Beginner Paphs And Phrags - Orchid Board

Cattleya17 · #1 09-22-2008, 09:34 PM

hello i am getting interested in the Phrags and the Paphs! i really like the white to yellow paphs and pink to lavender Phrags! Hey can you guys give me info on growing these guys and actually list a few good beginner ones? Thank You all So Much!!!!! i cant wait to hear from you guys!!!

Sam

slipperfreak · #2 09-22-2008, 11:08 PM

Love to see people interested in slippers.

For white to yellow Paphs, Paph. insigne is the first that comes to mind. One of the easiest slipper species to grow, and a reliable bloomer. The flowers have orange, yellow and white tones, with dark spotting on the dorsal sepal. Paph Golddollar is a really nice yellow hybrid (multifloral too) that is easy to grow. For pink to lavender Phrags, I would look at the hybrids that involve Phrag besseae, schlimii and fischeri, like Hanne Popow, Saint Ouen, Pink Panther, Sedenii, Cardinale, and the list goes on. Soon Phrag kovachii and andreettae hybrids will be more available and less costly too, which will open more doors.

slipperfreak · #3 09-22-2008, 11:15 PM

Oh and as far as actually growing them... Paphs like to remain moist but not ever wet. They generally grow in a fine bark medium but there are a number of different media options. They generally like low to moderate light although the strap-leaved guys and some of the Parvi species like higher light (Parvis are the smaller plants with the brighter colored, rounder flowers). They are pretty straightforward.

Phrags generally like it very moist to wet (although some species like caudatum appear to prefer moisture conditions as for Paphs). Most Phrags are best grown in saucers of water in which the water is replaced weekly. All Phrags do much better with pure (RO, distilled, rain) water and some are quite sensitive to the chemicals and minerals in tap water. Note that TDS readings in tap water vary - you might want to check that out. Phrags are typically found in the wild growing in soil saturated with water with TDS readings 10 ppm or less. Beware that most Phrags get quite large to HUGE if space is a concern - the multifloral Paphs are big plants, too (although there aren't too many of those that are yellow to white, and the Golddollar that I mentioned is a smaller one). Finally, Phrags generally like higher light (as for Cattleyas), although the smaller species like schlimii and besseae prefer light levels as for most Paphs.

Cattleya17 · #4 09-23-2008, 05:07 PM

Paph Golddollar Is absolutely perfect!!!!!! tell me where i can get it right away!! i fell in love it as soon as i saw it! they only bloom once per growth or what? i know they are sympodials so they grow like catts in form, but the clumps are close together right? tell me some more

Ross · #5 09-23-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cattleya17

Paph Golddollar Is absolutely perfect!!!!!! tell me where i can get it right away!! i fell in love it as soon as i saw it! they only bloom once per growth or what? i know they are sympodials so they grow like catts in form, but the clumps are close together right? tell me some more

Golddollar can be a sequential bloomer like mine

You can see (sort of) the second bud at lower right. I got mine from Parkside Orchid Nursery I highly recommend them. All Paphs bloom from the mature fans produced during the current growing year. All Paphs like moisture, but not wet roots. They like a bit more water than Phals, but not as much as Phrags. I grow mine under dappled sunlight. Very bright light.

slipperfreak · #6 09-23-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cattleya17

Paph Golddollar Is absolutely perfect!!!!!! tell me where i can get it right away!! i fell in love it as soon as i saw it! they only bloom once per growth or what? i know they are sympodials so they grow like catts in form, but the clumps are close together right? tell me some more

Paph Golddollar (like all Paphs and Phrags) does bloom once per growth. When the plants get older they tend to produce several growths per season so a larger clump will have several spikes in bloom at one time. This particular hybrid produces 2-3 flowers typically per spike. The flowers are around 4" wide. The clumps are close together and a mature plant (as in one with many growths) will fit in a 5" pot. I don't know where you can get it in the US, but it isn't hard to find.