# Mastersianum opening!



## Rick (Feb 10, 2013)

Mostly open




Whole plant. 14" LS, Total spike height is 19". One new growth started.

This first blooming seedling is the result of a ST cooperative breeding between Uri Baruk and myself in March 2008.

Troy Meyers flasked the seed, and seedlings came out of flask in April 2010.

Sometime in Spring 2011 I moved this and some other seedlings of this flask to basket culture, and started low K feeding (when they really took off). So flask to blooming time is just under 3 years for this plant.


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## dodidoki (Feb 10, 2013)

Excellent job, Rick! Congrats!


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## tomkalina (Feb 10, 2013)

That's an incredible rate of growth for a mastersianum seedling! Looks like I'm going to have to try a couple of pounds of K-Lite:wink:


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## Paul (Feb 10, 2013)

that's a really good job!! :clap:


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## Spaph (Feb 10, 2013)

Congrats, great growing! Looks like a nice clone! Is that another mastersianum in spike as well to the right?


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## Rick (Feb 10, 2013)

Spaph said:


> Is that another mastersianum in spike as well to the right?



Yes, one of its siblings.


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## wjs2nd (Feb 10, 2013)

Very nice bloom! Do you always keep the moss damp with basket culture?


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Feb 10, 2013)

Good growing Rick. That is one specie that I always loved but never had seen them for sale in anything but flask or super small plants.


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## eggshells (Feb 10, 2013)

Very nice, Bob you can get some from TSG.


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## Rick (Feb 10, 2013)

wjs2nd said:


> Very nice bloom! Do you always keep the moss damp with basket culture?



Thank's

And Yes the moss stays damp. But that's not hard to do at 70% humidity.


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## papheteer (Feb 10, 2013)

Good growing. Can't wait to see it fully open!


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## fbrem (Feb 10, 2013)

awesome Rick. You should put together an orchid nutrition talk to give to societies if you haven't already. Looks like you're doing some very nice growing there.


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## Justin (Feb 10, 2013)

nice growing!


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## emydura (Feb 10, 2013)

Wonderful Rick. Amazing growth rate as well. No one can argue your methods when you can grow an orchid like this so easily and quickly. Most people can't even keep this species alive.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Feb 10, 2013)

I certainly can't.....I've had a mastersianum for several years now, and it just gets smaller and smaller...despite regular repotting and K-lite. I once had a great mastersianum that came from Paphanatics...bloomed easily, looked great....but of course, kicked the bucket.


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## SlipperFan (Feb 10, 2013)

emydura said:


> Wonderful Rick. Amazing growth rate as well. No one can argue your methods when you can grow an orchid like this so easily and quickly. Most people can't even keep this species alive.


That would be me. I've tried two unsucessfully now. And it's my favorite single-flowered Paph. Well, one of my favorites. It seems like my favorites are the ones I can't grow...

That's absolutely beautiful, Rick. I may have to try your basket culture.


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## NYEric (Feb 10, 2013)

Good job.


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## Ozpaph (Feb 10, 2013)

great stem and well grown


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## Rick (Feb 10, 2013)

fbrem said:


> awesome Rick. You should put together an orchid nutrition talk to give to societies if you haven't already. Looks like you're doing some very nice growing there.



Thanks Forrest.

There's an article coming out in Orchids next month. I've been kicking around ideas to integrate the nutrition stuff into a "new and improved" version of the old Paph talk.


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## abax (Feb 11, 2013)

Rick, you spit shine all your Paphs., don't you???!!!! It's a beauty.


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## Rick (Feb 11, 2013)

Eric Muehlbauer said:


> I've had a mastersianum for several years now, and it just gets smaller and smaller...despite regular repotting



Well that was kind of the story for the mother plant of these seedlings. Up down up up down down down dead.

So far I haven't lost any of these seedlings. The ones that have gone into baskets are way ahead of the ones still in pots. But the potted ones are growing better than expected (especially after flushing the crap out of the pots).

I paid a lot of attention to the humidity factor when I had the mother plant in my collection, and I still believe that these South Pacific species really need to be maintained at >70% humidity. But the present nutrition regime is producing a whole different plant with regards to root growth and leaf substance.


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## The Mutant (Feb 11, 2013)

Rick said:


> Well that was kind of the story for the mother plant of these seedlings. Up down up up down down down dead.
> 
> So far I haven't lost any of these seedlings. The ones that have gone into baskets are way ahead of the ones still in pots. But the potted ones are growing better than expected (especially after flushing the crap out of the pots).
> 
> I paid a lot of attention to the humidity factor when I had the mother plant in my collection, *and I still believe that these South Pacific species really need to be maintained at >70% humidity*. But the present nutrition regime is producing a whole different plant with regards to root growth and leaf substance.


Good to know. I have a mastersianum, and after I got my second humidifier it stopped losing leaves and has started growing one instead. I can't keep the humidity quite as high now, since the temperatures outside are too low, but it's better than before.

Would you say that mastersianum is harder to grow than violascens? It seems to be the slower grower of the two (at least mine is).


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## myxodex (Feb 11, 2013)

Excellent , ... and an exciting result. What a gorgeous flower. 
I'm curious to know whether flasking media also have high K ? 
congratulations,
Tim


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## JeanLux (Feb 11, 2013)

Bravo !!!! Jean


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## Rick (Feb 11, 2013)

myxodex said:


> Excellent , ... and an exciting result. What a gorgeous flower.
> I'm curious to know whether flasking media also have high K ?
> congratulations,
> Tim



I have the feeling that a lot of medias do have a relatively high amount of K.

