How do you grow your bellatulum ?

[reivilos]

Hello,

I'd like to share a few observations on bellatulum.
I grow indoors, and they are my fastest growing paphs.

I notice they don't like to much light, and requires high humidity and heat.
Under 18°C they do nothing.
Last winter (early January) I put them in saucers above my heater (20 °C).
I haven't fertilized any.

Those in the above pic are from different strains and different producers.
Here is what happened ever since:
- First one was given to me last November almost dead, with many roots but a single 1cm leaf. I put it in coir.
- Second is a Cam's Cloud. It started a new growth.
- Third is a bellatulum I got in Jan 2011. It started a new growth. Mix of perlite, charcoal, bark and sphagnum.
- Forth is the bellatulum I posted a while ago. It's starting a new growth while the flower is wilting.

Olivier

 

[Erythrone]

Well...

I must say I grow indoor and that my bellatulum is my slowest growing Paph...

I give it more light than for many Paphs et don't put it on the heating mat... like the other..

OK. I think I should change a few things...

 

[atlantis]

Thanks for your cultural info. Reivilos

I´ve taken some good notes.

 

[cnycharles]

do you think niveum likes the same conditions? thanks

 

[SlipperKing]

I grow mine in S/H. It went from 1 or 2 growths to 8. It hasn't rebloomed but it ain't dead either! It has been in this pot (cup) for 2 years, I probably need to knock it out and see whats going on down below.

 

[Stone]

Oliver, do you have them sitting in water all year?

 

[The Orchid Boy]

I grow mine in a 2" clear pot and I've only had it a few months but it's putting out a new leaf. And is doing well. I let it dry out more than my other paphs. I put it in a clear pot with about 1 part charcoal and 1 part bark. In a clear pot I know exactly when to water.

 

[reivilos]

Niveum I don't know I don't have any yet.

Actually they're not sitting in water, there is leca at the bottom of the pots.

 

[Dido]

do you think niveum likes the same conditions? thanks

they dont need any special things, they are one of the easyest kinds I have.
Only bark and sun like other kinds, maybe on the cooler side in winter.

 

[Trithor]

Niveum and bellatulum obviously do not grow under the same conditions as gogefroyae. My gogefroyae (ten plants) grow well, while my bellatulum and niveum sulk and get smaller each year?

 

[Stone]

Niveum and bellatulum obviously do not grow under the same conditions as gogefroyae. My gogefroyae (ten plants) grow well, while my bellatulum and niveum sulk and get smaller each year?

What min temp do your godefroyae recieve?

 

[Trithor]

I only heat my greenhouse on a few nights in mid winter. The air volume in it is quite large compared to surface area, so the temps remain above 12 degrees until the early hours, with the occasional dip to around 5. So I only heat when we have a forecast of a strong cold front moving in. I went to go and see bellatulum in the wild a number of years ago, and was amazed how cold it was at around dawn. It was definitely not T-shirt weather. Over the 5 days that I was in habitat, I would say that three of the mornings were below 10 degrees. I would have to check my journal to confirm exactly what the temperature was ( incidentally virens was a surprisingly similar situation)

 

[Stone]

I only heat my greenhouse on a few nights in mid winter. The air volume in it is quite large compared to surface area, so the temps remain above 12 degrees until the early hours, with the occasional dip to around 5. So I only heat when we have a forecast of a strong cold front moving in. I went to go and see bellatulum in the wild a number of years ago, and was amazed how cold it was at around dawn. It was definitely not T-shirt weather. Over the 5 days that I was in habitat, I would say that three of the mornings were below 10 degrees. I would have to check my journal to confirm exactly what the temperature was ( incidentally virens was a surprisingly similar situation)

Thats interesting. Quite cool for godefroyae! Tell us more about the bell habitat. Light, tree cover, soil, whatever you can remember. And which country? Time of year?

 

[Trithor]

Thats interesting. Quite cool for godefroyae! Tell us more about the bell habitat. Light, tree cover, soil, whatever you can remember. And which country? Time of year?

