# culture questions....



## potteryman (Jan 15, 2008)

Hi.....just a couple of newbie questions here...I was told that primary hybrids are somewhat more difficult to bloom then complex hybrids...anyone care to share any info?...and any culture tips on Paph Prince Edward of York..?..thanks for your patience...I'm hooked on these plants, and trying to give them my best shot......


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## SlipperKing (Jan 15, 2008)

In my area, Houston, TX the reverse is true. It's much easier to grow and bloom primaries ( there are exceptions) then the "classical" complex hybrids. "Classical" being defined as Paphs with a long history of Paph insigne in it's background. Paph insigne generally likes cooler night temperatures then I can provide here in Houston. I suggest you read as much as you can get your hands on about these plants. The older Orchid Digest magazines (70's, 80's and 90's) have a wealth of habitat information on the species. You will find clues on how to grow the species as well as, helping with the primaries. 
PEOY of course is a primary between rothschildieanum (high light, warm temps) and sanderianum (lower light, warm temp). I wouldn't expect PEOY to bloom on a single growth but it won't need many growths like roth to bloom. Give your PEOY good light, fertilize weaky weeky and patience! After approx. 24 inch leaf span on your plant look for new growth from the base and buds/spike soon after.

Good Luck, Rick


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## Ron-NY (Jan 15, 2008)

I bloomed a PEOY on a single growth last year. They are not the fastest growing Paphs so I would advise get one near blooming size. I have not found this one difficult. Some of the other rothschildianum primaries can be but not this one.

The majority of my Paph collection are primary hybrids.


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## goldenrose (Jan 16, 2008)

I have a PEOY, it has bloomed yet but with a 30-32" leafspan & 2 new starts, I expect it won't be long! I got the plant May '07, it had a 24" leafspan, so it certainly had a big growth splurt this summer. They are a very majestic looking plant out of bloom. My culture is pretty much the same as Ron's & Slipperking.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Jan 16, 2008)

That's not true...entirely. Many primary hybrids are easier to bloom than the complex types...Maudiae for example. Other primaries are way more difficult...good luck blooming a brachy x roth before you turn gray. The easiest primaries are Maudiae types, cochlopetalums (ex- Pinocchio), brachy's ( Wellesleyanum, Psyche) and if you are patient, some of the multiflorals (Berenice, Lebaudyanum). All of these are easier to bloom than most complex types. Of course, many "Maudiae" types are quite complex in their parentage at this point...but generally people associate the term "complex" with the insigne, villosum, etc. species that need a cool period to initiate buds. Take care, Eric


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## Bob Wellenstein (Jan 17, 2008)

Eric is so right that there are no simple or straight forward one fits all answers. You are going to have to do your homework, analyze the conditions you can provide and learn to match plants to them or to modify them, kill some plants and figure out why, have wonderful success with others and figure out why. Learn to accept learning as an ongoing process and you'll become a good grower. BTW, as an aside, remember that a lot of the commercial growers are brokers, basically temporary plnt wharehouses, so their advice is not necessarily based on as much real experience with long term culture as you may expect. The links below will give you guidance on learning what to think about, and they are based on a lot of years of growing the full cycle from seed to bloom to specimen.

http://ladyslipper.com/1stpaph.htm

http://ladyslipper.com/paphfaq.htm


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## potteryman (Jan 18, 2008)

thanks for the info..the sites recommended by Bob are very helpful.....


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## Bob Wellenstein (Jan 18, 2008)

Thank you potteryman, the philosophy behind them was to attempt to get people to think about all the conditions, and develop their own best strategy, not cram one way or the highway, or oversimplify to the point of rediculousness which is what the AOS culture sheets, about the only readily available free info then, did.


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## goldenrose (Jan 20, 2008)

goldenrose said:


> I have a PEOY, it has bloomed yet but with a 30-32" leafspan & 2 new starts, I expect it won't be long! I got the plant May '07, it had a 24" leafspan, so it certainly had a big growth splurt this summer. They are a very majestic looking plant out of bloom. My culture is pretty much the same as Ron's & Slipperking.



Looks like the culture is correct - look what I found!





If you can't quite make out the image in the first photo, the second one confirms it!


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## potteryman (Jan 20, 2008)

good deal, goldenrose.!!...mine has 3 maturing growths on one mature growth , so maybe I'll get similar results soon also....thanks for sharing the pics...


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## goldenrose (Jan 20, 2008)

This one has one smaller growwth on the otherside. It will be interesting to see the comparison to MK, & as to how long it takes before the flowers are opened.
I'll cross my fingers for you!


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## potteryman (Jan 21, 2008)

thanks, goldenrose.....I think raising paphs is God's way of teaching me patience!.......


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