# Paph druryi



## emydura (Dec 3, 2020)

Currently in flower. A lovely little species. I can't say I have found it to be very vigorous. A bit of a battle with often many years between flowering. My plants split into two pieces. One went in a normal pot and the other in this basket. The one in the basket has done well, the other is in the great glasshouse in the sky.


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## Ozpaph (Dec 3, 2020)

Very nice.
Ive never tried growing it.


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## monocotman (Dec 3, 2020)

Lovely! I’ve read on this forum that they do well if treated more like a cattleya and grown in a free draining mix with lots of light and allowed to dry between waterings. Not sure how true this is,
David


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## emydura (Dec 3, 2020)

monocotman said:


> Lovely! I’ve read on this forum that they do well if treated more like a cattleya and grown in a free draining mix with lots of light and allowed to dry between waterings. Not sure how true this is,
> David



Thanks David. That would explain why the basket has worked better.


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## Guldal (Dec 3, 2020)

One of my all time favourites, and yours is as good as it gets, David! 

One of the reasons, why it is a bit finicky to grow, is because it takes quite some time for the new growths to grow and establish their roots (in this periode of time they are rather susceptible to rot, which I learned from bitter experience. Thank God, the plant ended up saved!). 
This probably also accounts for, why it takes some time for the new growths to mature and flower. 
But, by Jove, it's worth the wait - and I'm so glad, you saved one of your divisions, David!


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## DrLeslieEe (Dec 3, 2020)

Congrats in saving and blooming this piece.

I have 3 plants that just grow and grow but no blooms. Any tip to trigger them? A cold dip in the lake?


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## Guldal (Dec 3, 2020)

DrLeslieEe said:


> Any tip to trigger them?


Patience!


DrLeslieEe said:


> A cold dip in the lake?


 Definately not, as they grow in the outmost South of India, but maybe a slight drop in temperature at night time for a period might help? And maybe turn up the (somewhat diffused) light for the bright (Indian) winter.

Braem, Baker and Baker have in vol 2 of their 'The Genus Paphiopedilum' (p. 264-266) a very thorough description of the climate of the natural habitat - and according advice on culture, that I would recommend anyone to consult before implementing more drastic changes in their growth regime...nay, that I would advice anyone growing this species to consult. Periode.


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## DrLeslieEe (Dec 3, 2020)

Haha the lake was a joke! Or is it??? Hmm

I have read every book on paphs in my library (counting over 15 Paph books plus OD and AOS articles) and every online notes on them. I have tried hot, warm, cold, temperature dips, drying, more feed, less feed, more light, less light and all advice of Cribb, Bork, Braeme, Koopowitz, Glen, and every expert I could find. Therefore the lake was the very last option 

Still they just look and me and grow with no blooms. Healthy and fat, but no flowers. I can bloom every Paph here except this one. Very frustrating!

Caveat: I did bloom one over a decade ago by chance (not by my account as it bud soon after purchase), which promptly died as I neglected my collection due to busy work schedule.

Ok so here they are, the 3 stepsisters in front. Please tell them to powder up and bloom for the ball!


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## P.K.Hansen (Dec 3, 2020)

wonderful.
I have two of them. A large mature plant and a small one. No flowers yet.


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## DrLeslieEe (Dec 3, 2020)

emydura said:


> Thanks David. That would explain why the basket has worked better.


The leaves on the flowering growth looks dehydrated. Is that your trigger? Hold water longer for weeks?


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## Guldal (Dec 3, 2020)

DrLeslieEe said:


> The leaves on the flowering growth looks dehydrated. Is that your trigger? Hold water longer for weeks?


You certainly could have read Braem, Baker and Baker, but your question seem to indicate, that you might have forgotten the content of their text concerning rainfall, humidity, rest periode, etc.
OBS. Notice it's not the excellent books on Paphs with Dr. Braem alone or with other co-authors, I'm reffering to! One of the Baker couple, I think it was mr. Baker, was a meteorologist, hence the priceless, detailed information on the climate of the habitat (it was a sad thing, that they had to stop the planned 3 volume work after vol 2, due to the death of one of the Bakers).
The 2 vols are long out of print, and might not be the easiest to get hold of. But there is a website, where you can get hold of the information by the Baker's (cultural sheets for the different species from their books). I haven't, yet, tried the site, but soon will have to for the couple of Dendrobiums in my possesion:


Culture On Demand - Orchid Species Culture Sheets



PS. Most of the above was primary meant as general Information. 
I must say though, that your 3 druryis look very healthy and very well grown. So maybe you just need to simulate the climate of the winter monsoon: cut down on the watering a bit - lengthening the interval between waterings, but mist the plants once in a while (if the plants start to show signs of stress, due to lack of water, just water), and the Bakers recommend turning up the light in this periode, just to the point of almost, but not scorching the leaves.
I think, David might have been helped in flowering by the australian sun being on its way to its fullest at this time of year. 
We so high up on the Northern hemisphere can't without some difficulties compete with that. My one time flowering of druryi came only in a year with heat wave and stark sun, that was already at its full fledge in the month of May: Paph. druryi


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## fibre (Dec 3, 2020)

Wonderful photographs!


