Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

Paphio niveum
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/...2f2f0bd5d9.jpg

Paphio barbatum
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/...375708e930.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/...bdbaec9c1a.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/...2a1f7e616b.jpg

these two paphios are suitable for beginner because they're relatively cheap and easier to grow/bloom compared to other paphio. In fact when I bought them, they only cost RM25 per pot.

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

That is nice slipper orchid!!! May I know where you grow them? What is temperature?

I decided not show yours thread to my wife... Else, my house sure will full of sliver!!!

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

hi casey,

i grow it in my orchid house as well, but i put it close to the floor because they only need 20-30% light intensity, if you give them more there is a tendency of the leaves yellowing and die. the most important thing about paphio is to know the original habitat. for example, niveum and barbatum usually grows in leaf litter close to rocky mountains. so, in your potting medium you have to include some mountain rock chips (i use granite chips), if not it is very hard to get them to bloom.

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

Great paphs, harris.. :) i just got 2 pots of barbatum, supposedly lowland kind... My niveum died bcos of scale attack.. sigh..

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

I think my niveum is lacking in granite chips. It's not flowering and growing extremely slowly. I grow it in perlite, rock chips and a bit of peat moss but still its' not helping I guess :glare:

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

I have a few pots of paphio and not all of them has bloom. It is quite tricky to trigger the flowering but when you managed to make it bloom, it is an achievement!

A friend of mine managed to get his paphio rothchildianum to bloom using this technique. In order to 'stress' the paphio, he made a box covered with paranet and use it to cover his paphio for 6 weeks. the cover is only opened for watering the paphio. After 6 weeks, remove the paphio from the box and expose it to 10-20% light and hopefully it will bloom.

I've tried this technique, and after 5 weeks out of the box this is the result!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/...897021b8_b.jpg

Left: barbatum, Right: Maudiae

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

Harris, your paphio maudiae is nice. Do you have javanicum as well? I have a soft spot for green flowered orchids :laugh:
Oh by the way, I got a bottle of pure calcium supplement meant for reptile consumption, as I have pet lizards. Can these be used as a subsititute for increasing the alkalinity and boosting growth and flowering other than the technique described by you as above? Just curious, please advise :)

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

Huisay.......Beautiful orchids or flowers :D.....They look so elegant

Ken

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

I'm not very sure about using calcium to trigger flowering but I understand that phosporus and potassium are needed to help blooming. That is why some people use banana as fertiliser for cymbidium! that's because banana has a high potassium contents.

I don't have javanicum yet, but it is in my wishlist together with kolopakingii, rothchildianum, jogjae and phillipinensis.

Re: Paphiopedilum/ Slipper orchid
 

Wow!!!!!Beautiful orchids.