Best potting medium for paphiopedilums?

[smartie2000]

the Scultz brand will work fine for paphs. It is a small mix. However it has very poor quality bark in it that rots quickly which may be unsuitable for other orchids, especially catts. I do have a few paphs in that stuff, including my Paph magic lantern that is in bloom.

I have noticed Cloud's orchids have their paphs seedlings in mixes that have two layers. A very fine mix that is something like perlite and peat on the bottom and then bark on top third.

Beware of sphag. Sphag and paphs can cause rot or small root systems. I put magic lantern in sphag and medium bark and rotted a few roots (and I was only watering once a week too). I bought a paph insigne that was planted in all sphag on eBay and it had almost no root system. And the seller even thought she was selling a good plant. After I replanted it in bark mix (I believe its was also scultz brand) its has grown many roots and now I can't pull it out of the pot. ....just waiting for it to bloom, maybe this fall perhaps. I've heard of some sucesses of sphag and paphs, but I think one can achieve a stronger root system using a better draining medium.

Now I mix fine bark, coconut chips and husks, perlite, a pinch of peat together for the paphs and I add some lime too for paphs. I believe the maudiaes don't need the lime though, as well as delenatii