# Cool Growing Paphs?



## Per (Aug 28, 2008)

In preparation for the approaching fall, I want to separate out my cooler growing Paphs to allow them to get a nice rest to bloom properly. I was wondering if the forum could generate a list of cooler growing Paph species and the minimum temperature ranges for those species. 

Also, I know that armeniacum, micranthum, and tigrinum are all cool growers. I would love to hear personal experiences from people growing these regarding minimum temperatures. I also know that there are more cool growing paphs that I have missed, so I am excited to see those listed.

Thanks in advance.

~P


----------



## Kevin (Aug 29, 2008)

What species do you currently have, and what temps do you have? I grow cool too, and would also like this info. The only species I currently have are gratrixianum and spicerianum. My lowest temps are 10C inside, but I let all my cool growers get as cold as possible outside from spring to fall.


----------



## Yoyo_Jo (Aug 29, 2008)

Kevin, do you actually grow orchids outdoors for the summer in Manitoba?


----------



## Kevin (Aug 29, 2008)

Absolutely! Everything goes outside, once the temps are suitable. Cool ones first, then the warm(er) ones later. Alberta probably doesn't get the hot days like we do, so it might not be good for you, unless you get the cool growers.


----------



## Per (Aug 29, 2008)

Below is my Paph list. I am currently involved in a move so my growing space is in flux right now, but will be growing in a basement over the winter, until I can build a lean-to greenhouse (which may take some time). I keep most of my collection at a minimum temperature of 55-60 F night temps in the winter, but I know that species like Paph. armeniacum need it colder, so I am planning on building them a cold frame on the side of my greenhouse to reach such temperatures.

Paph. armeniacum
Paph. concolor ('Dandy' x 'Warrior')
Paph. Michael Koopowitz 'Reach Out' x Paph. adductum 'Birchwood' AM/AOS
Paph. spicerianum
Paph. sanderianum ('Waunakee Warrior' x 'Jungle Monarch')
Paph glaucophyllum ('Waunakee' x self)
Paph. lowii ('Princehouse' AM/AOS x 'Pinkie')
Paph. rothschildianum x Paph. rothschildianum
Paph. venustum ('Doris' AM/AOS x self)
Paph. Prince Edward of York (Paph. rothschildianum 'Chester Hills' AM/AOS x Paph. sanderianum 'Dark Beauty')
Paph. gardineri
Paph. villosum var. annamense
Paph. bellatulum ('Sonnet' x 'Shapely')
Paph. niveum ('Angela' x 'Stylish')
Paph. henryanum ('Charles H" x "Henry')
Paph. fairrieanum ('Candor' AM/AOS x 'Red' AM/AOS) x ('Cayuga' x 'Candor Kioo')
Paph. philippinense x sib ('Ching Hua #31' SM/TPS x '#29')
Paph. fairrieanum ('Big Red' x 'Album')
Paph. dayanum
Paph. charlesworthii 'Pink Cloud'
Paph. callosum
Paph. platyphyllum
Paph. sukhakulii ('Limeline' x 'Dawn Marie')
Paph. Alma Gavaert x (Janet Kunkle x Lauren)
Paph. druyii
Paph. parishii
Paph. argus ('Volcano' x '#1')
Paph. dayanum ('White River' x 'Macho' HCC/AOS)
Paph. gardinerii ('Joe' x 'Ron') (aka glanduliferum var. gardineri)
Paph. tigrinum
Paph. hirsutissimum ('Peter' x 'Soft Velvet')
Paph. dianthum ('Shenandoah' x self)
Paph. philippinense f. roebelenii ('Time Twister' x 'Twist in Time')
Paph. wardii ('Pittsford' x 'Dark and Hairy')
Paph. javanicum x adductum ‘Orchid Eden’ 
Paph. Sandi’s Melody (platyphyllum x primulinum v. flavum)
Paph. adductum
Paph. barbigerum 
Paph. kolopakingii ('Riopelle' FCC/AOS x self)
Paph. topperi x Paph. topperi
Paph. hookerae var. volonteanum
Paph. barbatum ('Crestwood' AM/AOS x 'Floradise' AM/AOS)
Paph. virens (aka Paph. javanicum var. virens)
Paph. superbiens var. curtisii ('Ching Hua #6' x 'Noyo')
Paph. gigantifolium ('Dark Warrior' x self)
Paph. micranthum ('Bilbo' x 'Pink Elephants B/CSA)
Paph. venustum ('Foxcatcher' FCC/AOS x 'Terminator') 
Paph. Pat Rowland ('Woodstream' AM/AOS x 'Silver Creek')
Paph. mastersianum ('Coromandel' S/CSA x 'Woodstream's Statuesque' HCC/AOS)
Paph. appletonianum var. hainanense ('Harford's Hainanense II' AM/AOS x 'Paph Forum')
Paph. acmodontum ('Suzanne' HCC/AOS x self)
Paph. sangii ('Luca' x 'Darkest') 
Paph. urbanianum
Paph. malipoense
Paph. barbigerum ('CC9241' x self) TN3574
Paph. esquirolei 
Paph. sugiyamanum
Paph. stonei ('The Best' x 'Harland')
Paph. druyii ('Windy Hill' x self)