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## Guldal (Dec 3, 2020)

DrLeslieEe said:


> Haha the lake was a joke!


Although "insane" (your own word), I'm happy to hear that not all fuses are blown!   

PPS. I hope the desperate dip in the lake was meant for the plants, and not your own good, but in this respect paphioly frustrated , impatient self!


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## DrLeslieEe (Dec 3, 2020)

Guldal said:


> You certainly could have read Braem, Baker and Baker, but your question seem to indicate, that you might have forgotten the content of their text concerning rainfall, humidity, rest periode, etc.
> OBS. Notice it's not the excellent books on Paphs with Dr. Braem alone or with other co-authors, I'm reffering to! One of the Baker couple, I think it was mr. Baker, was a meteorologist, hence the priceless, detailed information on the climate of the habitat (it was a sad thing, that they had to stop the planned 3 volume work after vol 2, due to the death of one of the Bakers).
> The 2 vols are long out of print, and might not be the easiest to get hold of. But there is a website, where you can get hold of the information by the Baker's (cultural sheets for the different species from their books). I haven't, yet, tried the site, but soon will have to for the couple of Dendrobiums in my possesion:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the details, but you may have misread my post. I said that I did try all combinations that you mentioned to no avail.

And yes I have tried the Bakers meteorological data on them as well. As much as I tried to dry them up with full morning sun (it gets the full winter sun for 4 hours, no shade, while under strong indoor lights for 12 hours), it maintains the cactus like leaves.

But, it’s only been 3 years, so I’m going to have just be patient (as you and many others suggest). Luckily I have other plants coming into bloom, so I’ll be distracted.


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## DrLeslieEe (Dec 3, 2020)

Guldal said:


> Although "insane" (your own word), I'm happy to hear that not all fuses are blown!
> 
> PPS. I hope the desperate dip in the lake was meant for the plants, and not your own good, but in this respect paphioly frustrated self!


No I meant the plants lol.
Btw have you rebloomed the druryi since?


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## Guldal (Dec 3, 2020)

DrLeslieEe said:


> No I meant the plants lol.
> Btw have you rebloomed the druryi since?


Nope, I repotted it to a bigger pot sometime after (I probably shouldn't have) - this and a mealy bug attack in the same, heatwave summer set the plant a bit back. It seems on its way to recover, though, and hopefully will have, when the next heatwave with full sun sets in!


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## emydura (Dec 3, 2020)

DrLeslieEe said:


> The leaves on the flowering growth looks dehydrated. Is that your trigger? Hold water longer for weeks?



I don't have any strategy to get it to flower. I don't make any changes to trigger it to flower. I do find that it flowers sporadically.

I have checked and every time I have flowered it, it has been either in November or December (mostly December). That is in summer when it is bright and the sun is directly overhead. I don't think it is temperature related. My minimum temps basically don't change throughout the year, although my maximums do.

I think with most orchids that don't flower, it is light related. I have read that druryi can take straight sun. Are you growing yours under lights? They look beautiful healthy plants, maybe too healthy.  Maybe try and grow it under brighter light if that is possible. Even some direct sun for a period. Maybe mine is a little dehydrated. It needs a repot. They say plants respond to stress by flowering. Maybe there last gasp effort to propagate before they feel they are about to die. Maybe you need to add some stress to trigger it to flower.


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## musa (Dec 4, 2020)

Wow, love these!!! I myself only have a seedling, sofar not doing too well. Hope in lots of years I'll give you flowerpics...


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## Ozpaph (Dec 4, 2020)

Ive heard people say lots of light. Higher than cattleyas. Yellowish leaves.


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## emydura (Dec 4, 2020)

Ozpaph said:


> Ive heard people say lots of light. Higher than cattleyas. Yellowish leaves.



It used to be naturally found in open grasslands and growing on rocks. So lots of direct light. I say 'used to' as I believe it is now extinct in the wild.


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## emydura (Dec 4, 2020)

Guldal said:


> You certainly could have read Braem, Baker and Baker, but your question seem to indicate, that you might have forgotten the content of their text concerning rainfall, humidity, rest periode, etc.
> OBS. Notice it's not the excellent books on Paphs with Dr. Braem alone or with other co-authors, I'm reffering to! One of the Baker couple, I think it was mr. Baker, was a meteorologist, hence the priceless, detailed information on the climate of the habitat (it was a sad thing, that they had to stop the planned 3 volume work after vol 2, due to the death of one of the Bakers).



I have that two volume book set by Braeme and the Bakers as well. A really nice release. Probably the most detailed book on the cultivation of Paph species around. It was a pity about the third volume not being released. It is funny, I was told a different story to you. I heard that the third volume was completed but the publishing company decided not to go ahead with its release. And as they hold the rights to it, it will never see the light the of day.


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## NYEric (Dec 4, 2020)

I have a primary hybrid Druid Spring. Not much bang for the buck in terms of bloom to foliage ratio. Thanks for sharing.


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