Paph. parishii

[John M]

Back in the mid 90's, I had a number of specimen Paph. parishii's. Unfortunately, in the late 90's and into the 2000's, I had health issues and the parishii's took it hard. I lost all but one plant and it was reduced from a specimen to a single, weak, small growth with no roots. I met Wendy in 2002 and I think it was the next year that I was about to ditch the last remaining bit of this plant when Wendy offered to give it a try in her warm grow room. So, I gave it to her and we hoped for a miracle.

Well, it took awhile; but, Wendy did great with it over the next few years! She got it to grow roots and then a couple new growths. Then, about a year ago, maybe 18 months(?), it stopped doing well for her. It was losing all it's colour and bleaching to almost white, even though it still had it's roots and the texture was fine. It was really a mystery. However, in an attempt to save it, Wendy gave it back to me. I was back to being a better grower by then; so, I gave it a try. I repotted it and hung it up. It immediately began to colour back up and initiate new growth. Now, it's blooming again for the first time in about 12 or more years. It's got good leaf colour and a number of new growths. I know that this plant has produced as many as 9 flowers on a single stem in the past; but, I'm very happy with these 5 on this post-recovery first blooming.

EDIT: Oops! I forgot that while Wendy had this plant, it had bloomed once for her with 4 or 5 flowers on the stem. She says that they weren't as nice as these bloomes; but, then, the plant would've been smaller and not as strong. We now think that the bleaching of the colour from the leaves while in her grow room was likely caused by a combination of the intense light coming from the HID's and a bad batch of fertilizer.

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice recovery story John and a great looking flower to boot! Well worth the effect. Thanks John and Wendy!

 

[Shiva]

Lovely flowers and great story John. A story that ends well.

 

[nikv]

Simply stunning!!!

 

[Donw]

John this looks great ,wonderful substance and colour ,will now have to keep my eyes open for one for me,awsome team work lol

 

[emydura]

Great save John. Well worth the effort. Stunning flowers. Great photos as always.

I have a couple I'm battling with as well. Not the easiest species to grow. So easy to rot. I have one at the moment that looks to have a sheath deep in the crown. It doesn't seem to be developing though. Not sure if it is waiting until autumn. It is also very black in the crown. It is not wet rot but it doesn't look good. Time will tell if the sheath develops.

David

 

[jblanford]

WOW!! John great save, great plant, great story, and great pics. Thanks... Jim.

 

[pdxpaphguy]

Very nice, healthy plant, and very encouraging since one I recently purchased got some rot and lost both of its larger growths. Hope mine looks as good some day.

 

[e-spice]

Beautiful - both the flowers and the plant! Wonderfully grown. What is the pot size?

e-spice

 

[Phragalicious]

Absolutely Beautiful, Congrats...

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Great story and fantastic growing guys! :clap: What a beautiful display.

 

[Rick]

That is too cool!!!

What is the secret of your water quality!!

I think summer is the more usually season for parrishii to bloom, as opposed to seeing dianthum more commonly in winter. But with all the ups and downs who knows what its responding too.

 

[ncart]

NICE! It is one of my very favorite paphs I want to own some day.

 

[John M]

Thanks everyone!

The pot is a 5" clay and the medium is 2/3 shredded foam and 1/3 chopped Chilean Sphagnum Moss. It hangs up and gets a lot of air. It also dries out briefly inbetween each watering.

Rick, I just realized that I should've edited my story; but, didn't. Now I did. However, you've asked a question about the water quality that I mentioned in the first version. So, I'll clarify for you. When I was ill in the 90's, the plants were lucky to get watered. I had no time or energy to spend with them and observe what was going on in the greenhouse. As it happened, I had some serious issues with the pH of my water. The cistern is concrete and it was raising the pH too high. The parishii's were the first to show signs of problems and by the time I clued in that there was a real problem, all but this one had rotted and died. Plus, this one had mostly rotted too! Yes, parishii is touchy and it rots easily when not happy; whereas other Paphs will just slow down and sulk. I lost the other 9 plants, all of them 8 - 10 growths each, to Erwinia. The high pH weakened the plants and the bacterial pathogen was able to overwhelm them in their weakened state.

David, of course, it's autumn here now and this is right when this species has always bloomed for me in the past. When I had a bunch of them, the first would start somewhere in late October and the blooming season would last into the new year. Good luck with the sheath on your plant.

 

[Wendy]

John that is AWESOME!!!! It looks wonderful! :drool::drool: And I know my name is still in the pot. :clap::clap: My blooming didn't look as wonderful as this one.

 

[John M]

John that is AWESOME!!!! It looks wonderful! :drool::drool: And I know my name is still in the pot. :clap::clap: My blooming didn't look as wonderful as this one.

What parishii? Wendy who? Do I know you? oke::rollhappy: Yep. Your tag is in the pot!

 

[SlipperFan]

That's gorgeous. So, do you think it was that water quality that made it green-up for you?

 

[John M]

Dot, I believe that what made it regain a healthy green again was the fact that it got less intense light in my greenhouse than it did under Wendy's HID lights; plus, I supplement with Epsom Salts in the summer, even though the fertilizer that I use has magnesium in it already. I ust R.O. water with a little bit of fertilizer in it at all times (~1ml dry measure chemical fertilizer per 12 litres of water). Plus, about once per week in the summer and about once every 2 or 3 weeks in the winter, I spray the foliage with a weak fertilizer solution (~1ml dry measure chemical fertilizer per 1 litre of water).

 

[smartie2000]

well done! and great job photographing them.

Interestingly though I haven't rotted mine yet (even though I have rotted other paphs). Hope for blooms soon! Mine shoots out many roots, most important part of the plant.
My tap water has high pH, like in the 8 range likely.

your mix is interesting, I haven't heard of a mix like 2/3 shredded foam and 1/3 chopped Chilean Sphagnum Moss. Do you have to repot often?

 

[paphioboy]

Nice save... Parishii is one of my favourite multis.... But it really is prone to rot. I killed 2 previously...