It makes me wonder about the low germination rates that certain species are notorious for (like venustum).


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## phraggy (Feb 11, 2013)

Well done and a shining example of what patience can do--beautiful.

Ed


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## GuRu (Feb 11, 2013)

I love mastersianum, yours is a beautyful one and a rapid grower - congrats !


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm sure humidity is an issue.....in winter, under lights, my humidity is rarely above 40%, usually 30-35. (Summer is differennt...NYC is very humid in the summer). But, I have a violascens growing right next to it, and its doing well. Having grown violescens in years past, from collected plants (and they were very inexpensive then...), I'd think they are a bit easier to grow, and very easy to initiate spikes....but the buds blast most of the time.


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## Rick (Feb 11, 2013)

The Mutant said:


> Would you say that mastersianum is harder to grow than violascens? It seems to be the slower grower of the two (at least mine is).



I haven't tried violascens, so can't vouch for any difference personally. There seems to be more of them around if that can be taken as any indication of relative ease in culture. Sangii, and papuanum/wentworthianum I would include in this list of South Pacific toughies. I have one sangii (from Glen Decker) that's doing pretty good (better than the first one I had). And a handful of papuanum(??) seedlings I picked up from our big group Taiwan order are also showing solid new growth.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Feb 11, 2013)

Are you sure they are real papuanum? Most turn out to be violascens, or at least they did in the past. Certainly my "papuanum" bloomed out to be violascens....but that was years ago.


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## dodidoki (Feb 12, 2013)

Rick said:


> Well that was kind of the story for the mother plant of these seedlings. Up down up up down down down dead.
> 
> So far I haven't lost any of these seedlings. The ones that have gone into baskets are way ahead of the ones still in pots. But the potted ones are growing better than expected (especially after flushing the crap out of the pots).
> 
> I paid a lot of attention to the humidity factor when I had the mother plant in my collection, and I still believe that these South Pacific species really need to be maintained at >70% humidity. But the present nutrition regime is producing a whole different plant with regards to root growth and leaf substance.



I agree. Humidity is around 70-80 % in my GH, but these ones are covered by a bigger semitransparent pot, so humidity is around the plant is almost 100%.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 12, 2013)

That is phenomenal Rick! You will be heading back to judging....I can tell


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## Rick (Feb 12, 2013)

SlipperKing said:


> That is phenomenal Rick! You will be heading back to judging....I can tell



I hope so. There is not much award history for this species, and this one is competative. So far the bloom is pushing 12cm.


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## Marc (Feb 12, 2013)

Well grown  I love this species but haven't tried it yet. Mastersianum plants are not easy to get in Europe.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 12, 2013)

Well Rick, you'll have several chances to get it into judging ......The flowers last FOREVER!:rollhappy:


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## Rick (Feb 12, 2013)

SlipperKing said:


> Well Rick, you'll have several chances to get it into judging ......The flowers last FOREVER!:rollhappy:



Yes I think the bloom on the mother plant lasted over two months (even after pollination)!


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## likespaphs (Feb 15, 2013)

wow-o-wow-o-wow!!!


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## Rick (Feb 16, 2013)

*Fully open!*



likespaphs said:


> wow-o-wow-o-wow!!!



I think so too. Here it is fully open.


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## likespaphs (Feb 16, 2013)

i wish i could see it in the flesh (so to speak)!
super dooper!!!


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## chrismende (Feb 16, 2013)

Jealous! It's really beautiful, Rick!


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## SlipperFan (Feb 16, 2013)

:smitten: :drool: :smitten:


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## JeanLux (Feb 17, 2013)

Yeah !!!! :drool: A Beauty :drool: !!!! Jean


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## The Mutant (Feb 17, 2013)

It's gorgeous! :smitten:
I hope mine will survive and bloom too, and that it might look like yours if/when it does.

I agree that violascens seems to be easier to find in Europe as well. I think almost all the major vendors have it.



Marc said:


> Well grown  I love this species but haven't tried it yet. Mastersianum plants are not easy to get in Europe.


Asendorfer has it, that's where I got mine from.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 17, 2013)

That looks absolutely fantastic/ awesome RICK!!!!!!!!


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## NYEric (Feb 18, 2013)

Is that wet or just shiny!?


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## eggshells (Feb 18, 2013)

NYEric said:


> Is that wet or just shiny!?



Shiny...like dipped on varnish. Last along time, one of my fave traits for masterianum.


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## Susie11 (Feb 19, 2013)

That is a beautiful paph!


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## Leo Schordje (Feb 19, 2013)

Wow, that is nice, love the glossy look.


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## abax (Feb 19, 2013)

amazingly beautiful...definitely calls for judging...and I want one! I still think he spit shines 'em.


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## Stone (Feb 20, 2013)

Rick said:


> I think so too. Here it is fully open.



Fantastic! A special plant.. I just bought myself one, Hope I can get it to that stage. Is this in a basket with your stones and moss?


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## Rick (Feb 20, 2013)

Yes 4 of them are. The smaller ones are still in pots w/bark mix


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## SlipperFan (Feb 20, 2013)

If you ever think about selling one......

Seriously.


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## Rick (Feb 21, 2013)

SlipperFan said:


> If you ever think about selling one......
> 
> Seriously.



PM me


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## Carper (Feb 21, 2013)

That's been a fast mover to get there this quick Rick. You've certainly got the culture right and that's a cracking bloom!


Gary
UK


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