.


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## NYEric (Feb 23, 2009)

Good luck.


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## Wendy (Feb 23, 2009)

Nice! I'm trying my first pot culture reginae and would appreciate any tips you have. I let it go dormant last year (outside) and put it into the garage for the winter where the temps are right at the freezing mark (on really cold days) or mostly a bit above. I took it out this morning and put it into my grow room. Anything else I should be doing while I wait for new growth?


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## parvi_17 (Feb 23, 2009)

Wendy said:


> Nice! I'm trying my first pot culture reginae and would appreciate any tips you have. I let it go dormant last year (outside) and put it into the garage for the winter where the temps are right at the freezing mark (on really cold days) or mostly a bit above. I took it out this morning and put it into my grow room. Anything else I should be doing while I wait for new growth?



I always just keep the pot moist after dormancy, and after it starts leafing out I start fertilizing. In pot culture, Cyps need bright light, but not direct sun.


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## nikv (Feb 23, 2009)

My aunt and uncle used to grow this species on the north side of their house back in Minnesota. They grew it in bog-like conditions. That's all I can remember out it. They are spectacular when they bloom!


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## SlipperFan (Feb 23, 2009)

I love the plants. They look like two dancers.


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## Wendy (Feb 23, 2009)

Thank you! It should like my grow room then.


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## Jorch (Feb 23, 2009)

Joe, what fertilizer do you use? I fertilized mine before at 1/8th the strength of Dynagro orchid fertilizer and they have fertilizer burn on leaf tips..


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## parvi_17 (Feb 23, 2009)

Jorch said:


> Joe, what fertilizer do you use? I fertilized mine before at 1/8th the strength of Dynagro orchid fertilizer and they have fertilizer burn on leaf tips..



Your reginae had fertilizer burn?? That really surprises me. I use a Miracle Gro perennial fertilizer on my Cyps, at half strength for reginae and hybrids and 1/4 strength for others. I also generally use media that have lots of organic material in them (like around 50% as opposed to the 30% or less in many mixes). As well, I always water with tap water, and mine is fairly hard.

It surprises me that a reginae would have fertilizer burn from that; it is a heavy feeder and I know of growers who fertilize it even more than I do!


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## Jorch (Feb 23, 2009)

Weird. I guess it depends on the growing media.. I use peat plus mulch mix with perlite and small pebbles. I was told to never fertilize the cyps because they are very sensitive to fertlizers! guess not  Thanks


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2009)

Nice! Who did you get it from? I've got one, but it's still young, and I have it outside now. I won't try to force it for a few more years.


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## parvi_17 (Feb 23, 2009)

Jorch said:


> Weird. I guess it depends on the growing media.. I use peat plus mulch mix with perlite and small pebbles. I was told to never fertilize the cyps because they are very sensitive to fertlizers! guess not  Thanks



I think that everyone has their own experiences with plants and you can use others' advice together with trial and error to develop your own practices.


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## parvi_17 (Feb 23, 2009)

Kevin said:


> Nice! Who did you get it from? I've got one, but it's still young, and I have it outside now. I won't try to force it for a few more years.



I got it from Garden Slippers (Shawn Hillis), a new vendor in Calgary who is bringing in some great, hard to find species and hybrids. He has a limited selection of mature plants (most available during the spring/summer/fall only).


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## Kevin (Feb 23, 2009)

Ah yes. I tried to bring him in to our show. Got a few things from him last year.


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## goldenrose (Feb 24, 2009)

:clap: Looking forward to seeing the blooms! :clap:


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## biothanasis (Feb 24, 2009)

These stems look promising!!! I am eager to see the blooms...!!!


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## parvi_17 (Feb 25, 2009)

*Update*

The bud is now visible at the top of the taller stem.


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## NYEric (Feb 25, 2009)

No way! That's growing as fast as a pleurothallid!!


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## parvi_17 (Feb 25, 2009)

NYEric said:


> No way! That's growing as fast as a pleurothallid!!



Once they start leafing out, they can expand pretty fast.


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## NYEric (Feb 25, 2009)

My cyps just must have been a little too small.  ALso I had problems w/ fungus gnats!  Last fall I got some prev. bloomed ones though and planted the eyes so hopefully when it gets warmer...!


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## parvi_17 (Feb 25, 2009)

NYEric said:


> My cyps just must have been a little too small.  ALso I had problems w/ fungus gnats!  Last fall I got some prev. bloomed ones though and planted the eyes so hopefully when it gets warmer...!



Ouch... I've never had fungus gnats before. I'm sure your previously bloomed plants will bloom this year; be sure to post pics when they do!

