Paph vietnamense--should I give it a try?

[Claire25]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone out there with experience in growing Paph. vietnamense would give me his or her two cents with regard to growing this orchid. I do well with Maudiae-type Paphs, but have limited experience with parvis like vietnamense. I grow indoors on a windowsill in the winter, where my Paphs get some filtered morning sun. It's pretty dry in here right now (central heating) and I don't currently have a humidifier in the room where they grow. In the summer they receive shade and copious watering (and humidity) on my back deck here in Maryland.

My specific questions are: would a bark mix with some dolomitic limestone added to it be appropriate for this plant, or could I get away with potting it in moss, as I have done successfully with most of my Paphs? (It'll be a seedling; I'm a little concerned about it drying out too quickly in the winter if it's in bark.) Also, does vietnamense require different lighting from other Paphs--specifically, can it handle any direct sunlight? And finally, how slowly does vietnamense grow? (I had a micranthum once that seemed to stay seedling size for years...would vietnamense be similar?)

Any other information on this beautiful plant would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
Claire

[slipperfreak]

Paph vietnamense is a very easy Paph species to grow. I have two seedlings which have yet to flower, but I've had them for almost a year now and they are doing well. Most sources indicate that the species likes conditions similar to P. delenatii but with lime added to the mix (so yes, adding lime to your mix will be appropriate). Like delenatii, it is an intermediate grower. Unlike most Parvis, it seems to flower freely (like delenatii) without getting special treatment in the winter. It likes relatively low light and consistent moisture, but not wetness (so really basic Paph culture). I doubt you will find it any more difficult to grow than Maudiae types. I don't recommend using moss for any Paphs, but if you have had success with it, it may be the medium of choice for you. If you don't think you can keep your vietnamense moist in your conditions, then use moss, but be very careful not to overwater! Pot in a clear plastic pot so you can observe the roots.

As far as growth speed, that will depend on the clone. Mine have been average. I wouldn't expect any vietnamense seedlings to be as slow as the average micranthum, though, based on what I've heard.

[slipperfreak]

Thought I should add: if you pot it in moss, definitely add some lime to it. This species grows on limestone in nature and it won't appreciate the acidity of the moss, especially if your water is low in TDS.

[Claire25]

Thanks for the tips, slipperfreak! And that was an interesting tip about the acidity of the moss--I hadn't considered that. I think I may eventually need to try something other than moss, anyway--it's true that once my Paphs get to a certain size (with several mature growths) I find it very difficult to continue to water correctly. Seems like bark would be a bit easier to manage...

[slipperfreak]

It all depends on your conditions. Generally, the moisture that moss provides causes a growth spurt in Paph roots. However, as time goes on the roots will usually begin to decline and rot from lack of air availability. A bark mix with peat added does a better job of replicating the natural growing conditions, I think. On the other hand, there are growers in hot and dry climates that struggle with bark mixes.