Pleione ‘Tongariro’ : a small standout

Small, but charming and surprising…

Pleione orchids are charming spring-blooming plants that are easy to grow. Despite the small size of this orchid, its flowers are quite spectacular, both in terms of size (up to 15cm) and colour.

The Pleione ‘Tongariro’ orchid is probably the most spectacular variety. Not only are the flowers vividly rose-purple coloured and impressively large, this variety also reproduces rapidly. Each bulb generally forms 2 or 3 new bulbs each year.

Pleione orchids are now starting to grow, and the first flowers will bloom towards the end of March or early April.

To help you enjoy these elegant Pleione blooms, Phytesia is now offering a free third plant when you buy 2 pots of Pleione ‘Tongariro’ with promo code ‘2BE3’.

Each pot contains at least 2 or 3 bulbs, and each bulb can produce from 1 to 3 flower stems. Take advantage of this limited-time offer to grow a magnificent Pleione ‘Tongariro’ flowerbed.

What should I do when I get my Pleione orchids?

Over the winter, Pleione orchids are completely dormant, and only the bulbs persist. Bulbs must be stored in a dry place.

At the beginning of spring, when the bulbs start to germinate, the substrate must be kept slightly moist. Young Pleione shoots develop March through April, and bloom in the spring.

After flowering, the plant continues to develop its foliage and the bulbs mature. Be careful, after flowering, you must not allow the soil to dry out, because that’s when the bulb produces new bulbs for the next year.

As of September, leaves start to wither and the plant goes dormant. At this point, you should completely stop watering and keep the plants dry throughout the winter.

Re-potting and growing Pleione orchids

Over the years, the bulbs multiply to form bigger colonies. When re-potting, don’t just bury the bulbs. The bulbs of this plant grow above ground, so they must remain at the surface of the soil. These orchids are quite tolerant of the substrate you use. They’ll grow well in a simple universal soil with an additional 20% lava stones. For optimal results, use the specific Pleione-Bletilla substrate specially prepared by

These orchids are quite tolerant of the substrate you use. They’ll grow well in a simple universal soil with an additional 20% lava stones. For optimal results, use the specific Pleione-Bletilla substrate specially prepared by Phytesia.

Resistance to frost

Most Pleione varieties are semi-hardy. Than can tolerate light freezes down to -10°C. These orchids cannot be kept in the garden in regions with rigorous winters. We recommend, at least in those regions, that you grow them in pots so that they can winter away from severe freezes. The pot must be large enough (20cm diameter) to avoid hampering the growth of new bulbs around the edges.

Related products

Soil for Pleione and Bletilla (5L Bag)