I can't wait until this one opens. When it comes to Cyps, the only drawback is you usually have to wait all year to see a plant bloom for 2 weeks! That's why I like to have some early bloomers.


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## NYEric (Feb 25, 2009)

Like I said, I'm just going to keep adding them into the garden until I have a stand of them, the only problem is to protect them from the squirrels and birds!


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## parvi_17 (Feb 25, 2009)

NYEric said:


> Like I said, I'm just going to keep adding them into the garden until I have a stand of them, the only problem is to protect them from the squirrels and birds!



There's nothing like a stand of Cyps in the garden. Though they don't bloom for very long, while they bloom, IMO, they are unparalleled in beauty. I've never had animal problems with mine, but I've heard some people buy little "cages" that fit over the plant (a couple inches high) that protect the buds as they emerge.


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## NYEric (Feb 25, 2009)

Yeah, I made some of those, I'll try to get photos later.


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## parvi_17 (Feb 26, 2009)

*Update*

The bud is developing quite quickly. The pouch is now showing pale pink-purple streaks.


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## NYEric (Feb 26, 2009)

So nice. Keep us posted, but weren't there 2?


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## parvi_17 (Feb 26, 2009)

NYEric said:


> So nice. Keep us posted, but weren't there 2?



Yes there are 2, but the second growth is not as big as the first one yet. It does have a bud coming too though.


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## SlipperFan (Feb 26, 2009)

Nice photo!


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## smartie2000 (Feb 26, 2009)

wow nice. A bud already. The previous grower did nearly get to show it!


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## parvi_17 (Feb 27, 2009)

Yep, just a little over a week late. Every time I look at the bud it is larger and the plant is taller! I love Cyps...


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## NYEric (Feb 27, 2009)

Yeah, me too; I wish it was easier to get them here.


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## parvi_17 (Feb 27, 2009)

NYEric said:


> Yeah, me too; I wish it was easier to get them here.



Believe it or not, it's not THAT easy to get them here, with the exception of pubescens, and reginae seedlings are usually available. But the really desirable stuff is still hard to find, at least locally. We are lucky to have just seen a guy open up in Calgary that sells rarer species and hybrids.


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## NYEric (Feb 27, 2009)

The problem is that not a lot of vendors here sell mature plants. I'm wondering how much something like that would cost here.


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## parvi_17 (Feb 27, 2009)

NYEric said:


> The problem is that not a lot of vendors here sell mature plants. I'm wondering how much something like that would cost here.



Well this plant cost me $70, which I thought was a good price for a plant of its size. A large reginae seedling that may bloom for the first time this year or next would run about $40. We generally pay $30-35 for multi-growth pubescens divisions in my society, which is really cheap as nurseries in Canada generally sell single-growth divisions for around $40.

I used to browse American vendors' catalogs for fun, even though I can't order from them. I think they usually sell BS reginaes for around $45, and larger ones for $60-70.


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## parvi_17 (Feb 27, 2009)

*Update*

Alright, the bloom is pretty much open now. Natural spread is 7.5 cm, or about 3 inches. The largest growth is now 19" tall, but it will likely still get to 20" or so. The smaller growth still has a bud coming. I have flowered better reginaes than this; the petals are reflexed a little (which I don't like), and the pouch is a little boxed (which I also don't like), but it is still a nice bloom and nice plant overall. Here are some pics taken today:


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## Jorch (Feb 27, 2009)

Congrats! That really is a fast blooming reginae!


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## Yoyo_Jo (Feb 27, 2009)

That's really pretty!


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## smartie2000 (Feb 27, 2009)

:clap: wow they are fast! I think my outdoor reginae should be old enough to bloom, unless my culture is terrible...


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## arcticshaun (Feb 28, 2009)

That's pretty quick gratification considering I saw you carrying it away just last weekend. I was impressed with Shawn's catalog and hope to get a hybrid from him someday. I hope to post some C. passerinum photos this summer (I was shown a few colonies last summer but with seed pods not flowers).

Shaun


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## parvi_17 (Feb 28, 2009)

arcticshaun said:


> That's pretty quick gratification considering I saw you carrying it away just last weekend. I was impressed with Shawn's catalog and hope to get a hybrid from him someday. I hope to post some C. passerinum photos this summer (I was shown a few colonies last summer but with seed pods not flowers).
> 
> Shaun



You saw me at the show? Funny... Yes it is instant gratification, which is part of the reason why I bought it! It's been a long fall/winter since I last saw Cyp flowers...


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## parvi_17 (Feb 28, 2009)

smartie2000 said:


> :clap: wow they are fast! I think my outdoor reginae should be old enough to bloom, unless my culture is terrible...



Make sure you post photos when it blooms!


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