What's Everyone's Experience with Paphiopedilum vietnamense?

[Happypaphy7]

I suspect it is nothing like delenatii and more like other parvis? haha
Please include your growing conditions in detail so this will be educational for all.
Thanks in advance!

 

[NYEric]

Don't get me started!

 

[abax]

By all means, get started Eric. We'll be more educated and entertained.

 

[Justin]

I grow them in Orchiata mix. They like a lot of water. I killed several over the years, but have a couple from Taiwan circa 2014 that grow robustly.

They are difficult to bloom well. Mine usually blast or the flower does not fully open. Form is poor. I still love them

 

[Paph Paradise]

This species can be a bit of a pain. They are subjected to a very wet monsoon in the summer, but they grow on limestone cliffs so they are never sitting in water. The winters are dry, but cool enough to provide heavy dew. We like to give them good drainage and extra calcium in the mix in the form of crushed oyster shells.
Paph vietnamense may appreciate beneficial microbes. I know someone who used a mycorrhizal product and grew a huge clump of growths. Then he couldn't find the product again and the plant went backwards. Ours grow and flower well, but never keep the old growths for too long. I suspect they are dependent on their association with mycorrhizae in nature and we can't quite replicate that.
Dave

 

[Guldal]

I can only chime in with the experience, that the first vietnamense I had in bloom died (it was a first time bloomer, and I should probably have cut it immediately after I took the photo). RIP:

 

[chris20]

I killed one rather quickly—also a Ho Chi Min. Delenatii does well for me.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Thanks for the input, everyone!
Keep it coming!

 

[Happypaphy7]

I killed one rather quickly—also a Ho Chi Min. Delenatii does well for me.

I have tried quite a few HCM myself and find them easy just like delenatii. Amazing what delenatii can do!

 

[Happypaphy7]

I can only chime in with the experience, that the first vietnamense I had in bloom died (it was a first time bloomer, and I should probably have cut it immediately after I took the photo). RIP:
View attachment 35616

Did you get this one when Orchid Inn travelled to EU or did they export to you??
It is a nice flower. What a shame it died on you!
By the way, I don't believe in cutting the flower off. At least you got to enjoy the flower while it lasted. Imagine you cut it off and the plant died anyway? Yikes!!

 

[mSummers]

This species can be a bit of a pain. They are subjected to a very wet monsoon in the summer, but they grow on limestone cliffs so they are never sitting in water. The winters are dry, but cool enough to provide heavy dew. We like to give them good drainage and extra calcium in the mix in the form of crushed oyster shells.
Paph vietnamense may appreciate beneficial microbes. I know someone who used a mycorrhizal product and grew a huge clump of growths. Then he couldn't find the product again and the plant went backwards. Ours grow and flower well, but never keep the old growths for too long. I suspect they are dependent on their association with mycorrhizae in nature and we can't quite replicate that.
Dave

Do you remember what type of mycorrhizae product your friend used? I’d like to try that if I can find another supplier.

 

[hamiltons]

I can only chime in with the experience, that the first vietnamense I had in bloom died (it was a first time bloomer, and I should probably have cut it immediately after I took the photo). RIP:
View attachment 35616

Sad story, similar to some of my own sad stories about Orchids that died, especially vietnamense, it can be a tough cookie to deal with, I have had a number of them too, with varying success, this one looked very nice Guldal, and I can see that you grow in Greenmix toomy success rate has improved a Lot since I began with this Media more than 25 years ago, I have a vietnamense now from Popow thas has survived 2 years now from seedling so I am hopeful that it will maybe Bloom eventually...PS: Guldal IT would still be nice if you send me a private message

 

[lori.b]

It's like a teenage girl! (Which I once was.......) With that said, I've had my vietnamense since 2013 and I got it to bloom quite easily twice in the early days. Then it became extremely temperamental. I repotted it in Orchiata/perlite/pumice/charcoal a couple years ago and it's been bouncing back slowly. It's watered regularly year round and I now fertilize mostly with MSU/CalMag.

 

[Cklinger]

I have a seedling a couple years old and a compot in seedling size orchiata, perlite, and charcoal. I’ve learned from the seedling that I need to keep it more wet than anything else I seem to have. I use K-Lite as well but they’re all doing quite well!

