I've been reading up on these and have a few questions.
If flowers are only produced on new growths, do I cut off any growths that have already bloomed since they won't produce blooms again? Basically, what's the point of keeping the old previously flowered growths? B/c they send out new growths?
And paph is the smaller plant with larger single blooms while phrag is the larger one with smaller possibly multi flowers?
Which one does better in less light and is easier to grow in the home for a amatuer?
Thanks!
Paph Blooming Q
Some paphs are multiflorals too. A good site for slipper infor is http://ladyslipper.com. Definitely worth reading if you haven't found it already.
Keep the old growths - photosynthesis plus roots is good. Basically, nothing that is healthy and not dead should be left on orchids until they are large enough to divide and you decide you want to divide.
Often people say that paphs and phrags need little light. While this is true of many of the more common ones, not all like the same low light levels.
Very generally speaking, multiflorals of phrags and paphs tend to need a lot of light than the uniflorals. Mottled leaf paphs tend to need not so much light - maudiae types are often recommended. Species will have unique growing preferences so research is good to do. Many phrags will also grow and bloom at lower light levels, but like with most orchids, they grow and bloom better at the upper end of their light range.
I need to research my orchid, I purchased this a month ago , and look at the lovely dark flower, it isa Paph Supersuk "Eureka" AM X AOS X Papg Rasin Pie "Hysiding X Sib
It's so gothic! Extremely dramatic and beautiful. I love the little dragon fly clip!
I need to post a pic of the one(s) I'm thinking about buying. Hopefully I can contain myself and just buy one.
those are handy little clips for thin stems. got them on ebay
Phrags are usually larger than paphs but some paphs, like P. phillipinense, P. stonei, P. rothschildianum, are fairly large. Phrags are generally multi-flowering, paphs may or may not. The larger growing paphs mentioned are multiflorals. Phrags have plain green leaves while paphs may be green or mottled (often the multifloral types are plain green). In my experience and having spoken to other orchid growers, paphs are usually much easier to bloom than phrags. I don't bother with phrags anymore, but I have several paphs doing very well in an unobstructed east window with 45-60 % humidity. And do keep the old growths until they die away naturally.
I know the mottled leaf ones do better in lower light and are a alot more forgiving than the plain leaf ones. I should definably look in to buying a mottled!
ROFL- and a plain leaved paph is the only one that I have managed to keep alive all these years!
I just seem to be backwards of everyone else. If it's easy to grow, I kill it. If it's hard to grow, it thrives in my care! Go figure.....
Holy cow! That's the exact orchid I bought two days ago! After searching the web, I finally get to see what the bloom will look like. :)