# Stonei spiking



## Rick (Mar 28, 2009)

After putting up a sheath last summer, this is taking off really fast. 2 days ago the spike was at the edge of the sheath, and this morning I swear that the bract tips were just an inch or so beyond the sheath. It looks like it put on 2 inches this afternoon!! This is a first time bloomer of Harlan X The Best. I'll check my records later, but I think its 5 years out of flask now.


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## kentuckiense (Mar 28, 2009)

Five years out of flask is pretty darn fast for a stonei, no?


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## Rick (Mar 28, 2009)

kentuckiense said:


> Five years out of flask is pretty darn fast for a stonei, no?



I checked my records and I got it from Paphinatics (via Orchid Babies) in Sept 04, and it was a wee one then. So that does put it about 5 years.

I think the slowness of this species is over-rated. If you give it high light warmth and humidity it grows as fast as a phili.


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## Elena (Mar 28, 2009)

How exciting, stonei is one of my top 3 favourite species! 

Any chance of a whole plant pic? What do you think helped to finally spur the spike into action?


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## Wendy (Mar 28, 2009)

Well done Rick! :clap: I love stonei. :drool: My big one (multi growth) has had a sheath for ages now. I can see the dark bract just beginning inside the sheath so maybe it is thinking about flowers now. I have two others as well and one is the same cross as yours...looking forward to seeing your flowers.


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## emydura (Mar 29, 2009)

Still 5 years is amazing. Great gowing Rick.

David


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## biothanasis (Mar 29, 2009)

Well done Rick!!!!!


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## likespaphs (Mar 29, 2009)

cool!
the only thing i managed to do with stonei was kill it.


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## Ron-NY (Mar 29, 2009)

congrats!:clap:


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## goldenrose (Mar 29, 2009)

:clap: Fantastic! :drool: I can only :smitten:! Keep us posted! 
Repot mine yesterday, it's turning into a monster!


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## Rick (Mar 29, 2009)

Elena said:


> How exciting, stonei is one of my top 3 favourite species!
> 
> Any chance of a whole plant pic? What do you think helped to finally spur the spike into action?



Here's a couple of pics from July/08 when I first saw the sheath. It's added a few growths since then. For as big as the leaf span is, its only in a 2" pot!


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## Rick (Mar 29, 2009)

goldenrose said:


> :clap: Fantastic! :drool: I can only :smitten:! Keep us posted!
> Repot mine yesterday, it's turning into a monster!



They are big plants!! I got a couple of mature divisions from Matt Gore that had leaf spans pushing 3'. They sulked the first year or so I've had them, but they are adding growths now (maybe they'll bloom this summer too)


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## Elena (Mar 29, 2009)

Thanks, Rick! 

Mine is supposed to be a flowering size too but it's a touch smaller than that. I've had since last summer and it's grown since. It's not the fastest of Paphs but I wouldn't describe it as painfully slow either.


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## Rick (Mar 29, 2009)

Elena said:


> Thanks, Rick!
> 
> Mine is supposed to be a flowering size too but it's a touch smaller than that. I've had since last summer and it's grown since. It's not the fastest of Paphs but I wouldn't describe it as painfully slow either.



If you aren't already doing it, add some oyster shell and a touch of bone meal to these guys.


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## Elena (Mar 29, 2009)

Yup, I add both. Although come to think of it, I last top dressed some time around Aug/Sept so perhaps they could do with a top up now they re resuming their growths for the summer.


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## paphjoint (Mar 29, 2009)

cool - keep going


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## SlipperFan (Mar 29, 2009)

I love stonei!

I've heard they will bloom with very low light. Is this other people's experience?


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## goldenrose (Mar 29, 2009)

Rick said:


> .... For as big as the leaf span is, its only in a 2" pot!



WHAAAT!? Mine has a 24" l.s. and just repotted to an 8" pot, the roots were unbelievable, I knew what it was doing last summer! I got mine from Paphiness almost 2 yrs. ago, I believe Dean got them from OZ. It's Melancholy x Penan Pride.


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## NYEric (Mar 29, 2009)

I'm going to cut and past some of this stuff to the paph culture thread!


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## Rick (Mar 29, 2009)

goldenrose said:


> WHAAAT!? Mine has a 24" l.s. and just repotted to an 8" pot, the roots were unbelievable, I knew what it was doing last summer! I got mine from Paphiness almost 2 yrs. ago, I believe Dean got them from OZ. It's Melancholy x Penan Pride.



I think that if someone was going to mount a paph this would be a good choice.

I'm using the same pot this seedling came in in 04! I've repotted at least 3 times (the 3rd time was a month or so after the above pics were taken). I use the evil CHC mix like Antec uses but with oyster shell added. It's a clear pot and I can see roots on roots.

It's very close to my philis, druryi, and adult roths, so it gets 5000 or so foot candles of light the first half of each day (on sunny days), and leaf temps can get up into the 90's. Humidity is above 70% all the time.

The 3 other stonei I have can grow as fast, but I've caught them with Erwinia problems when it gets hot, so they have been moved to bright areas with good airflow, but not quite as hot.


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## SlipperKing (Mar 29, 2009)

Nice job Rick. So it takes about a year to bloom once you see the sheath? Can you tell how many buds you have?


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## Rick (Mar 29, 2009)

SlipperKing said:


> Nice job Rick. So it takes about a year to bloom once you see the sheath? Can you tell how many buds you have?



I wouldn't say this is SOP for the species. Probably just the timing of the growth caught it too late in the season to bloom last summer.