----------



## Kevin (Aug 29, 2008)

From my limited experience, and from talking to experienced growers, you don't seem to have much that is really cool. Have you been growing all of these in 55 - 60F winter nights? If they have been doing well, why change? In your list, the ones I would consider 'cold', are:

Paph. armeniacum
Paph. spicerianum
Paph. venustum ('Doris' AM/AOS x self)
Paph. villosum var. annamense
Paph. charlesworthii 'Pink Cloud'
Paph. tigrinum
Paph. hirsutissimum ('Peter' x 'Soft Velvet')
Paph. micranthum ('Bilbo' x 'Pink Elephants B/CSA)
Paph. venustum ('Foxcatcher' FCC/AOS x 'Terminator') 
Paph. esquirolei 

I don't own most of these, so I could be wrong.


----------



## goldenrose (Aug 29, 2008)

Kevin said:


> From my limited experience, and from talking to experienced growers, you don't seem to have much that is really cool. Have you been growing all of these in 55 - 60F winter nights? If they have been doing well, why change? In your list, the ones I would consider 'cold', are:
> Paph. armeniacum
> Paph. spicerianum
> Paph. venustum ('Doris' AM/AOS x self)
> ...



I would take villosum, charlesworthii & esquirolei off your list. I live in the midwest & have charlesworthii in bud now, I consider it & villosum to be more of an intermediate. Esquirolei is suppose to be the warm one, hirsutissimum the cool one, I have bloomed neither but recently got a hirsutissimum from Ernie & it's going out with the cym & zygo! I have a GH with winter night time lows at 55. Maybe that was too cool for the esquirolei?


----------



## Candace (Aug 29, 2008)

I can't remember who said this on a past thread, but it sort of stuck with me. It went something like this...Yes, some of the parvi types live in areas that get snow, but they are so slow growing as it is, why stunt them even more? Personally, my newer g.h. will go a bit lower in the winter to save on gas $ but I don't forsee letting it go below 45 or 50.


----------



## Per (Aug 29, 2008)

Thanks all.

Candace, the reason I want to try dropping the temperature for a few of my plants is that in my experience with other flowering plants (I am thinking here mainly of citrus) buds cannot develop without a cold snap. I have heard that the diurnal range is key to bud development in Paphs, but I also wonder if the colder varieties might need the snap/rest (i.e. low minimum temps vs. a large diurnal range) to keep their blooming and growth cycles regular. If that is true, I might make up for the lost grow (stunting them) caused by lower temperatures in the fall/winter with increased vitality in the spring and summer from a more natural cycle. Just an idea I have found useful in other contexts. Furthermore, I think you and I are in the same temperature range (45-50F), so there is not much disagreement there. I simply wanted to get a better read on which plants to subject to that treatment, since I am new to Parvis (although I have grown other types of Paphs for a number of years).

Again, thank you all.

EDIT: Oh, by the way, the reason for the change is that most of my plants are doing well, but a few are showing little growth (a problem I have had before from too constant a temperature), so I was wondering if I needed to further increase the seasonal differences for those plants. I am not going to change a thing (within reason given my move) for anything that is doing well. As for Kevin’s question, I currently grow all of these in the same space, but more warm-blooded orchids stay further away from the windows, so stay on the 60ish side of my range. Also, these are minimums for winter; currently (summer), my plants have about 90 degree days (heavily shaded with lots of air-flow) and about 72 nights. They are under supplemental lighting (currently on a porch, hence the heavy shade) that warms them a bit, but only a few degrees.


----------



## Leo Schordje (Aug 29, 2008)

Most of the Chinese and Indo-Himalayan Paphs want a warm summer and a cooling off in the 'dry monsoon' season, usually Dec & Jan. They can take heat in season and tolerate cool in season. 

Paph wilhelminiae is from fairly high elevations, it can tolerate cool (50's F) year round. 

Paph volonteanum comes from higher elevation than hookeri, but this is just a matter of 50s F vs 60s F.

Rothschildianum wants a cool rest, 55 - 60 F at night for a month or 2 in late autumn, again it is fairly high elevation on Mt. Kinabalu. 

to really answer your question - you need to know where your Paph comes from. Generally, even the coldest growing Paphs do best with minimum temperatures above 40 F or 4 C. You really don't want to run any down into the 30's or approach freezing.


----------



## Yoyo_Jo (Aug 29, 2008)

Kevin - have you posted any photos of your summer outdoor grow area; I'm dying of curiosity...

(Per, sorry for the pirating of your thread... )


----------



## Kevin (Aug 29, 2008)

No, I haven't. I'll PM you.


----------



## Per (Aug 30, 2008)

No worries, Yoyo_Jo. I think I have what I need; however any other input about cool growing Paphs would certainly be appreciated.


----------

