Pleione saxicola is found in South East Xizang, North West Yunnan (Bhutan). It grows as a lithophyte on cliffs along streams at elevations of 2400-2500 meters above sea level.
Pleione saxicola also called as The Lithophytic Pleione, is a species of the genus Pleione. This species was described by Tsin Tang & Fa Tsuan Wang ex Sing Chi Chen in 1987.
IDENTIFY PLEIONE SAXICOLA ORCHID PLANT
Pleione saxicola is found in South East Xizang, North West Yunnan (Bhutan). It grows as a lithophyte on cliffs along streams at elevations of 2400-2500 meters above sea level.
It is a small sized, cool to cold growing lithophyte with turbinate to ovoid, 0.7-1.1 x 1-2 cm pseudobulbs with a persistent, short, apical annulus carrying 1 to 2, suboblong, lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute to obtuse, elongate petiolate base, 10-18 x 1.7-3.7 cm leaves.
The Lithophytic Pleione blooms in the fall on a single flowered inflorescence with warty basal bracts and an oblanceolate, acute floral bract and carrying a flower that does not open well. The flowers are large, to 10 cm in diameter, rose-red with a white base and a yellow or white callus on lip. Sepals fused in basal half and forming a tube; dorsal sepal oblanceolate, apex acute; lateral sepals slightly oblique, slightly wider at base than dorsal sepal, apex acute. Petals oblanceolate, slightly shorter and narrower than sepals, apex acute; lip broadly elliptic, base cuneate and with a claw, distinctly 3-lobed above middle; lateral lobes broadly ovate, margin undulate-crenate; mid-lobe suborbicular, apex rounded and slightly irregularly crenulate; disk with 3 entire or slightly undulate lamellae extending from base of lip to midway along disk. Column arcuate, apex irregularly toothed.
PLEIONE SAXICOLA ORCHID PLANT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Pleione saxicola needs a light level of 18000-30000 lux. This species prefer about 50%-70% shade and should not be placed in full sun.
Temperature:
The recommended temperature is 25°C in summer and 1-5°C in winter. However they will tolerate higher summer temperatures of 35°C for short periods. They need cool to cold temperatures in winter of between 1 and 5°C.
Humidity:
The Lithophytic Pleione need good air movement. Place them near the bottom of the shade house where it is coolest and humidity highest. Misting is beneficial in very hot weather.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Pleione saxicola grow best in squat pots. This plant require a free draining open potting mix. Small sized bark mixed with perlite in a 3:1 ratio is a suitable mix. Some growers use sphagnum moss instead of perlite but this can become soggy and perlite is considered a better option.
The plant should be repotted when they are dormant in winter. Their roots die at the end of the season. When repotting remove all the roots leaving about 3 cm of roots to anchor the pseudobulb in the compost.
Watering:
This orchid should be watered regularly through the warmer months but totally dry in winter. Water in the early morning and not during the heat of the day. Roots start to grow as the flowers die and only a little water should be given from this time on as they have yet to develop roots. Keeping them drier at the start of the growing season also encourages the roots to penetrate. Over watering during the early root growth stage is a major cause of plant loss. Once leaves are well developed they can be watered freely. Stop watering when the leaves go yellow and allow them to become completely dry.
Fertilizer:
You can use regular but weak liquid fertilizer during their growing period but not when they are dormant. Use a lower Nitrogen fertiliser at the end of summer to encourage flower bud development.
Rest period:
Pleione saxicola goes to sleep from late autumn to early spring. Watering should be stopped when the leaves begin to fall. Fertilization should be stopped during this period. When new sprouts appears, the rest period end, the amount of water and fertilizer can be back to normal level.
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