Pleione formosana bulbs

Pleione formosana, more simply called the Formosan Pleione or Formosan Orchid, is a small terrestrial orchid with delicate cultivation, sought after for its early and beautiful flowers, which are large compared to the plant. Its pink flowers have a white lip with brown-orange spots. It is a rhizomatous orchid that develops pseudobulbs as storage organs. Not very hardy and requiring a dry winter rest, this pleione is best grown in a pot with an orchid substrate, which allows it to be properly overwintered. In regions with mild winters, it can be planted among rocks in a partially shaded rock garden protected from winter rains.

Pleione formosana is a botanical species native to the subtropical mountain forests of Taiwan. In nature, it grows in the humus that accumulates between mossy rocks, or even in the hollow of a trunk, in a humid atmosphere. Therefore, it is a plant with specific soil and climate requirements. All pleiones belong to the orchid family. These orchids are best grown in a cool greenhouse with a winter rest period. Pleiones can be cultivated in a well-drained potting mix like other garden orchids (Cypripediums, for example), with some precautions, in temperate regions where winters are mild and summers are cool.

The Formosan pleione has deciduous foliage that is absent in winter. An adult plant measures about 15-20cm (6-8in) in height. From the end of winter, sometimes already in March, the plant produces new young shoots. Flowering occurs in April, sometimes as early as late March, at the same time as the young leaves emerge from the ground. Each bulb produces one or two flowering stems, each carrying a solitary flower measuring about 8cm (3in). Each flower is composed of long, slender sepals and petals in a pinkish mauve colour, surrounding a large, fringed white lip shaped like a trumpet. After flowering, this orchid produces leaves and new pseudobulbs emerging from the initial pseudobulb. The 15cm (6in) long leaves are lanceolate, elliptical, and folded, with a medium green colour. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow and fall off as the plant enters its winter dormancy. It survives thanks to the reserves stored in its pseudobulbs. In the following spring, the new bulb(s) formed will produce more, allowing the Pleione to increase in size over the years.

Plant the Formosan Pleione in partial shade, protected from the wind, in an orchid substrate or a light, humus-rich, sandy soil that remains slightly moist from spring to the end of summer. Plant it in a cool rock garden among rocks together with Cypripedium, Bletilla, and small ferns. Due to its low hardiness, it is essential to protect the base of the plant from winter moisture. This plant is often grown in large pots, which are overwintered in a cool greenhouse with minimal watering.

Tips: After flowering, it is essential not to let the soil dry out, as this is when the pseudobulb grows and multiplies.

When you receive your orchids, handle them with care: these plants produce few roots and are delicate!