Paph. tigrinum 'Dana'

[John M]

This plant has lost all it's roots twice in the past few years. 'Finally figured out that it likes a Cattleya type mix and not the usual finer mix normally used for Paphs. This bud began poking out of the leaves last October. It finally opened just a few days ago.

 

[eggshells]

Very nice!

 

[emydura]

That is a stunning clone John. One of the best I've seen. The petals are held so flat.

The coarser mix makes sense as this species often grows as an epiphyte.

 

[John M]

Thank you both.

David, I hadn't realized that tigrinum sometimes grew as an epiphyte. I had such trouble with it over and over. It kept getting rotten roots. Then, this chunky, very open mix of CHC, pea gravel and a lot of chopped up styrofoam peanuts did the trick and it finally came back from the brink. As the last old growth died away, a new growth (the one blooming now), came up; but, it was slow to grow at first. As new roots grew, the new growth began to grow faster. Then, last fall, about the time that the bud appeared, a new start poked up. Now there's a second start just behind the first one. So, I'm hopeful that it will be happy now and begin to clump over the next couple of years. I'm tempted to self it; but, I won't. I'll let it grow and make a few more fans first. Although, I will use the pollen on other plants.

 

[papheteer]

A great one, John!!!

 

[Ozpaph]

Those petals are outstanding!

 

[Chicago Chad]

That is an excellent tigrinum! I don't ever see these for sale at shows. If I do I will remember the loose mix made the difference for you. Thanks for the tip.

 

[cnycharles]

Nice flower, nice observation and good correction!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[John M]

Thanks everyone. I wonder whatever happened to all those tigrinums pictured on Antec Lab's website? With so many excellent quality plants to breed with, the market should be knee deep in great tigrinums by now. Does anybody know what happened to Antec? What happened to their collection? Where are all those great plants now?

 

[nathalie]

Whaou !!!!!! love !

 

[Justin]

I heard the plants in the collection were not doing well...

 

[fibre]

What a shape! This one is really great!

 

[The Mutant]

All I have to say is:

:smitten:

 

[Erythrone]

Oh my God...

Congrats....!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Paphman910]

Wow! Beautiful!
:clap::clap::clap:

 

[dodidoki]

I always amazed on men, who can let a tigrinum bloom anyway. I have one FS size, nice and strong plant and produces a new nice growth in every year, even more older growth produced a sheath in every year, but no more, always blasted.

This one is very-very nice, wide and flat petals are especially beautiful. CONGRATS!

 

[SlipperFan]

Gorgeous, John. Now I know why my tigrinum seedling didn't make. Thanks for the tip - for next time (hopefully).

 

[John M]

Thank you everybody. Even though I've had root rot problems with this clone, I've never had a bud blast. It's bloomed 2 or 3 times before, for me. The bud always shows up many months before it actually grows up and blooms. I water from above and spray with water every sunny day. I read that a lot of people have bud blast issues and they say to never get the bud wet. I get the bud wet every day. I don't think it's the water, I think it's stress that blasts the buds. I think that high humidity, intermediate temperatures, low light are part of what keeps this species happy. ....And an open, airy potting mix seems to be what's needed to keep the roots happy. They seem to like lots and lots of air, like a Cattleya.

 

[Trithor]

Great cultural insight, thank you!
Absolutely beautiful bloom, great shape and form.

 

[SlipperKing]

Excellent clone as mentioned John. (nice to see you posting your flowers again). I had the same issues with root loss with traditional paph mixes as well. I believe one of our euorpean friends posted tigers grow better in a lower pH media. I think they were using tree fern.
I shreded up tree fern to 1.0 inch and shorter, mixed it with Orchiata 1:3, Orch:TF and I'm now getting great roots. The tree fern at this size creates a web matrix which could be consider an open mix for more air. I haven't tested the drain water yet but I'm expecting it to fall around 5.5 pH.