Paph druryi

[DirGo]

In my "new member Introduction" BrucherT asked me about my druryi's, so here we go... To be honest, they are a challenge, some years they will accept any bug, pest or desease around as if they were magnetic. They loose vigor and need time to recover. Then suddenly they grow like crazy and flower. I still haven't found the golden trick. What I find intriguing is that this species seem to develop some waxy very sticky brown substance near the base of the leaves. Not sure if this is a good or a bad sign. Anyway, I have two plants, both have flowered.

first plant
April 2013 (front and side) , poor photo's / nice shape
February 2020 after a few aborted flowers/years flowered again (front) poor shape / nice photo... I prefered the 2013 combination


second plant
May 2021 (front, then front and side exactly one week later) amazing how much last minute reshaping this flower made.

 

[P.K.Hansen]

Such a beautiful paph. I'm surprised I haven't killed mine yet.

 

[JustinR]

Well done with your druryi's!. I've also got a pair that I bought as seedlings about 10 years ago, they are still seedlings. They seem to be both hard to kill and equally hard to get them growing well. Last year I switched to a more moisture retentive medium which they seem to prefer in my conditions. They also seem to be a bit fussy about when they get repotted.

 

[richgarrison]

you guys are both scaring me and validating past experience... bought a hobby flask from Bill @ woodstream... lost them all...

just received a pair from Bill based on his last mailing (i believe these are from the same grex i already killed out of flask ;-) )

we'll see... good roots and some brand new roots coming on ...

Any hints to culture? looks like similar conditions to my fairieanums... maybe warmer..

 

[Ozpaph]

I think they like dryer

 

[Karp60]

May photos are my fav.

 

[DirGo]

you guys are both scaring me and validating past experience... bought a hobby flask from Bill @ woodstream... lost them all...
just received a pair from Bill based on his last mailing (i believe these are from the same grex i already killed out of flask ;-) )
we'll see... good roots and some brand new roots coming on ...
Any hints to culture? looks like similar conditions to my fairieanums... maybe warmer..

Hi Richgarrison, I don't think my culture is ideal but if I learned anything over the years, it's never let past experience (your own of from someone else) scare or stop you from trying and learning. Every plant has it's own genes and it's own tolerance to culture. My two plants get exactly the same treatment and they respond very differently. As explained above one plant took me 7 years to reflower, so I am sure my setup is not the best for this specific species but I have to find a setup that works for "most" Paphs in my collection. As I grow in-house it is moderate, never really cool like ideal for fairrieanums. I keep watering all year round but maybe let them dry a bit faster. I achieved that by poking a few more holes in the plastic containers compared to my other Paphs. I think best advice I can give is to measure your parameters (e.g. light in PPFD, fertilzer in µS, temp etc.. and compare that with others who also measure) then make only minor changes to your culture and change only one parameter at a time or you will never know what had good or bad impact on the culture. I read you are growing new roots... for sure you are on the right track, don't make any drastic changes, wishing you all the best!
(PS: My druryi's receive light: 70-80 µmol/m²s for 10hrs; MSU type fertilizer at 250-350 µS every watering, sadly my home temp has limited day-night variance - 16-18°c winter minimum to anything between 23-38°C as summer maximum)

 

[GuRu]

Dirk, you grow two nice P. druryi. I'm impressed how the second flower changed its shape within one week.
I own one, too and it grows well at the moment but doesn't show any signs of a sheath so far.

 

[richgarrison]

Hi Richgarrison, I don't think my culture is ideal but if I learned anything over the years, it's never let past experience (your own of from someone else) scare or stop you from trying and learning. .....

thanx for all that especially the moral support.

we'll see how these new test subjects work out...

 

[hamiltons]

Denne P.druryi er P.druryi "Fredensborg" fra Hans Christiansen, orkidegartner i Danmark, en dygtig præmieret ven fra Fredensborg i Danmark som har fået opkaldt klonen efter sig

 

[TropiCool]

I had a seedling I could well have named "Cheshire Cat" for its steady shrinkage towards some uncertain vanishing point. I re-potted into pure basalt chips (also known as 'trap rock'). Seemed to like that. It's heading the other way now, gaining size, the leaves are very strong and it has a healthy glow to it. Still a seedling, so the jury is out in terms of eventual flowering. So far though, massive improvement.

 

[hamiltons]

Paplum druryi "indian beauty" from Popow, Germany...

 

[BrucherT]

I had a seedling I could well have named "Cheshire Cat" for its steady shrinkage towards some uncertain vanishing point. I re-potted into pure basalt chips (also known as 'trap rock'). Seemed to like that. It's heading the other way now, gaining size, the leaves are very strong and it has a healthy glow to it. Still a seedling, so the jury is out in terms of eventual flowering. So far though, massive improvement.

Wow. Pure rock eh? This makes sense to me given the in situ pics. What are your other conditions? Greenhouse or home? Thank you.

 

[TropiCool]

Wow. Pure rock eh? This makes sense to me given the in situ pics. What are your other conditions? Greenhouse or home? Thank you.

Home, east window, receiving good morning light. That was 'then', in NW Europe.
Recently moved to the Mediterranean region of Spain (Alicante), and so far it's outdoors under shade cloth, SW exposure. Still looking strong and happy.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I feel for everyone here. My druryis are finicky, growing some, then receding. It's a constant battle lol.

 

[BrucherT]

I feel for everyone here. My druryis are finicky, growing some, then receding. It's a constant battle lol.

Am I correct in thinking it sounds like druryi is or will soon be functionally extinct? That’s why I went for a flask…8 survivors so far…

 

[cnycharles]

I’d read that it likes sunny, hot and ‘dry’ like a cattleya
Meaning give it full water, airy roots, mostly dry before watering

 

[BrucherT]

I’d read that it likes sunny, hot and ‘dry’ like a cattleya
Meaning give it full water, airy roots, mostly dry before watering

I’m using full-sized/coarse bark with charcoal and large perlite. Today I see new leaves! It’s scary to let tiny seedlings dry out but it’s working (after 2/3 of them didn’t make it through the first month. Sigh.).

 

[cnycharles]

I’m using full-sized/coarse bark with charcoal and large perlite. Today I see new leaves! It’s scary to let tiny seedlings dry out but it’s working (after 2/3 of them didn’t make it through the first month. Sigh.).

I can imagine! (Letting dry) basket culture with moist breeze and letting get barely moist I think is good from culture info. I had a nice adult druryi I won in auction of deceased owners plants a number of years ago. In my plant stand setting it was in coco husk chip + other in a plastic net pot and it was happy until I had to move a few times and scale entered the scene

 

[BrucherT]

I can imagine! (Letting dry) basket culture with moist breeze and letting get barely moist I think is good from culture info. I had a nice adult druryi I won in auction of deceased owners plants a number of years ago. In my plant stand setting it was in coco husk chip + other in a plastic net pot and it was happy until I had to move a few times and scale entered the scene

I am sorry for your loss! I think we must really protect this taxon in culture. I probably shouldn’t have tried it but I’m giving it my all. I’m surprised about scale killing it…I haven’t lost any plant to scale. No matter how bad the infestation, I just keep attacking until I’ve killed it. I’m guessing yours was sucked dry?