should I keep any of these?

[abax]

As a relative newbie to Paphs., I like them. They aren't perfect, but what
is? BTW, I have a greenhouse and can find room for them. The ST auction
idea is a good one too.

 

[Linus_Cello]

I'll open a can of worms- are they virus free?

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Linus, how can a person look at a paph. and determine if it is virus free? Going further with this, what symptons would make one suspect of it being virused?

 

[orchid527]

I have not tested these yet for virus, but I will if I keep them. They appear to be young plants, so they are likely virus free. I have found virus in a paph before, but it was from a grower who has mostly phals and was probably infected during repotting. I was quite surprised when it tested positive and repeated the test just to make sure. Generally speaking, I think it is pretty safe buying small paph seedlings and flasks. If that were all I every purchased, I wouldn't bother with testing. However, this is not the case. Mike

 

[bullsie]

Try this, keep them for a spell to see if you do like them. If you don't, then as mentioned by several, donate to the ST auction. You will have time to decide and will surely know by spring shipping of new plants whether they 'fit in' or their space taken by more desirables.

 

[phraggy]

Very nicely grown paphs.
I like them all.

Ed

 

[quiltergal]

I'm not really into Mauds but if I had to keep just one it would be the vini.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I wouldn't worry about virus. Paphs have fewer virus problems than other orchids, and any virused paphs are going to be old clones that have been around for a long, long time. I think King Arthur may be virused, or another one of those old line reds. But Maudiae seedlings? No worries.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Linus, how can a person look at a paph. and determine if it is virus free? Going further with this, what symptons would make one suspect of it being virused?

There are kits that allow one to determine if a plant does carry a virus. Sometimes it does show up in the leaves (streaking in leaves and sometimes flowers). There are many strains of virus (Cymbidium mosaic), and a criticism of the kits is that they don't show all of them (of course virus mutate, so there are new viruses). Virus can be transferred by pests but also people and leaves touching infected plants and transferring the virus to an non-infected plant. Virus is more commonly found in orchids like phals since these are meri-stemmed (the original mother-plant tissue had a virus). But again paphs can get virus if it got infected from another plant that had virus (again through contact or pests transferring the virus).

 

[goldenrose]

Heck if space is an issue, put all three in the same pot. It maybe a smaller footprint that way.

So true! :rollhappy::rollhappy: I like that suggestion the best!

 

[emydura]

Linus, how can a person look at a paph. and determine if it is virus free? Going further with this, what symptons would make one suspect of it being virused?

My understanding is that you will never be able to look at a Paph and tell if it is virused. They don't show any physical symptoms. You would have to test them which is completely impractical on your whole collection. You would only do it if you really suspected a plant is virused. I'm not sure why you would in this case.

 

[Linus_Cello]

My understanding is that you will never be able to look at a Paph and tell if it is virused. They don't show any physical symptoms. You would have to test them which is completely impractical on your whole collection. You would only do it if you really suspected a plant is virused. I'm not sure why you would in this case.

Yes, there is a very small chance that this paph has a virus, but if it does, it could spread to your whole collection. I was saying this as one possible criteria (is it virused or not) to decide whether to keep the plant or not.

 

[emydura]

Yes, there is a very small chance that this paph has a virus, but if it does, it could spread to your whole collection. I was saying this as one possible criteria (is it virused or not) to decide whether to keep the plant or not.

Yes, any plant that is virused has to be tossed out. Even your prize FCC awarded clone.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Yes, any plant that is virused has to be tossed out. Even your prize FCC awarded clone.

Well theoretically you could keep your virused FCC clone with other virus plants (though the viruses may be different, and there are additional infections).

One possible reason for keeping your FCC virused clone (someone please correct me) is that the virus is not passed through via the pollen (but can be passed through the pod parent). Use this prized pollen for cross-breeding before tossing it?