Pleione Orchids


Cultural Notes

These rare and delightful little orchids are a cold climate pseudo-bulb native to the Himalayas, India, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Formosa. They are found at altitudes between 900 and 3000 meters where they are usually found growing in composted very well drained leaf litter.

In their natural environment they are well adapted to coping with severe cold, but with protection from frost. They are not an indoor plant and need to be grown outdoors in a cool shady environment such as a bird proof  fernery or  green house.

The flower shoot emerges from the pseudo bulb in early spring, producing a startling orchid flower on a stems from 7 to 18cm in height. As the flower begins to die, the pleated spear -shaped foliage emerges and grows to about 25cm.

There are around 20 known wild Pleiones from which a modest group of hybrids have been bred.

Bulbs are available in winter when they are dormant and should be planted as soon as they are received. They should be grown in a high quality well drained organic potting mix .

We use a commercial potting mix designed for Pleione Orchid. The mix contains seven parts weathered pine bark containing fines up to 6mm, one part course river gravel, and one part Peat moss. And to one cubic foot of the potting mix we also add about 90 grams of DOLOMITE, 30 grams of GYPSUM, 30 grams of WETTING AGENT and finally 10grams of CALCIUM NITRATE plus a sprinkle of BORON.

They prefer to have a deep root run to accommodate their root system and to prevent them drying out too fast in summer. We recommend that the pot or containerbe at least 12cm deep. For drainage we use a layer of 25mm scoria. On top of the scoria a 3-4cm layer of potting mix and then a layer of pelletised organic poultry manure such as Dynamic Lifter® that does not contain any extra additives or chemical fertilisers.

Finally fill the container almost to the top with another layer of potting mix. Then plant the bulbs on top of the mix, leaving about one third of the bulb above 'soil' level. See diagram for planting Pleione Bulbs below.

The bulbs will flower from mid-August to November depending on the variety and the season. Flowers are followed by the foliage.

Take care not to over-water them until the foliage is established. Dead flower heads should be removed after flowering. If left on the plant they can  in the process of decomposing cause the foliage to 'burn'. Once grown keep the mix moist but not over wet.

At the height of summer we water twice daily, in early the morning and late afternoon, until the water drains though the container. This creates a 'Coolgardie' effect, that helps to keep the temperature down as the water evaporates during the course of a hot day. It also helps to eliminate elements in the mix which might cause premature die back in the foliage.

Pleione orchids are gross feeders. And commencing in late February, they may be given a weak soluble fertilizer high in potash such as Phostrogen, about once every few weeks until the foliage dies down in late autumn. Do not apply on hot days and do not top dress with granular fertilizer, it will  burn holes in the bulbs and foliage.

As the Pleione is a Pseudo bulb, the bulbs you purchase will eventually die and new bulbs will grow and develop from the bottom of the foliage stems. Often bulbils will also grown from the top of the apex on the original bulb.

When the foliage has died down, remove any bulbils first, and then bulbs may be removed from their pots and containers. Every care must be taken not to damage the new growth buds on the bulbs.

The potting mix or mulch should be carefully shaken off the roots along with the removal of last year's pseudo bulb which is now very dead. The roots should be trimmed back to within 3 cm of the base of the bulb with a pair of old scissors. Store the bulbs in a very cool pest free environment and definitely not in a heated house over winter. 

As with most things grown in the garden, there are the pests. The pests include birds (who scratch the bulbs out), rats (who love the eat the most expensive ones), and snails slugs and millipedes. Before planting we always dip our bulbs in an environmentally friendly substance called Neem Oil which gives protection against aphid and mite.

This product is available from several sites online in Australia and can also be used as a spray for a whole range of insect type pests in the garden. The smell of the Neem Oil also acts as deterrent that warns off many would be insect pests.

It is also recommended that the pseudo bulbs be dipped in a systemic fungicide as a precaution against fungal diseases that that can affect some varieties.

Re-potting should be carried out late winter before the bulbs commence their spring growth. Re-planting as per the original planting instructions. The bulbils can also be planted with the bulbs. On average the bulbils will take up to 3 or  4 years to grow to flowering size.

 Watch a video on potting Pleione Orchids at:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2WxQwZePhV8

Please note that Pleione Orchid bulbs can only be sold during their dormant period  from the beginning of June to around mid August.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to email us at

admin@trainsforthegarden.com