# Paphiopedilum mastersianum (questions...)



## Kavanaru (Oct 14, 2010)

Since quite a long time, I am playing with the idea of getting one or two flasks of any paph species, to grow the seedlings here and then select the best 2 or 3 plants for me... However, never really going for it so far...

now, I have the cahnce to get a flask with around 20 seedlings of different species (different species different flasks, of course!) from a friend of mine... among the posibilities, there is a flask of Paph mastersianum, which is a species I never thought of buying (even though I like the flowrs a lot!) and also have no clue how to grow it...

my problem... googling (and slippertalking ) about this species, I have found that a lot of records put this species as one of the most difficults to grow and keep alive, while others place it as an easy to grow species.. so, I am confused now 


Anybody here, who grows this species (especially who has grown seedling) who can provide some feedback and tips? 

thanks in advance!


----------



## cliokchi (Oct 14, 2010)

*about mastersianum*

hi Kavanaru,

Paph. mastersianum comes from the Indonesian island group the Mollucas 
and specifically from the 2 island Ceram and Buru they grow from 900 to close 
2000 meters and grow for only 6 months in it's growing periods it can take lots
of lo salt fertilizer. it needs plenty of shade
it's not a very fast grower but it's flowers last for nearly 3 months and is 
carried on a very long strong and straight inflorescence 
it's leaf span can reach up to 2 ft across
I think from flask it should take you minimum of 4 yrs to reach blooming size.
happy orchid growing from Northern Thailand
cliokchi


----------



## Rick (Oct 14, 2010)

I would also keep the humidity >70% all the time.


----------



## Scooby5757 (Oct 14, 2010)

Good luck with them! Anyone know where you can find mastersianum in the states?


----------



## Rick (Oct 14, 2010)

Scooby5757 said:


> Good luck with them! Anyone know where you can find mastersianum in the states?



You try OL? or Glenn Decker?

I don't recall seeing any on Sam's list lately.

I have a 1/2 dozen or so seedlings I'm raising from a breeding I made with Uri's plant a couple years ago.

They are growing.....slowly.


----------



## Kavanaru (Oct 14, 2010)

Thanks @ all...

hhhmmm... not very easy to keep alive and slow growers... notsure whether this is the best species to try  I thinkI will just leave my friend do the job with his flasks and I buy a nice grown plant from him later on... 

I think my decision is then to try a more common species, which I also like... something like henryanum, barbigerum or helenae...


----------



## paphioboy (Oct 14, 2010)

Hourai Orchids (my source of paphs) says mastersianum is easy if you keep it very shady and humid all the time.


----------



## Eric Muehlbauer (Oct 14, 2010)

I got my mastersianums from Thanh Nguyen (Springwater Orchids). Its not the easiest paph to grow...but not the hardest either. Its slow, but easy to bloom once its mature. Typical barbata care...shady, warm. I haven't bloomed the ones I have now, but I have bloomed it in the past.


----------



## JeanLux (Oct 15, 2010)

I had a small seedling from Wubben and it took 1 year to die  Jean


----------



## Kavanaru (Oct 15, 2010)

I think then it is better to wait until the plants are a bit "grown up" totry this species then  no deflasking experiment in this case by now... 



JeanLux said:


> I had a small seedling from Wubben and it took 1 year to die  Jean



 sorry, I had to laugh with your comment..


----------

