I agree Valhill, there are no very many growers for phragmipediums, but it is largely due to the fact that they are so water consumptive. A beginner who may water a phal or a dendrobium a little too much and kill it could give the same amount to a phragmipedium but it may not be enough to sustain it, especially Besseae hybrids which make up the majority of the plants available for market. Also as far as beginners go it is quite expensive to purchase a phragmipedium, 30-50 dollars, and the risk of loosing it is so high that they would simply not shell out the money to buy something they would only kill, toss out as soon as the flowers faded, which makes their appeal as well as profit potential severly less than that for lower maintenance plants like the phals and dendrobiums that flood the markets.
If you do start a social group then I would be interested in hearing some of your research as well as adding some of my experiences with this genus.
-Edwin
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