Paph. armeniacum

[JPMC]

Amazing! Another question: what is the medium in the basket? What did you use to line it? Thanks!

I used sphagnum moss to line the basket and a mixture of 1/3 fir bark (fine grade) 1/3 perlite and 1/3 charcoal.

 

[JPMC]

Thanks for this cool link!! very helpful; still 1 question: how many growths did the plant have when you potted it into the basket? I imagine that a 1 or 2 growths plant would get lost in that mass of media !? Jean

The plant had one or two living growths with 2-3 dead stolons rotting in the pot. I placed a 1 growth plant in another basket 3 years ago (you can see part of it in the picture). I just now counted the number of growths on that plant and it's up to 15.

 

[SlipperFan]

That's an amazing plant.

I see in the other thread, you wanted to take it to Ann Arbor for judging. If you want to do that this time, I can give you directions. Or you can get info from their website: http://www.gljc.org/ If you click on Education Seminar, you'll see that AOS judging begins at 1:00. Also, there's a link to a map on that page.

 

[JeanLux]

... I placed a 1 growth plant in another basket 3 years ago (you can see part of it in the picture). I just now counted the number of growths on that plant and it's up to 15.

that's amazing, thanks!!!! Jean

 

[Pete]

That is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

im with mark. absolutley remarkable culture. by far the best cultivated plant of this species i have ever seen.

sorry, but just to clarify... you just potted it with a typical potting mix, into the basket that was lined with sphagnum and let it go?

 

[JPMC]

im with mark. absolutley remarkable culture. by far the best cultivated plant of this species i have ever seen.

sorry, but just to clarify... you just potted it with a typical potting mix, into the basket that was lined with sphagnum and let it go?

That's correct. Every few years as the mix rots and falls out of the bottom of the basket I top dress with another inch of typical paph mix.

 

[JPMC]

That's an amazing plant.

I see in the other thread, you wanted to take it to Ann Arbor for judging. If you want to do that this time, I can give you directions. Or you can get info from their website: http://www.gljc.org/ If you click on Education Seminar, you'll see that AOS judging begins at 1:00. Also, there's a link to a map on that page.

Thank you for the link. I think that I'll wait for next season's flowers since this year there were so few.

 

[Pete]

i imagine that with a plant that size your are going to be seeing more of a prolonged flowering period, stretched out over 4-6 monthes while peak blooms open at once might not be more than 4-5?

 

[JPMC]

i imagine that with a plant that size your are going to be seeing more of a prolonged flowering period, stretched out over 4-6 monthes while peak blooms open at once might not be more than 4-5?

That's been the norm for the past 5-7 years. There's a flush of flowers in November and December that last for about three months when the second flush of blooms starts. This year, most of the effort seems to be for vegetative growth rather than flowers.

 

[SlipperFan]

That's been the norm for the past 5-7 years. There's a flush of flowers in November and December that last for about three months when the second flush of blooms starts. This year, most of the effort seems to be for vegetative growth rather than flowers.

Then the next flowering should be spectacular!

 

[JPMC]

Then the next flowering should be spectacular!

From your keyboard to God's ears.

 

[penangirl]

=great job, how many plants did you start with?
= what type or strenght/duration of lighting are you allowing/utilizing?
= what is your fert/watering regimin. what ferts are you using?
when i get home from active duty i hope to still i have 4 bs americanums .if its ok with you i will be borrowing your culture..please help with the cutural particulars

 

[JPMC]

=great job, how many plants did you start with?
= what type or strenght/duration of lighting are you allowing/utilizing?
= what is your fert/watering regimin. what ferts are you using?
when i get home from active duty i hope to still i have 4 bs americanums .if its ok with you i will be borrowing your culture..please help with the cutural particulars

Sorry for the delay in answering this:

I started with one plant. They grow VERY rapidly this way so don't put more than one plant per basket.

I grow it under "Cattleya" light. Basically 1/2 full sun, but I use T5 flourescent lights for supplementation since I don't have a greenhouse.

I use a urea-free fertilizer "weakly weekly". The Green Jungle product from Orchids Limited has worked well.

 

[Mrs. Paph]

Ok, I've thought of just one more question for you, which is maybe answered somewhere, but I couldn't find it - what is the weave/mesh structure of the basket like? Is it just a few widely spaced loops of wire going up the rim like some you see for bedding plants lined with tightly woven coconut husk fiber? I would think the weave of that fiber would need to break down quite a bit to allow a stolon to get through, thus you use moss to line the basket instead, but how large are the gaps in the basket that you're able to keep the media in with the moss until it gets to the point of really breaking down and falling out the bottom? I looked at some hanging baskets at Walmart awhile back, and couldn't imagine sphag holding potting mix in it! I need to get this right, b/c I have a good feeling I just Must order an armeniacum when it gets a little cooler for shipping this fall

 

[Berrak]

Fantastic plant - really great growing

 

[JPMC]

Ok, I've thought of just one more question for you, which is maybe answered somewhere, but I couldn't find it - what is the weave/mesh structure of the basket like? Is it just a few widely spaced loops of wire going up the rim like some you see for bedding plants lined with tightly woven coconut husk fiber? I would think the weave of that fiber would need to break down quite a bit to allow a stolon to get through, thus you use moss to line the basket instead, but how large are the gaps in the basket that you're able to keep the media in with the moss until it gets to the point of really breaking down and falling out the bottom? I looked at some hanging baskets at Walmart awhile back, and couldn't imagine sphag holding potting mix in it! I need to get this right, b/c I have a good feeling I just Must order an armeniacum when it gets a little cooler for shipping this fall

The baskets I use are the same ones sold in the stores (Walmart, Home Depot, etc.) with coconut fiber linings. I just take out the liners and replace with long fibered sphagnum, The interstices of the basket are about 1 1/2 inches and the moss holds just fine. I've noted that they get cheaper in autumn and I've found some great deals in the dollar bin. That should match the change in shipping conditions for the plant.

 

[paphioboy]

I sure wouldn't mind having an armeniacum like that just for the leaves, even if it doesn't bloom under my conditions..

 

[Mrs. Paph]

I've noted that they get cheaper in autumn and I've found some great deals in the dollar bin. That should match the change in shipping conditions for the plant.

Exactly what I was thinking! Either in August when it get too bloody hot to keep many bedding plants alive in baskets the price should go down, or when it starts to cool off and less devoted plant people stop thinking about buying hanging baskets and other garden supplies! Even patio furniture at Lowes, etc. tends to go on sale really early in our area, again I suspect due to the heat making it uncomfortable to be outside to enjoy it. Thank you for the specs. I think I have long enough fibered moss to do the trick with that size, but I'll check to be sure Before I have a plant on my doorstep needing potting!