Paph. Claire de Lune 'Edgar Van Belle' in s/h?

[soobie]

Anybody have experience with Paph. Claire de Lune 'Edgar Van Belle' in s/h? I'm getting one next week and am considering potting it into s/h.

I've had paphs in coarse bark in the past and had a hard time with them drying out too fast, and in fine bark and then had problems with them rotting. Bark in general makes me nervous, and I usually prefer sphagnum. I've never done s/h before, but have some supplies coming from Ray and am eager to try it out. I read all the s/h threads and it seems like paphs generally do well with this method, as long as the other pieces (light, temp, ferts) are in place.

I also have a random NOID mini-phal rescue that's just starting some new roots that I'm going to try, just 'cause. I'll just have to watch the temps on that one, because my house is cool in the winter.

So anyway, moral support and advice for a s/h newbie is appreciated. I just don't want to kill my Claire de Lune!

[Fairorchids]

I have no experience with S/H, so no comment on that.

You can grow Paphs in almost any orchid mix, as long as you adjust your watering to the mix. With sole exception of Brachys, Paphs should not be allowed to dry out, but they should not be continuously soaking wet either.

Yes, it is impossible to grow Paphs well in all coarse bark. I would not use an all fine mix either (except for small seedlings). I use a mix with both fine and medium bark nuggets + charcoal & coarse perlite. In the greenhouse this works very well with:
Twice weekly watering from March through October, and
Weekly watering Nov-Feb.

Before I got greenhouse space, I used a spaghnum/bark/charcoal mix, for mature plants in approx 5:2:1 ratio. This required watering every 7-10 days in winter, and twice weekly in summer.

[PaphMadMan]

I don't have much experience with S/H, but Clair is a tough vigorous old lady and probably a great choice for a first try. And not irreplaceable, since EVB it is certainly one of the most widely distributed Paph cultivars. Go for it.

A note on the name of this classic hybrid... There is no e in Clair.

[Ray]

ANY plant can be grown in S/H culture, if the rest of your conditions combine with it's unique properties to provide the conditions the plant needs.

That said, I have yet to find a single paph that does not do well in that culture method. In fact, paphs were the first plants I experimented with when developing it, and they did so well that it encouraged me to experiment with others.

[mtorchid]

I've had a Paph Maudiae in s/h for almost 3 years in the same pot, it thrives and blooms every year. I do keep it more on the moist side to the point where moss has moved in.

[soobie]

Thanks everyone!

[NYCorchidman]

Your clone is a very famous and probably not the cheapest one around, isn't it?

While it is a strong plant, I wouldn't try it on s/h as not every orchid does well in such set up.
I would grow it in bark or other conventional mix for a couple of years and then once have a division, maybe try one piece in s/h.