A Bit Disappointed

[DweamGoiL]

I ordered a Paph Spicenarium from an online vendor based out of CA. I researched online reviews and believed this was a good choice so I made the arrangements and received my plant a few days ago. When I opened the package, I was very disappointed. The plant was in rough shape. There were dried up mealy bugs in the foliage, some spotting on the leaves, some of the leaves had been crudely cut to ward something off, there were lots of holes in the leaves as if the plant had fallen victim to some pest, etc.

I took it out of its 4" pot and found the roots were mostly rotted. There were 2 viable roots that did not disintegrate when I gently handled them. I soaked the whole plant in Physan 20 for a good bit. I also discovered a green root, which I had never seen on a Paph before. I am hoping that this is something similar to air roots on Phals...I dunno.

I repotted the treated plant in a clear 3" pot in an Orchiata based mix with styrofoam peanuts as a bottom layer. I am hoping it pulls through, but this was not what was advertised. I even asked the vendor before he sent it to me and he said it was a very nice plant

These pictures were taken after I pruned (it had so many leaves with black crotches), treated it, and repoted it. It now looks like a different plant, but I am not quite sure if it will survive with hardly any roots:





Please wish me luck! Any tips offered will be much appreciated. And if anyone has an idea about the green root, it's halfway in and out of the media.

[jeremyinsf]

Can I ask what you paid for it, and where you got it? Also how many of those growths appear to be new vs old?

In general, spicenarium is a very vigorous grower. Once it gets on track it should recover OK. I suggest you add something like kelpmax for the roots. Mine does great with lots of bright light and grows fast in part because of that. So don't be shy on that if you can!

[DweamGoiL]

I don't want to bad mouth any vendors on here so if you must know I can PM you just FYI. I paid $30 + shipping for it so I was expecting a healthier specimen.

As far as growths, it has 2-3 well established fans and it looks like 2 more are coming in. It's a bit difficult to tell since it's so crammed together, but it definitely has new clean healthy growth.

I did feed it liquid kelp yesterday, how often should I give it the kelp vs. just regular watering? The pot it's in now is so small, it dries up between 1-2 days depending on how hot it gets.

[jeremyinsf]

I respect that! I live in Cali though, so I'm curious. Please do PM. I understand you aren't badmouthing.

spice grows... crammed! As in, it almost comes in uncomfortably. On mine I've seen two old growths with not even enough room for them (imho), and then another new one popping in between and forcing it's way in. I think this is in part to show what a vigorous grower it can be.

Kelp is a once a month (or maybe more, but not much more, perhaps every 3 weeks) kind of thing. It's for the roots, so stay on it over this growing season and give it good light, and the plant should bounce back OK. But don't over-do it or you will kill the plant. Five total growths isn't too bad, all things considered, especially if you can get the roots back on track.

A little time, TLC, and maybe some blooming this winter, and you might just feel better!

[DweamGoiL]

As long as it doesn't die on me or infest my other plants with something...it's all good!

[tucker85]

The plant doesn't look too bad. Hopefully it will grow some roots quickly and recover. I only have a few paphs but they seem to be pretty hardy orchids. I wish you the best of luck with it.

[bellini girl]

Hang in there, stick with what you're doing and hopefully you'll be rewarded. :goodluck

[DweamGoiL]

Oh no!!! today I saw evidence of mealy bugs. There must have been eggs on the plant. I haven't seen any adult mealys just yet. I treated it with alcohol and dishwashing soap. Tomorrow morning, I will make sure to shower the leaves well to wash them off. Time to kick some mealy butt!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Regarding the green roots on your Paph spicerianum, I really don't know the answer to this one. I'd have to spot some in-situ pics, or actually find some in the wild to know why they would have green roots.

All I know is that not all Paphs are lithophytic or "terrestrial". Some Paphs are actually epiphytic.

Paph villosum is an example of an epiphytic Paph. The photo evidence is in the book "Wild Orchids of Myanmar, Volume 1: Last Paradise of Wild Orchids" by Dr. Yoshitaka Tanaka, Nyan Htun, and Tin Tin Yee.

Although the text out there I see for Paph spicerianum says that they either grow as a lithophyte or a terrestrial orchid, it may not be the entire truth.

However, I have seen, (and do own), lithophytes and a few terrestrial orchids that have green roots as well.

Everything I've said so far unfortunately, all comes back to, I don't know why the roots are green.

I can point you to something else interesting...

I found an article that talked about green roots in terrestrial plants that were in the "Sunflower Family", (Asteraceae) and the "Nightshade Family", (Solanaceae):

http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/101/2/363.full.pdf

Why is this relevant to orchids?

This article may not be addressing orchids directly, but it does address green roots. Green roots are clearly an evolutionary advantage to some of the largest families of flowering plants in existence. And this may have had something to do with some significant environmental event in their evolutionary past that gave plants with this trait an edge in survival. What that historical environmental event is, I have no clue whatsoever.

In terms of the advantage, it should be evident that the advantage is 2 sources of food production.

1. The leaves.

2. The roots.

[DweamGoiL]

thanks, will definitely check out that article!