# Paphiopedilum armeniacum basket culture success story



## JPMC (Oct 29, 2010)

Here is a pic of a Paph. armeniacum I received as a free-bee in 2006. It came to me in a pot and produced this pathetic flower:





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As soon as the flower faded (about 1 month which is a relatively short-lived blossom for this species that typically produces blossoms that last for 3 months) I planted it in a wire basket lined with sphagnum moss and filled with regular paph. mix (fir bark, perlite, and charcoal). The plant grew at a good pace and now has about 16 growths, 1 open flower, and 4 buds.




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I think that the flower quality has markedly improved. It measures 4 inches across:




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## SlipperKing (Oct 29, 2010)

I think you're right. It has improved. You've done this basket thing before. Question: how dry is dry before you water again? very light in weight or still fairly heavy?
I have setup the same as you BUT the wire basket came with a coconut liner and I used it. Is the coconut a bad thing?


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## JPMC (Oct 29, 2010)

SlipperKing said:


> I think you're right. It has improved. You've done this basket thing before. Question: how dry is dry before you water again? very light in weight or still fairly heavy?
> I have setup the same as you BUT the wire basket came with a coconut liner and I used it. Is the coconut a bad thing?



I never let it dry out, even in winter. Under my conditions, daily watering in the summer and every-other-day in the winter. When I did let it dry slightly in winter the buds dried up.

I took the coconut liner out of mine. I suppose that if it's thin enough the stolons can still penetrate it.


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## John M (Oct 29, 2010)

Nice flower this time! Yes, it has certainly improved. Well done!


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Oct 29, 2010)

I would think that the coconut lining would start breaking down after a couple of years and the stolens should have no problem breaking threw.


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## SlipperFan (Oct 29, 2010)

I hope some day mine is big enough to plant in a basket.


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## paphioboy (Oct 29, 2010)

Awesome..!  I like how the growths hang in mid air and manage to flower...


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## luvsorchids (Oct 29, 2010)

Very cool :drool:. Love the hairy armpits.

Susan


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## SlipperKing (Oct 29, 2010)

Bob in Albany said:


> I would think that the coconut lining would start breaking down after a couple of years and the stolens should have no problem breaking threw.



Mine has already broken through Bob one year out. Of course there could be many more trapped inside that I don't know about too.


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## NYEric (Oct 29, 2010)

Impressive. I'm waiting to get a bunch of armeniacums to try that with. I'll also try micranthum and some hybrids that way!


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## chrismende (Oct 30, 2010)

I just planted a plant with multiple growths into a plastic basket lined with sphag. It's a Paph. primulinum 'Green Elf' x P. armeniacum which makes it Paph. Golddollar, right? It will be fun to see if it begins diving through soon or mostly grows upright. The plant seemed to be begging not to be corralled into a pot...


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## biothanasis (Oct 30, 2010)

Cool!!!

Eric, I think someone here mentioned that micranthum does not do well in such culture. Well it is worth a try though! GL!!


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## JPMC (Oct 30, 2010)

I have tried my micranthum in the same basket culture method and it did not do well.


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## NYEric (Oct 30, 2010)

What happened?


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## JPMC (Oct 30, 2010)

NYEric said:


> What happened?



The plants just went into stasis and did nothing. No new runners or roots.


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## NYEric (Oct 30, 2010)

Maybe teh mix needed to be modified or the planter was too deep?


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## Kavanaru (Oct 30, 2010)

nice... I have liked this method and the visual effect it has, since the first time I have seen it here in ST... Howeevr, I have been always a bit "afraid" of trying to grow armeniacum and try the basket culture (used to grow in an apartment)... maybe I'll try it next year 

@ chrismende I have one Paph Golddollar which grows very well but makes no runners... so, I am not sure whether it would be a good candidate

on the other hand, my new Paph. Fumi's Delight makes lots of runners.. could be a good one to try... what do you think?


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## NYEric (Oct 30, 2010)

All my Fumi's Delights do is make lots of long runners!  Maybe a basket for them!!!


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## Kavanaru (Oct 30, 2010)

NYEric said:


> All my Fumi's Delights do is make lots of long runners!  Maybe a basket for them!!!



well, don't ask me what I am exactly doing with it. I have the plant since about one month and it has produced a new developing growth, 3 new runner over the pot and at least one inside the pot (I have just seen it today), and it is also starting a spike! I was expecting this plant to take a while until it gets used to my growing conditions, but I think it is me the one who needs to get used to its growing habit... (My previous Fumi's Delight stayed there for about 4 months, then it bloomed and died  )


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## NYEric (Oct 30, 2010)

Cool! Keep us posted.


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## emydura (Oct 30, 2010)

Very impressive. Both the flower and the culture.

David


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## chrismende (Oct 30, 2010)

Incidentally, I recently bought a multigrowth Vanda Pearman that has long runners, too! Perhaps I'll try that one!


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## John M (Oct 30, 2010)

Do you mean Paph. Vanda M. Pearman? That's bellatulum x delenatii. Neither of those species produce runners (stolons). So, I'd think that if you've got runners, it's likely mislabelled.


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## goldenrose (Oct 31, 2010)

JPMC said:


> I never let it dry out, even in winter. Under my conditions, daily watering in the summer and every-other-day in the winter. When I did let it dry slightly in winter the buds dried up.


What temps do you give it in winter? I would think watering it, even every other day during a 'chilling' period, 
would result in rot death.


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## Shiva (Oct 31, 2010)

Good way to grow that one. Evidence is conclusive.


