{"id":8123,"date":"2025-03-11T21:25:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T21:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mexipedium.ch\/?page_id=8123"},"modified":"2025-08-27T15:38:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T15:38:14","slug":"2002-kulturansprueche","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mexipedium.ch\/en\/2002-kulturansprueche\/","title":{"rendered":"2002 – Kulturanspr\u00fcche"},"content":{"rendered":"
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2002 - Cultivation requirements<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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GROWING THE RARE PHRAGMIPEDIUM XEROPHYTICUM<\/p>

Howard Gunn<\/p>

Australian Orchid Review

Volume 67, No.2, 2002<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Phragmipedium xerophyticum<\/i> is a recently (1988) discovered species from Oaxaca, Mexico that was originally described in 1990. Some taxonomists created a monotypic genus for this species, as Mexipedium xerophyticum<\/i>, but this has received only lukewarm acceptance. Apparently only a few plants were ever located of this distinctive miniature species. I received a flask of an outcross of this species in January 1994 from Tom Larking of Whipporill Orchids. I think he got the seed from Missouri Botanical Garden. My plants first bloomed in 1997. I kept the largest seedlings and traded or sold the rest. I know of a number plants out of about thirty or so that have bloomed so far, including the one I gave to David Banks, which bloomed for him in late 2001. It is still a rarity in Australian collections.<\/p>

I grow my plants of this species in bonsai dishes (that are only about 50mm deep), on the dry side, in a mix of seedling bark, small perlite, charcoal, and lava rock. The plants have really thrived for me and I have been surprised with how rapid the growth is on established plants. My fastest growing plant, which won me a number of prizes, grew into an eighteen-growth plant. I since divided it to trade for some rare albino forms of desirable Paphiopedilum<\/i> species. Another clone is also doing well and it now has eight mature growths with many new shoots and stolons developing. Apart from new shoots appearing at the base of the older growth, this species also produces stolons that can develop new plants away from the main plant. I wait for the stolons to get about 8 to 10 cm long and then train them where I want them to go with wire hoops. Don't try before then, as the growths are brittle. I suppose you could always wait until the growth starts to turn up and the leaves start developing.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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They are in the warm house (and have been since they came out of the flask). I try to keep the temperature fairly constant throughout the year and this species likes it warm. He temperature rarely gets below 20 degrees Celsius of an evening, rising to about 20 degrees Celsius during the day. I am sure this constant warmth has kept these plants in perpetual growth. The light is on the low side in the small greenhouse as the garage roof shades it in the afternoon. The light is fairly strong in the morning (about 50% shading) and as the greenhouse is attached to the east side of the garage, which is higher than the roof of the greenhouse, it gradually shades it in the afternoon. It is a real benefit - with the garage on one side, as it shades and insulates the greenhouse on one side in the winter - this really cuts down on the heating bill!<\/p>\n

They get fertilised with the rest of my plants. I use quarter strength 30: 10: 10 NPK ratio fertiliser and it is in the water all the time. I mix 20 litres of solution at a time and dispense it with a Dosotron proportioner. When the solution runs out, I usually will water for a week or so with plain water to flush out any stray salts in the mix.<\/p>\n

The white blooms may have a pale pink flush and are rarely over 25 mm in width. The inflorescence branches and may eventually produce up to sixteen blooms on one upright spike. A specimen plant can be in bloom for many months. I am sure as more seedlings become available, this unique species will become entrenched and popular in cultivation. Plant grown by the author, photos by David Banks.<\/p>\n

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