Will cool-growing Paphiopedilums do well in these conditions?

[Kai]

I am getting a couple of species seedlings for xmas, and get to pick which ones. I really like the looks of P. Fairrieanum, and was wondering if it would do well in the conditions I grow my maudiae hybrids in. In the summer, my orchids grow outside, in a shade house. I live in N. Florida, and the temperatures outside at the hottest part of the summer are upper 90's day, low 80's- high 70's at night. They get lots of rain, breeze, and real sun. Once the temps start dropping into the 50's regularly at night, I bring the orchids in to an east facing window. The temps in the house are 70-72 during the day, and 65-68 at night. (probably a bit cooler near the window) Humidity is 45-55%. I was hoping someone with experience can answer : Will cool-growing paphs grow and bloom in these conditions, particularly Fairrieanum?

[naoki]

I haven't grown P. fairrieanum, but your condition seems to be ok. Have you seen this?

http://www.aosforum.org/pdf/Warm_Paph_Cult_1.pdf

They can grow it even in S. Florida. The temperature is very similar to my condition (I can keep RH 65-90%), and I don't have any problems with about 50 species of paphs.

Some people says that keeping P. fairrieanum for a long time (say >10 years) is not so easy, though.

[PaphMadMan]

Paph fairrieanum (lower case f for a species name) isn't especially difficult, but does have some differences from the Maudiae-type Paphs you've been successful with, as you are aware. It should survive the warm summer temps as long as it usually gets below 80F at night, but it won't necessarily be happy.

Ideally, it should get a bit more light than the Maudia-types need, but not if that will add to heat stress. Leave it outside for cooler temps than your Maudiae-types, into the 40s is fine. Probably, the longer you can safely keep it outside the better. As long as it doesn't get below freezing at night it should be fine in the somewhat protected environment of a shade house. Keep it on the dry side during this cool period, but never to the point of wilting of course. The cool dry conditions help initiate flowering. Bring it inside when you have too, and by then it should probably be ready for the warmer temps of your indoor 'spring'.

Just a thought... Unless you really have your heart set on getting this species now, you could consider one of the many fairrieanum x Maudiae-type hybrids to see how it does for a year before trying the somewhat more challenging species.

[quiltergal]

I'm growing fairrieanum in the house under lights and a southwest facing window. We keep our house a tad cooler in the winter than you. Thermostat is set at 68. but I think it's a bit warmer in the window. I've had it less than a year, but it seems to be growing albeit slowly. We will see how well it does in the future.

I can heartily recommend sukhakulii as a species that does well in warm temps. Paph. concolor and niveum also prefers warmer temps (low 90's to high 80s).

Baker recommends a max temp for fairies of 70-71F. I think if you grew it only in the house it might do OK. It needs 2000-3000 fc of light which is nearly catt light.

[Kai]

Thanks for all the good advice! Light levels are not a problem, but I think I'll take PaphMadMan's advice and try a fairrieanum hybrid to start with. I do have this romantic notion of helping to preserve nature's diversity by keeping species, but maybe I'd better practice first!

[NYCorchidman]

I don't grow species but I do have quite a few fair-maude and complex involving fairrieanum.
They grow well forming a clump like straight species would, but they do not bloom every year.

I may have different results in the future as plants get much bigger, but my observation is that after the first flowering, they want to take some time to grow into a small clump, which then they throw a few flowers, then take more time to grow and then flowers.
At least this has been my observation with my plants.

Oh, by the way, my paph collections are mainly "maudiea types" and complex paphs. I grow boths groups the same way, but try to give complex paphs a bit cooler temps in the fall and winter if I can.