# Four pots of paphs with symbiotic germination



## hardy (Feb 5, 2009)

I noticed some tiny paph seedlings near the base of some mature plants.
Here are the photos:


Paph praestans, grown in birdnest fern fiber


















Another Paph praestans, in tree fern fiber


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## hardy (Feb 5, 2009)

Paph concolor (birdnest fern)











Paph niveum (birdnest fern)


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## paphreek (Feb 6, 2009)

Very interesting. Did you pollinate the plants or were they "spontaneous"?


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## SlipperKing (Feb 6, 2009)

Interesting indeed! You won't know until they bloom what you have, right?


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## nikv (Feb 6, 2009)

Wow! Those sure are some healthy plants! And to have little babies growing must be very exciting! :clap:


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## Mrs. Paph (Feb 6, 2009)

That's awesome! I'm curious as well - were they pollinated by local insects (it looks like you have a nice outdoor growing area), or did you make intentional crosses? If intentional, did you sew the seeds w/ the mother plants on purpose or did the pods split and do that on their own? I know that used to be how orchids were propagated from seed before artificial medias become widely used. Not the highest yield of seedlings I'm sure, but a very fun experiment!


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## NYEric (Feb 6, 2009)

Nice specimen! :sob:


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## hardy (Feb 6, 2009)

Yes, they are all naturally pollinated. When the flowers fall I often see pollen on the stigma. The pods split on their own and the seeds take their own course


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## SlipperFan (Feb 6, 2009)

I think what you have them growing in is very interesting. They seem to like it very much.


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## paphioboy (Feb 7, 2009)

> I think what you have them growing in is very interesting. They seem to like it very much.



Dot, fern root fibre is often used by us growers in the tropics. The roots of the tree fern (twig-like in the pic) is best, but is expensive. The roots of the bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus), a localised epiphytic species, is more moisture retentive and you can even get it for free.. 

Hardy, your brachys (concolor and niveum) are fantastic..!!! :drool: :drool: Why is it my brachys seem reluctant to clump? Most remain as 1 or 2 growths, the older fans dying back as new ones emerge.. Do share your secret.. TIA!


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## hardy (Feb 7, 2009)

Thanks paphioboy. I'm lucky I guess, that most paphs are happy in their environment. I think it's the coolish weather that helps. No secrets, just daily watering with well water and weekly application of very dilute fertilizer.


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## SlipperFan (Feb 7, 2009)

paphioboy said:


> Dot, fern root fibre is often used by us growers in the tropics. The roots of the tree fern (twig-like in the pic) is best, but is expensive. The roots of the bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus), a localised epiphytic species, is more moisture retentive and you can even get it for free..


I've heard of tree fern -- it's available here, and I've seen it used in potting media. But I've never heard of bird's nest fern used as potting media. Interesting.


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## snow (Feb 7, 2009)

great looking plants; and nice bonus having those little plants.


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## biothanasis (Feb 8, 2009)

Nice big plants and lovey babies...


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