My first Paph!

[terracotta7]

Congrats on an excellent purchase! That is a beauty! I sure wish we had Trader Joe's around here...I see so many nice ones on OB that people have found there!

Then again...maybe it is a good thing that I have to be more purposeful and mindful about what comes in...my family already complains about my "jungle"!

I have a feeling that this won't be your last paph!!!!!!

[jetflair]

Hehehe - I doubt it will be Trader Joe's is a double-edged sword ....stunning, cheap plants in bloom, with occasional treats like this. But usually packed tight in cheap moss with mold and rot already formed.

I've only lost one so far, with another right now that I give a 50/50 chance of making it, and this one, which may or may not. But they require immediate first aid.

Still - I'm looking at my first two plants from a reputable grower right now and knowing they won't bloom until next year ....immediate gratification is nice.

I'll post pics of the new potting level in a while so you guys can opine on whether I've got it right

[jetflair]

Okay, here are the topped off photos - what do you think?

Also, guess who got a second paph?

[jetflair]

I made an early morning TJ's run and scored their only Paph ....and it's a stunner! This one was in pretty good shape, too. The stake was moldy and the moss around it molding too, but the roots look just fine.

Any idea what it is? I'm getting maudiae from a google search. The bloom is 4 1/4" wide and the price was 7.99.

Does it look like I potted it at the right level?

[My Green Pets]

Yes it's a very pretty maudiae type, well done!

[Paphluvr]

The depth looks good. Are you potting in straight LECA? Never tried growing them that way but it would probably be impossible to overwater.

The new addition is nice, too.

[jetflair]

I'm doing semi-hydro - so they are (inside the decorative outer pots) in plastic containers with reservoirs in the bottom. If I had time to water once or twice a day, I'd probably mount them rather than use LECA.

[jetflair]

I was back at TJs this morning, and while I didn't get another orchid, there was another exactly like my first white one there and it actually had a tag: (Paph. Ang-Thong var. Alba "In Charm" x Nivium var. "Pathana"FCC/HOS) x Paph. Niveum "In Charm" BM/TPS.

What do the letters on the end mean?

[NYCorchidman]

I was going to say I'm with Kim, but you found the tag.
This is the most commonly available brachy hybrids.
They show up in supermarket or florists.
I bought a few from a large batch at a florist a couple of years ago. I bought two more from a large batch earlier this year as well.
You did goo buring the base of the plant.

The acronym at the end of the plant name in the single quotation marks are awards.
BM - Bronze Medal, TPS- Taiwan Paphiopedilum Society.
FCC- First Class Certificate. HOC- I think it is AOS but the ink on the tag must have been scratched off. American Orchid Society.

The second one is most likely Paph.{[(makuli-curtisII) x Maudiae] x Maudiae'Napa Valley' HCC/AOS} x Sib.
This is also very commonly available at stores along with darker version which is almost always Paph. Supersuk "Eureka" AM/AOS x Paph. Raisin Pie "Hsinying") x Sib. This is shortened up as Hysing Alien. I love this cross. Highly variable and many nice flowers.

By the way, unless you see actively growing white root tips, switching to SH method might not work well, but you never know.
I'm interested to see how they do in such set up.