Paphinia cristata

[Kmac]

I just got one of these. I know it wants warm and humid...anyone who grows these have any other words of wisdom? I'd really like to make it happy!

Kathi

[rich63]

Kathi, I do not grow these, but this might help ? I found this older posting, with information about its culture. Good Luck, Rich

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...-cristata.html

[Kmac]

Thanks, Rich!

[pavel]

Try not to let them dry out completely. They tend to resent that IME.

[zainal abidin]

Hi Kathi,
Do not grow them in the pot as depicted in the photo below ( great mistake). They dislike at roots level to wet/soggy.The best you need to mount on the drift wood as shown below with small amount of sphagnum moss covered. The habit of this species every new shoot for the mature plants will come out spikes which is pendulous in nature and you will enjoy it. Make sure give ample of light and high temperature to induce flower. Good luck.

[Kmac]

Thank you Zain, that is very helpful. Maybe I should get it out of its pot of damp spaghnum this weekend!!! It is not looking happy.

Kathi

[orchidsal]

Kathi; The best of luck with your new orchid. By the way I saw the posted picture of this paphinia cristata and it has a 'Christmas like plant' look to it. Hope it blooms soon!

[pavel]

Baskets work well too.

[Kmac]

Oh, I like the idea of a basket...I am afraid I might have trouble keeping it moist enough if I mounted it, but I don't want it too soggy either <fret, fret, fret>.

This came in a package with 2 other orchids, and was shipped from a colder area, so the grower put heat packs in it. The other two looked OK, but this one the leaves looked dried out, and his advice was to keep it warm and moist. That line between moist and soggy is a bit fuzzy to me...but I think a basket might be just the ticket. I have a very happy bulbo in one now.

It does look a bit Christmassy, doesn't it? Maybe for next Christmas. It looks like a lovely flower, and I do hope I can keep it happy!! Thanks for all the suggestions--

Kathi

[Kmac]

Ok, repotted this am. I had a special type pot that I was given as a sample, that consists of a basket inside a clear outer pot...the idea is that the roots can still breathe, but have greater humidity due to the outer plastic pot.

So, I decided this was the perfect orchid to try it on & repotted it today. The bad news is that the two leaves that intially looked looked dry & wilted, looked totally dead today. The good news is that it has 2 mature pbulbs that look healthy (but have no live leaves), and a new growth starting, which I hope will recover from the damage. And, the roots looked really great...I almost stopped & put it back into the spag when I saw them, but the spag is starting to break down.

We'll see if it likes the basket-in-a-pot deal.