I realy dont believe that an occational dip in temp adversely affects the plant. I am not saying that they like it, just that it does not seem to affect them too much. Also the temp dip is not for a long time. Just like they can handle high temps if they are well watered and have good humidity, they handle the converse with the opposite conditions, a bit dry and lower humidity.
Over the years of growing, I have tried to plan family holidays to areas near paph habitat, and so while my family enjoy the beach or other touristy attractions, I head off to the mountains/habitat for a week or so. I have visited habitat of concolor, bellatulum, niveum, barbatum, purpuratum, rothschildianum, virens, stonei, philippinense (4 different locations), appletonianum, javanicum and lawrenceanum. Unfortunately after all this there are a number amoung these that I still am unable to grow correctly. I am aware that part is because I am unable to replicate the habitat required in my growing area without affecting the whole collection adversely. I think it is about averages, unless you can afford to set up a whole range of environments.
As far as bellatulum goes, I do remember it being very chilly as I had neglected to take a jacket with me as the valley temps were in the high 20s at night. I will have to dig out my journals and look for the details of that particular trip. I was thinking of working on a book, but after all my transparencies (medium format 6x7) were destroyed in a burglary some years ago, I gave up on the idea.

 

[goldenrose]

I have read that if you can't give bellatulum a temp drop evenings it's going to struggle & probably be a goner.

 

[Trithor]

I have read that if you can't give bellatulum a temp drop evenings it's going to struggle & probably be a goner.

That is interesting, it definitely goes against what I experienced in the habitat. Perhaps someone else who has visited bellatulum habitats can give us some input. I think if I remember corresctly, Holger was in the same area at about the same time? I must loof for one of Birks books and see what he commented.

 

[goldenrose]

right from Birk's book-
"TEMPERATURE: Prefers cool end of intermediate house.
BLOOMING REQUIREMENTS: Needs cool, dry rest in March. Will not bloom if grown too warm, and in fact, may cause ultimate loss of plant when grown in warmer conditions, especially at night.
HABITAT: found on east or west facing stony outcrops, at 1100 - 4300 feet, ....
CLIMATE: ..... Temperatures range from winter high and low of 90 to 52 and is summer, 98-70.
COMMENTS: This mottled-leaf species needs to be grown cooler than many other paphs. While it can tolerate warmer days, it needs to be cool at night to stay in good health. " ......

 

[Trithor]

Ahhh, I need to go back to school and learn to read, or perhaps I just need glasses. Sorry I misread what you had replied ( thought if you gave it cool evenings, it would die) very dim, sorry Rose. Yes when I spent a week stumbling around looking for bellatulum, I was quite surprised how cool it got at night. Some years after that I had a similar thought concerning virens. I had always thought that mottles were warm, but although they do grow low and warm, they also grow high and very cool. You would almost think they were a separate species.

 

[Rick]

Niveum and bellatulum obviously do not grow under the same conditions as gogefroyae. My gogefroyae (ten plants) grow well, while my bellatulum and niveum sulk and get smaller each year?

Kind of funny to hear since we've been shown some pics of godefroyae growing within eyesite of niveum on the same islands in Malaysia.

Most all the brachies are limestone growers, but bellatulum is restricted to inland habitat while most of the others (at least some populations) can be within spray distance of ocean water.

When I was growing high K, all the brachies I played with were either boom and bust or slow/burnouts regardless of all the light/temp regimes I tried. Since low K all the same species I tried in the past are much easier faster. I also have some thaianum seedlings growing at a good rate too.

Note that Oliver is getting good results not fertilizing at all. I think it was Quiet Australian who had great P. concolor results fertilizing only for the warm/wet quarter of the year, and then not at all for the rest of the year. Slipperking is growing low K.

I think brachies are actually pretty adaptable to a lot of environmental conditions, but not good at handling Ca/Mg/K imbalances.

 

[Rick]

CLIMATE: ..... Temperatures range from winter high and low of 90 to 52 and is summer, 98-70.
COMMENTS: This mottled-leaf species needs to be grown cooler than many other paphs. While it can tolerate warmer days, it needs to be cool at night to stay in good health. " ......

90 and 98 are "cool"?

I always consider "dracula cool" as never exceed 80