# Convince me to get a paph/phrag



## ChrisFL (Feb 2, 2008)

I'm a species snob. I grow mainly weird/cool stuff from the indo-pacific region and collect C. walkeriana, nobilior and violacea. See if you can convince me.


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## goldenrose (Feb 2, 2008)

HMMMM .... well, where does one begin, as weird/cool is in the eye of the beholder. The first one that comes to mind is Phrag lindenii, a pouchless slipper, definitely weird. Any long petal Paph or Phrag is pretty cool in my book, take your pick from sanderianum, philippinense, caudatum or wallisii!


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## gore42 (Feb 2, 2008)

I'm a species snob, too. If you don't already really want a Paph, then leave them alone. The rest of us have a hard enough time getting them without competing with people who don't really care about them 

- Matthew Gore

If you want convincing, try this: http://www.goreorchids.com/CatalogAndInfo/galleryhome.html


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## ChrisFL (Feb 2, 2008)

Matthew, your 3D gallery is AWESOME. 

Any epiphytic species?


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## kentuckiense (Feb 2, 2008)

ChrisFL said:


> Matthew, your 3D gallery is AWESOME.
> 
> Any epiphytic species?



tigrinum, lowii, and several others have been documented growing in leaf litter deposits on tree branches. I don't think there are any that you could call TRUE epiphytes, though.


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## gore42 (Feb 2, 2008)

Here's Paph. tigrinum growing on a tree in Western China. 







Paph. parishii is also sometimes an epiphyte.

- Matt Gore


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## SlipperFan (Feb 2, 2008)

Actually, if you like weird, you should be collecting in the Bulbophyllum family.


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## Candace (Feb 2, 2008)

If you like weird, there are quite a few paph, frankenorchids the members here have posted. We'd be happy to sell you them for an good price.:noangel:


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## ChrisFL (Feb 2, 2008)

lol, thanks Candace.

That is very cool Matt... I think when I get my tank setup in March I may have to leave a shelf in it for a paph/phrag or two...

SF, I have about 30 different bulbo species, which is a lot of my small collection, they are my favorite genus.


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## Lance Birk (Feb 2, 2008)

If you are going to experiment, I hope you'll practice on hybrids instead of species.


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## ChrisFL (Feb 2, 2008)

...or I could make sure I understand the culture and have the proper conditions to grow a species before obtaining it, like I have with every other orchid species I've acquired so far.


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## dave b (Feb 2, 2008)

Either you love em, or hate em. Better just keep focused on that Cattleya collection. oke:


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## ChrisFL (Feb 2, 2008)

Sweet. So we've either got intense elitism or fantastic reverse psychology.


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## gonewild (Feb 2, 2008)

Lance Birk said:


> If you are going to experiment, I hope you'll practice on hybrids instead of species.



Why?


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## JeanLux (Feb 3, 2008)

dave b said:


> Either you love em, or hate em. Better just keep focused on that Cattleya collection. oke:



I do not quite agree because: => you can learn to love them!! 

I pretend this after about 20 years with catts etc. I think I started my reconversion when I saw my first besseae; I paid quite some money to buy it, and was very sad when it died away after one year, because I didn't have any correct idea of how to grow it. Today, I grow with not yet to much success, but with love, about 15 Phrags and 30 Paphs , beside my catts etc. And their number extending from year to year!!

Jean


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## Lance Birk (Feb 3, 2008)

Lance, (the other one)

Hybrid orchids are expendable; they can be reproduced at any time and in any quantity. Wish it were true of species.

LB


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## Heather (Feb 3, 2008)

ChrisFL said:


> ...or I could make sure I understand the culture and have the proper conditions to grow a species before obtaining it, like I have with every other orchid species I've acquired so far.



I think species are easier - you don't have combo culture going on. I had more issues with hybrids than species, hands down!

Personally, I think both Paphs and Phrags are easy to grow. Certainly easier than Phals. Light, water, humidity, air flow. Get it right (and it isn't hard) and they will bloom and grow. 

