Not to put a damper on your enthusiasm but you do realize these are 4+ years from flowering, and you really gotta watch them. I got some of their seedlings some years ago, have one left, and it's not much bigger now than it was then.

They do have a great product it just requires a lot of patience.

Laura, go to the link and click on sources, then check out Cyp. Haven, they have their 2004 offerings available. You might find some nice things there that are blooming size.

Here is a link that might be useful: Orchidmall

He he he...

No, I didn't know Spangle Creek's cyps would be 4+ years away from flowering! Rats! The prices were really good though!

I went to CypHaven but I don't see any Cypripediums or Calopogans that were white flowering, Rats again!.

I guess I will have to go Cypripediumless! I can go to Botanique to get more Calopogans. He has super quality plants.

I was looking for C. candidum and C. reginae forma albolabium.

Raising rarities often has plants of C. candidum...at $100 a crack blooming size. That's the only place I've ever seen them for sale aside from Spangle creek (cyp haven's never offered them to my knowledge). I'm very fortunate to have a Native orchid growing botany professor friend!

I found them on line quite easily-
http://www.raisingrarities.com/

Reginae Albolabium
This is a very unique and extremely rare jewel, the product of selfing a true albino. We are offering resulting progeny as once bloomed at a Spring Special price of $295.00. This reflects the extreme rarity of this specimen of the plant kingdom.

Price: $295.00
Qty: 3

Now don't have a heart attack! I am sure there are people who would pay this price but I am not one of them. Guess I will have to drool and look at photos of them on the Internet.

come now! only $295.00? buy all 3! I love the "normal" flower of C. reginae. I find the alba form rather blahze'

It does floor me, that people will pay that kind of money for a weeks worth of enjoyment. Then again I remember back in the late 70s when a tropical orchid BLC. ports of paradise "emerald isle" was selling as a meristem clone for $400 for a small "seedling"...now you can get blooming size plants for about $50! Then again in the late 70s native orchids were a dime a dozen, literally! Damn, wish I'd stocked up then!

Ok Fred, let's raise the quantity to 4 and split the order between the two of us. We can save on shipping costs that way. I'm game and bet that would be the last time my husband ever told me I was cheap and to just part with the moolah if it was something I really wanted.

A dime a dozen for native orchids? Gag me and send me back in time with a credit card.

Say, when is the best time (spring or fall) to plant those nice lemon/yellow carnivores?

I always plant my new carnivores in spring (unless I have no choice). I'd go in with you on an order but have just spent a couple grand on some rather rare conifers, perennials and a water garden setup...My gardening budget was blown months ago!!

By the way, I'll send along some pics soon, my Spiranthes are beginning to bloom (seems to me a bit early) and the Platantheras are about done but I have a couple nice seed pods. Perhaps I'll force myself to get off my butt and do some flasking this winter, I've loads of neat orchid seed in need of flasking and have been way too lazy!

I got candidum from Roberts flower supply last year. They were documented salvage and the "single blooming sized" produced three stems two of which had the most beautiful little white slippers I have ever seen. They are in my bog alongside colopogon, rose pogonia pitcher plants and many others.

Spangle Creek labs does have small plants but it is an inexpensive way to try interesting things. The C. Kentuckiense I got from them more than doubled in size this year.

Plantek is another good source for less expensive cyps that are further along.

I have many different cyps and I have found my bog to be THE BEST PLACE on my property to grow them. Just have to watch differing light and ph conditions (candidum likes full sun in spring, part shade when summer gets hot and a little lime now and then.)

Here is the link for Roberts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roberts

I would love to have some easy to grow orchids in my new to be bog garden. I have so far managed to acquire 5 varieties of pitcher plants and will be putting the garden together in early October. What I would like to find is a good reference source for bog orchids and recommendations on some easy to grow varieties for a beginner - oh, and did I mention I don't want to pay a lot for my early experiments as I don't know how well this project will work?

Vermont Ladyslipper Company is also a good source of mature plants. Their prices are not cheap, nor are they expensive considering that all of their plants are raised from seed. They typically do have C. candidum each year but you need to check early before they sell out. Currently they have the two natural hybrids of C. candidum, C. Xandrewsii and C. Xfavillianum. I have heard from friends that the former is especially vigorous in the garden and a choice plant since it is far easier to grow than C. candidum and multiplies rapidly if grown well. BTW, I would refrain from growing any Cyp in a garden designed for true bog plants since virtually all species need good drainage to be happy in the long haul and don't like acidic soils (except C. acuale).

As far as the "dime a dozen" years of the 70's go, I bid them good riddance...too many plants being torn out willy nilly to mostly end up dead in someone's garden. Give the growers today another 5 or 10 years of cultivating and you'll see the prices on natives decrease substancially.

BTW, there is a unique opportunity for North American growers to get C. californicum, an extremely rare and choice species, from Red's Hardy Orchids in Oregon. Check it out, he had seedlings available last time I went to his site.

True, most Cyps are found in rich well drained woodland soil. Some, including candidum and reginae are also found in fens as well as bogs. This year I put some of my C. kentuckiense seedlings in the bog to see what they would do and they at least doubled in size (I have moved some since they went dormant fearing the wet/cold of the winter bog would zap the little suckers). I also have my andrewsii in the bog and it has done well.

Cypripedium candidum is a plant of wet, rich prairies and calcareous fens. Cypripedium reginae is found in thuja bogs with roots growing in alkaline soil below the sphagnum. There is some debate as to whether these are optimal conditions or simply the last habitats left for some populations of these orchids.

As long as you are vigilant in tracking and controlling the ph requirements for your cyps I have found a bog to be an ideal place for them. 50/50 sand to peat is what many recommend for cyps as well as bog plants. Just have to elavate above water level and keep the roots in alkaline to neutral soil depending on species. Bottom line, you need to know the cultural requirements of what you're growing and do your best to meet them.

Rose pogonia, Colopogon, Platanthera and Spiranthes require llittle to no special considerations when in a bog. Many times you can also find them cheaper than Cyps as well.

Here is a place I ordered from this fall for the first time, I have not yet recieved the goods so can't vouch for them yet.

http://www.wildorchidcompany.com/species_list.html

Plantek also has good prices on bog orchids.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plantek

Hey hey KWoods, Thanks for the sources!

Oh yeah!

http://www.wildorchidcompany.com/ has the white colopogon you were looking for LauraZone5.

That's what I ordered from them too.

Hey hey KWoods! Great Price on Spiranthes cernua f. odorata at that site! And I saw a few other things that tickled my fancy. I'm going to place an order for 6.

Check this site out for the Carnivorous Plant Nursery-
http://www.carnivorousplantnursery.com/

I placed an order with him for a couple hundred. I am absolutely thrilled. Look at the prices he has! To top it off, he sent free plants and I received my order in 5 days and every little plant was pefectly packed for shipping and included a hand printed id tag. I have never seen anything like this. I can't believe the size of some of the plants he sent to me. I placed my order by contacting him direct. He helped me select plants for the science teacher at the school where my son attends and that was when I learned he is a biologist and teaches science somewhere and has been growing carnivorous plants for over 30 years. What a personable man and so professional. This guy is up there with Botanique for plant quality. And, he basically held my hand and told me how to take care of everything I ordered and told me to call back if I had any more questions or to e-mail him. And, he said the science teacher from our school could contact him also. Oh boy, he's got a customer for life!

Here is a link that might be useful: Carnivorous Plant Nursery

ooooooooo....

Great link! He has stuff I need.

I'm gonna try and harden my heart and wait 'til spring before buying...

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... maybe not.