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A little history. Sophronitis Arizona cross was made and registered by Robert Liddell. He lived in Tucson, Arizona, which is not normally associated with cool-growing genera like Sophronitis. But his operation was cooled by evaporative coolers — “swamp coolers”. This hybrid is wonderful; big and...

I’ve been using Aircone pots along with others for 30+ years. I find them superior for Paphs. 1) the slit drainage doesn’t need other drainage aids. 2) they drain fast,3) the square shape packs well, 4) easy to line seedlings in comm pots, 5) very durable — several in use for over 20 years.

Looking for a piece of Bc. (Rlc.) Miranda 'Chartreuse Queen' and Cattleya Iris.

I also let mine dry slowly in pots and store in cool, dry basement. HOWEVER, read Sarah’s culture sheet. She is an awesome, award-winning grower and major propagator. Ignore her advice at your plants’ peril. Her bagging technique saves about 95% of the space. Trade off is you need to pay close...

The ProMix I use is a Canadian product, readily available in Maryland garden centers and from Amazon.com, where mine is supplied by Ebershades in Pennsylvania. As to the Habenarioids, there are many (perhaps hundreds) small species. My favorite small ones include Habenarias xanthochila and...

I'll see if I can self the davidii. Hengduan is where I got mine. Keep trying — they're not all that expensive. Be sure to order in Autumn with Habenarias. Too late for this year's orders. I have finetia, malintana, and tonkinensis on order this fall.

Equal parts ProMix MX/Turface/Espoma Soil Perfector/coarse perlite. The granite chips you see are a top dressing to prevent washout and mix splashing on the stem and foliage, which can cause stem rot. The granite chip mulch also keeps moisture even. So, ALMOST inorganic.

One of the pleasures of a long time in the hobby (67 years in my case) is seeing once-obscure genera becoming exciting mainstream. Today, I praise Habenarias and their kin. Blooms today in Baltimore (totally unavailable or unknown in 1957) include Habenarias Bird of Paradise, davidii, and...

If KS says "Keep it," that would be a spectacular addition to the NCOS Auction September 28th, https://ncos.us/ncos-orchid-auction/

It is curious that no albiforum formas of rothschildianum have appeared given the now-huge number of seedlings out there. It's possible there is a critical genetic pathway involved where the f. album would be lethal. Just speculation. For instance, in the non-orchid world, Mertensia virginica f...

A note. We are just now getting 2nd and 3rd generation Paphiopedilum sanderianum plants. Each generation represents a selection of the best and fastest growers. Like with rothschildianum, the flask to bloom time WILL go down and ease of cultivation increase. There are roths blooming 5–6 years...

I can't imagine the cross hasn't been made, but it hasn't been registered as of today, 20 July 2024. About half the crosses registered are primary crosses, including some closely related taxonomically to helenae, so one would expect the cross to work.

Veterans of the forum are already familiar with this recent (described in 2006) addition to the Paphiopedilum corral. For those not yet acquainted with this jewel, here are some great traits of Paphiopedilum thaianum. 1. It's TINY. The photo shows a U.S. 25¢ piece for scale. 2. It's relatively...

I reported last year (July 22, 2023) on initial success with Cypripedium subtropicum growing in a well-drained mix with low fertility and cool temperatures, never higher than 75°F. cxcanh’s important observations from nature supported this culture. I am pleased to report a year later that the...

I can only speak for what works for me. Mine don't stand in water, but I keep careful watch that they don't dry out. I've seen medusa grown standing in water, but that's not my style. Sarah H. doesn't grow standing in water and she is a superior grower.

Standing in water could be tricky. Habenaria medusa grows wet in the wild and I have seen some standing in water in cultivation that got HUGE. I don't let any of mine sit in water. They are on a wire mesh bench (see photo) and get watered mostly by our Baltimore rain.

I've been growing Habenarioids for many years and have over 40 varieties (both species and hybrids) doing well now. Over half are from Sarah, Leon, and Joel. They enjoy our hot, humid Baltimore summers on a bench that gets full sun in the morning. The potting mix is roughly 1:1:1 ProMix...

I obtained a plant from Hengduan Biotech labelled as Spiranthes sinensis. I'm not up on the taxonomy of Spiranthes, but it fits the bill other than white instead of pink. It grows happily in the alpine (air-conditioned) half the greenhouse along with Chinese Paphs and Violas. Media is heavy on...

Pubescens thrives here. Native candidum occurs in Washington County, Maryland and central Kentucky.

With time under my belt, I can offer some tips for raising Cypripediums from flasklings. Most importantly, know that it is a cruel world for the little Cyp babies. Direct in-ground planting at this stage invariably gives low yields. At least a year in a protective potted environment will greatly...