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## JPMC (Oct 31, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> What temps do you give it in winter? I would think watering it, even every other day during a 'chilling' period,
> would result in rot death.



~75F during the day and ~60F at night for the winter.

I will say that I can only keep the humidity at 50-70% so that may account for the need for water.

In the summer the day temps. are ~85-90F and ~70-75F at night. It really soaks up the water in the summer.

The basket keeps the air circulation pretty good at the roots all year long.


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## goldenrose (Nov 1, 2010)

... so the lowest temps this plant gets is 60? and it blooms? Most of us are trying to hard!


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## JPMC (Nov 1, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> ... so the lowest temps this plant gets is 60? and it blooms? Most of us are trying to hard!



Are you shocked at how cold or warm I let it get?


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## goldenrose (Nov 1, 2010)

Surprised is more like it. One would think with natural habitat being in the low 40's in winter, that there needs to be a 'chilling' period. My winter nighttime low in my GH is 55, daytime minimum 70, if what works for you will work for me (crossed fingers) it really wouldn't need any special treatment!


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## JPMC (Nov 1, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> Surprised is more like it. One would think with natural habitat being in the low 40's in winter, that there needs to be a 'chilling' period. My winter nighttime low in my GH is 55, daytime minimum 70, if what works for you will work for me (crossed fingers) it really wouldn't need any special treatment!



I see. It's probably the most rapidly growing paph. I have. The only things it wants are the temps. I mentioned above plus lots of fertilizer ("weakly weekly" with 125-150 ppm of a urea-free fertilizer) and 1/2 day of sun. In every way similar to a cattleya except that it wants more water.


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## dodidoki (Nov 1, 2010)

JPMC said:


> I see. It's probably the most rapidly growing paph. I have. The only things it wants are the temps. I mentioned above plus lots of fertilizer ("weakly weekly" with 125-150 ppm of a urea-free fertilizer) and 1/2 day of sun. In every way similar to a cattleya except that it wants more water.



Very interesting... I had two armeniacs, I killed both in very short time....they were grown as a "regular" paph: shady, with more humidity as the usual e.g. with catts. I will try it another way in future, as you mentioned....I read a very interesting article about species: in China, where it grows, many farmer feed their pigs with paph. armeniacums. Pigs love its fat, tasty leaves...brrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Nov 1, 2010)

I would think that the constant evaporation would cool the plant. That said, the only time I ever got an armeniacum to bloom, was after a very warm summer and fall...so warm that no complex paphs bloomed. This was on a collected plant that I had for at least 12 years prior to bloom. Of course it died the next season.


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## spujr (Nov 13, 2015)

I was just wondering if anyone had any more updates on their experience with this? Curious to know how often they get repotted?

I recently transferred my armencian and micranthrum to one, moss on the outside about 2 inches thick with standard paph bark mix in the middle. I removed the coconut fiber that came with the basket.

The micranthrum is holding out ok so far. I think I need to water a little more since my GH conditions are similar in temps and humidity as the poster with success. 
Here's a picture shortly after transplanting:




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## Justin (Nov 13, 2015)

yes you should water these plants heavily.


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## spujr (Nov 13, 2015)

Also forgot to ask, if there is a particular time of year when you see the most active growth?


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 14, 2015)

Yes, with this set up, you will have to water a lot. 
Good luck! 

Both species grow during the spring & summer in the wild as winter gets too cool. 
Under cultivation, they may grow whenever unless cold winter is given.


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 14, 2015)

spujr, I wish you luck with this. I tried it not with a basket like that but rather one of those black net baskets that had small openings. I first let it hang and I felt it was doing well, and then it started going backwards and now has gone from 5 or 6 growths to one and a start. I did move it and put it under some vandas so now it gets misted every day but only watered when I water the whole greenhouse. It seems to be holding it's own but not progressing. I'll sacrifice this plant and just let it go. Maybe it just needs time, however it has been in the basket for a year now. Only change is now I don't water it so much as it gets misted.


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 14, 2015)

It might be suffering from underwatering?
I'm not sure how heavy your misting is not the frequency of watering your greenhouse, but misting might not be enough especially in the warmest months in such an open set up?


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## Ozpaph (Nov 14, 2015)

my plastic net basket parvis are doing really well - I think, wet, wet, wet is the answer.


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## spujr (Nov 15, 2015)

Yes, I noticed with my misting system the basket gets dry quickly so the water is not soaking all the way through. Thus, I placed the basket under one of the mister nozzels that drips water for an hour after I turn off the mister. It seems the basket is holding better water now.

I'm a bit cautious about watering these plants (or any plants too heavily). I've lost too many due to rot. In fact, I lost my previous armeniacum this way but looking back I believe it was due to not changing the medium earlier. With the extra water, I'd imagine the media will break down sooner than normal and one would need to keep an eye on it....


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## JPMC (Dec 18, 2015)

spujr said:


> Yes, I noticed with my misting system the basket gets dry quickly so the water is not soaking all the way through. Thus, I placed the basket under one of the mister nozzels that drips water for an hour after I turn off the mister. It seems the basket is holding better water now.
> 
> I'm a bit cautious about watering these plants (or any plants too heavily). I've lost too many due to rot. In fact, I lost my previous armeniacum this way but looking back I believe it was due to not changing the medium earlier. With the extra water, I'd imagine the media will break down sooner than normal and one would need to keep an eye on it....



It's very difficult to over water these plants when grown in this way. I think that you'll notice that the plant may require top dressing of media as it grows. Don't be afraid to do this. The plant will grow right through it. Indoors, I water daily in the summer and every other day in the winter with ~50-70% humidity.


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