Paph. stonei (slow-growing)

[aerides]

I've had my Paph. stonei for four years. It's well established, good looking foliage, active roots visible through translucent pot. It seems to be growing happily but at a galacial pace. It took forever to establish itself after repotting.
It's finally spiking, or at least it's making a stab at spiking. Too early to get too excited.
I was orchid web-surfing a couple of days ago and ran across a vendor (they've been around for a fairly long time) who remarked that stonei is a specifically "hot" grower. Not warm, but Hot. So I'm thinking that's the issue with mine. My conditions are warm/intermediate, as typical, I suppose, for most homes in eastern temperate regions of the US.
With my AC, the temp in the room is around 75 in summer. Thinking about running the little space heater in there. I won't let it go much above 80 but that could help. Orchid growers - space heaters in summertime.

Make sense?

Thank you.

[Ray]

FWIW, I acquired a large, single-growth stonei from another grower not long after moving to NC in 2016. The 4 largest leaves were about 18" each.

I grew it in semi-hydroponics, outdoors (90's for both temp and humidity) under a north sky in the summer, and in my kitchen window, facing north, in the winter.

It took about 3 years to become a 3-growth plant, even with regular feeding and Kelpak applications, and that's when it bloomed for the first time with just two blossoms. It continued to add growths, and bloomed more-or-less annually, each time with 3 or 4 blossoms, after that. (That's what got me thinking about plants' resource creation and storage, and stonei seems to be a plant that wants plenty on hand.) I have since parted with it, due to my limited space and its size in a 12" pot.

I honestly don't know if keeping it warmer will be helpful, but I'd consider setting it on a seedling heat mat before using a space heater.

[Jmoney]

I have 3 mature stonei, two I have had for a few years, and one I just got because the price was too good. I have not identified these as "hot" growers. winter min for me is 58-60, and currently it's about 78F/66F, artificially set by my AC to help prevent rot.

stonei are notorious for being super slow growers but they tend to pick up the pace when they become mature, multi-growth plants. (nobody brags about rapid growth among stonei seedlings). I rebloomed my oldest stonei after only 3 years (on the windowsill), and I'm hoping for much faster results now. It almost bloomed this year (1 year since last blooming) but I think it will be blooming next year, and 2 years/growth seems about right for a big multi.

I love seedling heat mats for my phals and bulbos in the winter. Paph sanderianum also likes the heat from what I hear. may not hurt stonei but I'm not sure it's required...

[Roberta]

A caution if you use a seedling mat (likely not needed though) - it will dry out faster. That is not a problem for Phals, but Paphs HATE to dry out. So if you go that route, you'll need to be watchful. I suspect it is just being slow, which it is its nature. Patience! 4 years isn't much for multifloral Paphs in general, and this species is slower than most.

[aerides]

Ah, okay. I'll be patient, then, not push it and be grateful. I guess it should be happy in a mixed collection.
Mine is stonei "Paul Parks," purchased 4 years (and three months) ago from Seattle. (Oh, and I see that it's the pot-tag that states "hot").
Currently 20" leaf span. Four sets of leaves, plus a straight-up leaf that the spike seems to be coming up inside. One new growth, 3" tall.
If it's mature at 20", it seems far smaller than the one Ray described. I've also wondered about this, being far more compact than my Prince Edward or Lady Roth.
Thanks so much for your comments. Very helpful!

---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:31 PM ----------

Just noticed, after close inspection, that another new growth is just peaking out from the lower leaf.
No heating mat, and no worries that it's not doing well.
Thanks again!

[Jmoney]

Paul Parks is adductum x sanderianum. It's not stonei x Paul Parks is it?

[aerides]

Thanks for asking. I wondered about this also when I was looking for info on Paul Parks and discovered the hybrid that you are referencing.
As I look for more info, I wonder if it is possible that the name Paul Parks could have been given both to that hybrid and also a stonei cross.
Pls see the attached link to the plant I bought.
Paphiopedilum stonei
I would very much appreciate comments.
Thank you.

---------- Post added at 05:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:29 PM ----------

The plant tag states:
Paphiopedilum stonei 'Paul Parks'
Let's look and see! Thanks!

---------- Post added at 05:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:31 PM ----------

If you are correct and I bought a misrepresented plant, I would only be reasonably annoyed, but not excessively so.
I have not had a lasting relatiionship with the vendor in question due to another transgression, all a few years in the past.
And as we have discovered here, my plant certainly is behaving like a stonei !!

---------- Post added at 06:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:42 PM ----------

At any rate, I have a sweet little box space heater and turned it on today, not just for the stonei but general conditions. The room temp gradually rose to 81, and humidity didn't fall below 48%. That's got to be good for most orchids.
So early summer morning deployment of the heater and turning it off once it reaches that level, more or less.
it's always "fun" to try achieving that buoyant greenhouse atmosphere inside a house without algae growing in the corners.

[estación seca]

The name written as Paph. stonei 'Paul Parks' would mean it is a division of an individual Paph. stonei that was given the clonal name Paul Parks. Whether that is the correct name I don't know.

[aerides]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The name written as Paph. stonei 'Paul Parks' would mean it is a division of an individual Paph. stonei that was given the clonal name Paul Parks. Whether that is the correct name I don't know.

Right! Thanks! If it was a seedling, the tag would have listed the cross, even if it was a selfing. Also, even if the parentage wasn't listed on the tag, it "should" have been listed on the website.

If it was a division, don't paph divisions typically come from paph growers specializing in them (whether personal or commercial)? Also, aren't divisions usually advertised as such because they can go for more money since one knows exactly what one is expecting.

Neither seedling nor division was specified on the website. Might be worth a call to the vendor, just in case more info could be offered.

[Ray]

Well... best I can tell, Paph. stonei 'Paul Parks' has not been awarded.