I was told by a certain individual when I started growing that I didn't have any of it "right" and yet I've bloomed quite a few, including a roth, in less than ideal situations (due to moving 4 times last year.) The person who told me I couldn't do it was an ass and should really not be allowed to encourage anyone to grow anything because he is a naysayer - everything I did was "wrong" in his opinion, and none of his advice was correct. It proved detrimental to my growing ability, confidence and choice of plants for several years. 


Bottom line, just buy something you like and grow it. Learn from there.


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## kentuckiense (Feb 3, 2008)

For what it's worth, I've killed two hybrids and zero species.


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## ChrisFL (Feb 3, 2008)

Thanks for the positive posts guys. I'm thinking about which. 

Ideally, compact size, likes warm to intermediate "cloud forest" conditions...


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## NYEric (Feb 3, 2008)

"No besseae for you!" _Soupman_


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## ChrisFL (Feb 3, 2008)

Is that a hint Eric?  What does a decent OZ/OL/KS besseae go for anyway?


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## NYEric (Feb 3, 2008)

Straight besseae $25-$50-BS.


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## ChrisFL (Feb 3, 2008)

is that $25 for seedling and then $50 for BS?


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## kentuckiense (Feb 3, 2008)

ChrisFL said:


> is that $25 for seedling and then $50 for BS?


Not necessarily. I've seen BS or NBS besseae for $25.


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## goldenrose (Feb 3, 2008)

ChrisFL said:


> is that $25 for seedling and then $50 for BS?



Depends on the quality of the cross/parents used.


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## Heather (Feb 3, 2008)

So, is our job here done yet or what? oke:


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## NYEric (Feb 3, 2008)

See eBay or vendors listed here. I hope you're using R.O. filter on your water though.


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## ChrisFL (Feb 4, 2008)

Eric, yes, I use RO/DI water for all the "cloud/rain forest" tank orchids. 

Heather, I'm moving in a month to a location that will require indoor growing (studio), at which time I'll be buying a large tank for my collection. I imagine I'll get a besseae once that gets up and running...


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## kentuckiense (Feb 4, 2008)

This dude sells a lot of cheap OZ besseae: http://cgi.ebay.com/In-Bloom-Phrag-...eZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem


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## NYEric (Feb 4, 2008)

Why not have the plants in the room getting fresh air and light?


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## ChrisFL (Feb 4, 2008)

Eric, low humidity mainly. With the tank, I like the control I have over fresh air, humidity, temp, etc.


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## Ron-NY (Feb 4, 2008)

Chris, If you would like to experiment, once you are in TX I can send you a division of one of my Phrag hybrids or a seedling. You also have to remember that some Phrags can get really big. Remind me.


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## ChrisFL (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks Ron.


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## Hien (Feb 4, 2008)

kentuckiense said:


> This dude sells a lot of cheap OZ besseae: http://cgi.ebay.com/In-Bloom-Phrag-...eZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem


 Oh Zach ,this good new is way too late for me, a few years ago I bought this flask of oz besseae for 100 bucks, and they still look about the size of half of toothspicks height wise currently.
It definitely is wiser to spend the same money now to get 4 bloomies instead.
So in this case the early bird really gets the worms.:sob:


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## Hien (Feb 4, 2008)

kentuckiense said:


> For what it's worth, I've killed two hybrids and zero species.



I kind of agree with Zach, since the plants chose to die indiscriminately on me, hybrids & species both.
In my opinion, A species collection is more attainable, hybrids are too numerous to get them all.


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## NYEric (Feb 4, 2008)

No way!


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## rdlsreno (Feb 4, 2008)

NYEric said:


> No way!



Exactly!

Ramon


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## NYEric (Feb 4, 2008)

I'm trying though!  YAY BESSEAE HYBRIDS!!!


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## bench72 (Feb 5, 2008)

me too, wooo hoo for all the paph philippinense hybrids!!!

btw, Eric, are you only collecting primary bessae hybrids?


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## NYEric (Feb 5, 2008)

Hmmm, someone needs to look in the collections threads!


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