Paphiopedilum mastersianum

[Trithor]

At least in the US hardly anyone even has this species in their collections (or not for very long) to make this observation. Is it more common in Africa?

Unless you are refering to hybrids with this species which are pretty common.

I would not say that it is common in Africa at all (Obviously the hybrids are more common, but I am speaking of the species). I spoke to Norito at a local show many years ago after I had a few plants which had started pods for no apparent reason, and he told me that a few years previously they had purchaced a number of plants of a cross with mastersianum as the pod parent and that he specifically selected the plants with lighter green foliage as he suspected that they may turn out to be mastersianum rather than the hybrid. Apparently they did flower as mastersianum. I have noticed the same on my plants over the years (not that I have ever harvested the pod and plated the seed to confirm or refute the theory).

 

[The Mutant]

I love mastersianum, and there really is no reason for it to be so scarce (in the US). Yes, it is difficult to keep alive for long, but no worse than many other paphs...and if it lives, it is not hard to bloom.

How long is long? As mentioned, I have one of these and I've had it for almost a year now (not long in other words). It hasn't bloomed yet or made any new growths, but for how long do they usually last? Do they often bloom once and then die? I just want to know so I'm prepared.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

My best one came from Paphanatics. I had it maybe 3-4 years...it bloomed the 2nd year. Of the small plants I got from Thanh, one lasted about 2-3 years before dying. The other...I'll have to check the repotting history on the tag...I've had maybe 4 years now? But its pathetic...down to 1 small leaf. While its holding steady, it will just be a slow death. If it recovers, it will be a miracle.

 

[Rick]

My first one was an import from Indonesia (I don't know if it was a collected plant). I had it for about 4 years, and it was up/down/up/down the whole time. It bloomed, and I put pollen on it from Uri Baruk's plant. Got back about 12 seedlings from TM, and haven't lost any. 2 of them bloomed in less than 3 years out of flask. Another 2 are blooming size (12-14"LS). The rest are still much smaller. But they really like basket culture and low K feeding.

The biggest ones were not all that obviously bigger when I moved them out of compot into baskets, but they really accelerated when I did that. The smaller ones went into standard 2" pots, and are moving at what I would say is the "standard rate" for mastersianum.

These guys really suffer under low humidity conditions, and I doubt that K lite or baskets would make a difference at less than 70% humidity.

 

[Rick]

I have noticed the same on my plants over the years (not that I have ever harvested the pod and plated the seed to confirm or refute the theory).

How many do you have Trithor? What's your culture like on these?

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Just checked my tag...I've had my pathetic mastersianum for 6 years.

 

[naoki]

I love this species. Any suggestions on a source?

I'm getting one (and P. violascens and many others) from Matt of Ten Shin Gardens http://www.tenshinorchids.com . For the small ones, they are $20 each. I think his paphs are from Hung Shen breeding. He is in the US this weekend (Shore Orchid Fest.), so it is too late for this round, but he comes to the US frequently.

 

[The Mutant]

Okay, good to know how long they usually survive. Let's see for how long mine will stay with us.

After I got the new humidifier it started to grow, which I take as a good sign.

 

[Trithor]

How many do you have Trithor? What's your culture like on these?

I have 15 plants in various sizes and from various sources. I cannot say that any grow very well, but they do grow and flower (if somewhat intermittantly)
I try to maintain them at very high humidity, along with the violascens, but give them slightly higher light levels, kind of midway between multi light and mottle light) This is the only group that I heat in winter. While all of the rest are allowed to go down to arround 8 degree C, these are maintained on a hotbed set at 22 degree c (They are covered over at night so their min temp at root will be about 21, while leaf temp will probably go down to about 17. Daytime temps are about 22 for roots and 27 for leaf in winter and all the above about 5 degree C warmer in Summer)
I am hoping with a higher mag and calcium level, with a much lower K level, that there will be an improvement. These are the only two species which I have not split into the test that I am running, as the hotbed unfortunately falls within the K-Lite half of my greenhouse, so i suppose it is do-or-die for them

 

[limuhead]

Interesting. I just bought a mini-compot(5 seedlings) of mastersianum on Ebay today. I think I paid 26 bucks for it. Hope I can grow them, but hey, I have killed a lot of much more expensive plants than that...

 

[paworsport]

Beautifull
I love this species for his color and long lasting
Is it really a slow grower ?:clap:

 

[Susie11]

It's very nice.

 

[Paul]

quite slow... growths can bloom in a year but plant only starts to clump now with 2/3 new growths for the first time after 3 or 4 years of culture.

needs to be grown quite warm (but not hot in the day), quite shady and quite humid. low salts is also important for it

 

[likespaphs]

Interesting. I just bought a mini-compot(5 seedlings) of mastersianum on Ebay today. I think I paid 26 bucks for it. Hope I can grow them, but hey, I have killed a lot of much more expensive plants than that...

so you won that
i kicked myself after missing out on bidding on that.....

 

[Rick]

Interesting. I just bought a mini-compot(5 seedlings) of mastersianum on Ebay today. I think I paid 26 bucks for it. Hope I can grow them, but hey, I have killed a lot of much more expensive plants than that...

Outrageously good price!!