 

[Suchortomena]

In April around 12 years ago I bought a P. vietnamense on an orchid exhibition in the Palmengarten in Frankfurt Germany. The plant was, with several other species (mostly without label), that all were in bad condition (damaged leaves, no flowers or buds) on a bargain bin. As I saw the broad leaves I was convinced to know what it was. Costing only ten Euros, the plant was very cheap, so I took the risk. At home I planted it in a mixture of coarse pumice, charcoal and bark and placed it on the windowsill (southwest exposition northern hemisphere) next to my other plants. A new grow emerged three to four months later. Around two years later, the plant flowered for the first time. Since then, this plants flowers regularly around every two years (two years ago with three flowers, this year with one flower). I have transplanted it only twice in the meantime, always in the same mixture. Since then, this plant produced several capsules (mostly hybrid pollination).

I have sown these seeds on a coarse mixture of pumice and pine bark, that I first sterilized in zip log freezer bags (in the microwave), then infected with soil particles from other pots where orchids germinate, after some months of resting to let the fungus develop its mycelium. It usually does not work with all bags, but with my restricted space, I get enough seedlings. They can stay in the bag for around two to three years.

In my personal experience the species is not difficult at all. As I have experienced so often, the main problem in successful culture of Paphiopedilum is to eradicate pests like Tenuipalpus pacificus and Brevipalpus spp. These mites are present in so many professional cultures where they are held down so that they cause only minor damage. When such a plant comes into a new culture (especially where the air is drier), these pests explode and destroy. Because of that, every new plant in my culture is put into a sealed bag, poisoned and stays there for at least four months.

All the best,
Ralph

 

[Suchortomena]

 

[Happypaphy7]

I have a seedling a couple years old and a compot in seedling size orchiata, perlite, and charcoal. I’ve learned from the seedling that I need to keep it more wet than anything else I seem to have. I use K-Lite as well but they’re all doing quite well!

It might have a lot to do with the climate also? Parvis in general occur in the area where they go through cold winter and cool to vaguely warm summers based on what I have read about their habitat info.
Nothing beats good growing conditions.

 

[Happypaphy7]

In April around 12 years ago I bought a P. vietnamense on an orchid exhibition in the Palmengarten in Frankfurt Germany. The plant was, with several other species (mostly without label), that all were in bad condition (damaged leaves, no flowers or buds) on a bargain bin. As I saw the broad leaves I was convinced to know what it was. Costing only ten Euros, the plant was very cheap, so I took the risk. At home I planted it in a mixture of coarse pumice, charcoal and bark and placed it on the windowsill (southwest exposition northern hemisphere) next to my other plants. A new grow emerged three to four months later. Around two years later, the plant flowered for the first time. Since then, this plants flowers regularly around every two years (two years ago with three flowers, this year with one flower). I have transplanted it only twice in the meantime, always in the same mixture. Since then, this plant produced several capsules (mostly hybrid pollination).

I have sown these seeds on a coarse mixture of pumice and pine bark, that I first sterilized in zip log freezer bags (in the microwave), then infected with soil particles from other pots where orchids germinate, after some months of resting to let the fungus develop its mycelium. It usually does not work with all bags, but with my restricted space, I get enough seedlings. They can stay in the bag for around two to three years.

In my personal experience the species is not difficult at all. As I have experienced so often, the main problem in successful culture of Paphiopedilum is to eradicate pests like Tenuipalpus pacificus and Brevipalpus spp. These mites are present in so many professional cultures where they are held down so that they cause only minor damage. When such a plant comes into a new culture (especially where the air is drier), these pests explode and destroy. Because of that, every new plant in my culture is put into a sealed bag, poisoned and stays there for at least four months.

All the best,
Ralph

Ralph,
Thank you for photos and the detailed info regarding your experience with the species.

I also find those annoying flat mites a potential major problem. Parvis with the unique colors on their leaf underside, it makes spotting the presence of the flat mites very difficult about 8-10 times smaller than common red spider mites) unless one takes a very close look and knows what they are looking at.
Often, it is when the infestation has progressed quite a bit.

 

[Cklinger]

It might have a lot to do with the climate also? Parvis in general occur in the area where they go through cold winter and cool to vaguely warm summers based on what I have read about their habitat info.
Nothing beats good growing conditions.

Very true. In my enclosure it reaches around 68-70 F in the winter and around 82 F in summer, they seem to be doing well

 

[Paph Paradise]

Do you remember what type of mycorrhizae product your friend used? I’d like to try that if I can find another supplier.

Sorry, I don't know what it was. Some sort of a powdered formula. Thanks to the pot industry there are many of these preparations out there at hydroponics stores now. I plan to do a trial with a few of them when I find the time. Just be careful as the liquid ones usually create a very acidic solution. We buffer them with potassium hydroxide.
Dave