Cultural differences - green vs. mottled leaf Paphs.

[shakkai]

I have a problem that I can't seem to figure out. Given my cooler growing conditions, I had thought that green strap leafed Paphs would be easier for me to grow than the mottled leaf types. In practice, all of the mottled leaf types have been doing really, really well. new growths, spikes, the lot. However, the only Paphs that have died on me have been the green leafed types - and the others don't look all that great either. Of the group, only three seem to be doing as well as the mottled leaf ones: a charlesworthii, fairrieanum and a seedling St. Swithin.

My question is: what other conditions should be different between green leafed and mottled leaf types, besides temperature? There has to be a reason that I'm not doing well with the green leafed ones!

I know that the green leafed types like higher light, so they are closer to the window. What else can I do?

Any ideas?

[slipperfreak]

Just how cool are your conditions? Are your cool temperatures coupled with high humidity and little or no air movement? That could cause some rot in your plants. You should be able to grow strap-leaved Paphs with mottled-leaved ones under the same conditions without any major problems, but as a general rule, intermediate temperatures are best. It sounds like what you are doing with your lighting should be fine.

[Ross]

I have my strap leaf green ones next to the mottled leaf Paphs and they get the same treatment. It gets down to a bit below 60F at night in the winter. I run two fans to keep the air moving. They all bloom just fine in the spring/summer.

[shakkai]

Thanks for the responses. I just don't know what it is then...

The plants that I lost didn't rot, they didn't grow very strongly at all and eventually they started losing leaves.

As far as temps go, overnight lows are not very low - even in winter - but daytime highs are not very high, even in summer. Humidity is pretty high most all of the time. Air movement is quite good.

Maybe it was my watering? I was watering them all the same. Do they need to dry out faster than the mottled leaf types? Or stay more moist? Or is this just the same? I can easily adjust this with the size of the bark chips, I think, if that's what I need to do.

Maybe its just in my head, but it seemed odd that the only ones that I have that have died off and the ones that just don't seem to be thriving are all green leaved. Though as I said, there are a couple that seem fine: St. Swithin (young seedling), charlesworthii, and fairrieanum seem to be fine and growing as well as the others.

My barbigerum, and two other seedlings: Moustache and Susan Booth, are the ones that seem to be struggling.

[Ross]

Did you fertilize? Just a thought.

[slipperfreak]

Originally Posted by shakkai

Thanks for the responses. I just don't know what it is then...

The plants that I lost didn't rot, they didn't grow very strongly at all and eventually they started losing leaves.

As far as temps go, overnight lows are not very low - even in winter - but daytime highs are not very high, even in summer. Humidity is pretty high most all of the time. Air movement is quite good.

Maybe it was my watering? I was watering them all the same. Do they need to dry out faster than the mottled leaf types? Or stay more moist? Or is this just the same? I can easily adjust this with the size of the bark chips, I think, if that's what I need to do.

Maybe its just in my head, but it seemed odd that the only ones that I have that have died off and the ones that just don't seem to be thriving are all green leaved. Though as I said, there are a couple that seem fine: St. Swithin (young seedling), charlesworthii, and fairrieanum seem to be fine and growing as well as the others.

My barbigerum, and two other seedlings: Moustache and Susan Booth, are the ones that seem to be struggling.

Watering should be basically the same for all Paphs: stay moist but not wet. The strap-leaved kinds usually grow in larger pots though and thus should be grown in medium grade bark as opposed to fine grade.

Ross pointed out the use of fertilizer, and I agree that if you don't fertilize you could be slowly losing plants that way. So I also ask: do you fertilize?

[shakkai]

I use the same fertilising regime on all my Paphs and Phrags. Green Jungle at each watering and flushing with plain water once a month.

Do green leafed Paphs use more food than mottled leaf types?

Joe, my strap leaved ones are just little seedlings, so they are in small pots and in seedling mix.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by shakkai

I use the same fertilising regime on all my Paphs and Phrags. Green Jungle at each watering and flushing with plain water once a month.

Do green leafed Paphs use more food than mottled leaf types?

Joe, my strap leaved ones are just little seedlings, so they are in small pots and in seedling mix.

Seedlings are handled same way as mature plants. Keep up the fertilizer. These guys normally grow along streambanks in tropical regimes. They are typically wettish but not sodden. They get their nutrients steadily from the soil and detritus buildup around the roots. My answer is to stick with a steady diet of fertilizer, such as 125ppm Nitrogen Greencare (MSU) mix or equiv. Then watch to be sure roots aren't rotting. No difference between strap leaf and mottled leaf Paphs for me.

[quiltergal]

I'm doing pretty much the same as Ross. I only have 2 of the strap leaved varieties, Paph. henryanum and Paph. hirsutissimum. I know the latter will get quite large but I just couldn't resist. Both are small seedlings and both are in fine CHC mix. I fert weekly with 125ppm MSU. All the Paphs are under T5s. I haven't bloomed any of the strap leafs, they're still too little but they seem to be growing well. Temps are probably intermediate to warm.

[shakkai]

Thanks again! I will keep an eye on them and possibly try moving them to another window to get even more light. Their leaves don't look dark, though, so I assumed they were getting enough...

I guess it could just be the individual plants... since the St. Swithin that is doing well is the same age as the Moustache and Susan Booth that aren't, and they should really all need the same things.