The kolo that bloomed for me this year also put up it's sheath at the same time, but the first time it bloomed the sheath came up in late winter, and just blew right through a few months later.

I've seen 3 bracts so far, but they are still really bunched tight.


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## Scooby5757 (Mar 30, 2009)

goldenrose said:


> WHAAAT!? Mine has a 24" l.s. and just repotted to an 8" pot, the roots were unbelievable, I knew what it was doing last summer! I got mine from Paphiness almost 2 yrs. ago, I believe Dean got them from OZ. It's Melancholy x Penan Pride.



SOOO JEALOUS! Mine kicked the bucket in record time. Lower leaves dropped almost immediately, and it was gone in two months. I never go back and complain to vendors, but damn I was pissed about that one. It wasn't cheap.


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## goldenrose (Mar 30, 2009)

Scooby5757 said:


> SOOO JEALOUS! Mine kicked the bucket in record time. Lower leaves dropped almost immediately, and it was gone in two months. I never go back and complain to vendors, but damn I was pissed about that one. It wasn't cheap.


OOOHHH NO!! :sob: MAJOR BUMMER! Sorry to hear that. 

Dot - I've been growing this one with my other multis so it's been getting the strongest light I have. I've been going by Lance's recommendations in his book & he says bright to moderately bright light. Under special comments - strong light, a good well draining mix, airy or roots will rot & water well. 
Let's take this to Eric's growing thread!


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## eOrchids (Mar 30, 2009)

This is will a quite a show!


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## Rick (Apr 4, 2009)

*Update*

Yup 3 buds. Allot of dark maroon color on the back the the sepals.


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## Scooby5757 (Apr 5, 2009)

ooooh! I love this species, I can't wait.


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## SlipperKing (Apr 5, 2009)

Looks very good Rick


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## Elena (Apr 6, 2009)

Coming along nicely!


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## Paphman910 (Apr 6, 2009)

Nice Buds Rick! I think it is going to be nice and I do remember the cross 'Harland' x 'The Best' from Orchid Inn. 'Harland' came from Ray Rands from what Orchid Inn flask catalog stated. I found that they are very good growers.

Paphman910


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## Rick (Apr 6, 2009)

Paphman910 said:


> Nice Buds Rick! I think it is going to be nice and I do remember the cross 'Harland' x 'The Best' from Orchid Inn. 'Harland' came from Ray Rands from what Orchid Inn flask catalog stated. I found that they are very good growers.
> 
> Paphman910



Where have you been lately Paphman??


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## Rick (Apr 16, 2009)

*update*

1 of 3 flowers fully open.


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Apr 16, 2009)

Wow. Just great. I love this species.


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## JeanLux (Apr 17, 2009)

great shape and color!!! Jean


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## SlipperKing (Apr 17, 2009)

Yup that's one intense flower(s)!!! I bet it's awardable. Dang that is nice.


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## Hakone (Apr 17, 2009)

wow very nice


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## Elena (Apr 17, 2009)

Looking beautiful, Rick! I've never met a stonei I didn't like, it's the nicest multi to me.


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## goldenrose (Apr 17, 2009)

:drool: :drool: Keep showing us more! :drool: :drool:


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## Rick (Apr 17, 2009)

SlipperKing said:


> Yup that's one intense flower(s)!!! I bet it's awardable. Dang that is nice.



It's bigger than I expected, but within the taxonomic description. The color is nice but looks pretty much like it should too, so I can't imagine it would be awardable. But I like it allot


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## Leo Schordje (Apr 17, 2009)

Very few stonei have been awarded, mostly because there are very few people who bloom them. You might be surprised, yours looks worth dragging to a judging session somewhere.


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## Rick (Apr 17, 2009)

Leo Schordje said:


> Very few stonei have been awarded, mostly because there are very few people who bloom them. You might be surprised, yours looks worth dragging to a judging session somewhere.



Well then I just might:wink:

Atlanta center is the 2nd Saturday of each month, and Cincinanti the 2nd Sunday, and judges in Nashville going to both may hitch a ride with.


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## SlipperKing (Apr 17, 2009)

You do it Rick. You've had too many WOWS! on this post to not get notice at a J Center.


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## NYEric (Apr 17, 2009)

Rick said:


> I'm using the same pot this seedling came in in 04! I've repotted at least 3 times (the 3rd time was a month or so after the above pics were taken). .


:rollhappy::rollhappy:
LOL! Repotting in the same Gigantic 2" POT!!!!
Don't worry; I can send you something bigger, for the love of Pete!


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## emydura (Apr 17, 2009)

Congratulations Rick. Growing one to flowering size and then flowering it is a great achievement. Good growing. Just a stunning flower.

David


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## Wendy (Apr 18, 2009)

I second the 'take it to a judging' comment. Beautiful!


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## SlipperFan (Apr 18, 2009)

Go for it Rick. That is stunning.


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## Paphman910 (Apr 18, 2009)

Hi Rick:
Nice flowers! Wow! I just got a seedling stonei from Orchid Inn. Hopefully it will grow well. How are your roth seedling doing?

Paphman910


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## Rick (Apr 18, 2009)

Paphman910 said:


> Hi Rick:
> Nice flowers! Wow! I just got a seedling stonei from Orchid Inn. Hopefully it will grow well. How are your roth seedling doing?
> 
> Paphman910



They are doing pretty good. I just moved a couple out of the compot with leaf spans of 12 to 15 cm.


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## CodPaph (Apr 20, 2009)

very very nice


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