Mexipedium xerophyticum possibly extinct in the wild?

[Ozpaph]

so growing and propagating rare species away from their native environment is a good thing.

 

[Drorchid]

It is a hard species to propagate in the lab, as you don't get much germination, and there is not as much seed in one seedpod compared to Phragmipedium species, but we have been successful in the past to get some sib-crosses to germinate! Next time when our stud plants bloom I will try to get some more seedpods going.

We have tried crossing Mexipediums with Phrags as well, and actually got those to germinate and grow in the flask, but for some reason they don't go beyond the flask stage, after a while in the flasks, they crash and die :sob:

Robert

 

[NYEric]

try sowing the seeds on live moss?

 

[wjs2nd]

Maybe they need replating more often?

 

[s1214215]

I got a flasks from a member on this forum (located in Canada). I think we got about 40 seedlings in the tubs. Well those went into Caison media (similar to P6668) at half strength. They multiplied in that media and we ended up with over 100 plants. They needed frequent replating as if not replated every few months, the leaves started to die off. But with regular replates they grow well in flask.

Deflasking was a little tricky, but I got half of my plants to live. They seemed prone to rot initially, but got over it as they got larger. Also, the plants that were getting close to 1 inch across in flask did much better than smaller plants when potted out.

I have had some seed germinated by my friend on the above media. Not great germination, but then there was not a huge amount of seed in the selfed pod either.. Outcrossed pods seem more vigorous plants in flask.

Currently I have my last 6 seedlings in flask and I am trying full strength media to see if they do better grow-wise and last longer between replates.

 

[phrag guy]

that is could to hear