Took the plunge, purchased my first Paph.

[Tindomul]

Hi all,

THis is the first time I have bought a Paph. I have one that my wife got me at a farmer's market, but this feels different since I did the choosing. I looked at the requirments and thought I could handle it.
Its a P. micranthemum which I hope to place in my terrarium. It will go in a ABG mix (Atlanta Botanical Garden mix) substrate. This substrate stays moist but never wet mainly due to the way I constructed the terrarium. The tank also stays cool with temps in the 70's. In the cold winter maybe the temps will go down to mid 60's at night and in the summer temps will reach mid 80's. Lots of ventilation in there too.
Anyone have any advice on this one?

Here is the plant I got, from ebay.
Paph Micranthum 2 Blooming Size Plants | eBay

[dbarron]

Ok, this is less than regurgitated swill from the internet, because *I* got my first paphs last week.

However, I did research and I think people thought that micranthemum liked a cool dry winter rest or it would tend to fade away. (this based on research for Magic Lantern).

Take that for 2nd hand rumour...and hopefully someone else has something more definite to say.

I don't know if I would have tried to order from China during the winter....but that's just me.

[Tindomul]

Doh! I didn't know about that rest period thing. That changes my plans.

[dbarron]

Hey I found something....which *lol* backs me up...imagine that.Growing Paph micranthum?

[Tindomul]

Hmmm.

Well seems as though the winter rest calls for evenly moist conditions with less watering. I can still provide those conditions in my tank. I can mist less frequently. Also the colder temps, not a problem. And brighter ligthing, I was planning on doing that anyway, so I will just do it for the winter months instead.
I think I am still going to stick it in my tank.
It can spread as much as it likes, not a problem for me. Thanks for the info. If you find anything else or anyone else with experience have advice I would love to read it. Thanks.

[dbarron]

You're welcome...I wish you luck with it. It's always the case that people's experiences vary as well.

[Tindomul]

What paphs did you choose as your firsts?

[dbarron]

I ordered Magic Lantern, Vanda M Pearson, and the vendor threw in a cross between Brown Glen 'Stonehenge' HCC/AOS x leucochilum,
I seem to prefer greatly the shapes of the parvi paphs.

[Tindomul]

Those are cool. I had forgotten that a long time ago I owned a Vanda M. Pearson. I under-watered it and lost it. But it was gorgeous when it bloomed! That was almost ten years ago now.

[dbarron]

Hee, and here I'm worrying about how much water I'm giving...I'm feeling like too much, but I'm used to dendrobiums, oncidiums, tolumnias, etc.
These wet land orchids....make me nervous...