In the begining............

[mayres]

I'm with Connie! Totally confused about how our growing projects are supposed to be organized. The hybrid and the species projects appear to be one by name and another by plant (I thought Fred was going to re-arrange BOTH by plant?). Also initially I thought we would all carry on through the same thread instead of each having our own within each plant sub-thread? Anyway - since three of you have started your own paph thread I will follow suit and then maybe Fred can combine them if that is the way to go?
My paph was delivered on 3/28/08 and remained as received until I repotted it into a slightly larger pot today in bark and perlite (with a touch of charcoal). Pics of partial unwrap, fully unwrapped, depotted plant with roots and repotted plant follows:

[PhalPal]

What IS going on now and what should we be doing?? And Where?

[brookn]

Well, I would really like my amboinensis thread back so I can post my repot. I have been considering redoing it.

Mike the plant looks nice and happy in it's new bed.

[mayres]

I've noticed a couple of posts lately of spicerianum's spiking so I figured I better look at mine and see if anything is going on? I have had all my paphs outside for the past 4-5 months underneath my Mt. Fuji flowering cherry and not really paying attention to what they were doing. This is my first summer of trying this and the vote is still out as to whether this was smart or dumb. I brought them in just a few days ago. The downside of being outside is that I tend to just spray them with the hose in a hurry and don't give them any individual attention. They also had had a few issues with dealing with slimy critters.
Anyway - after bringing them all in and placing them in various locations in the house 3-5 at a time - before the current rainy/cool period - I finally decided this morning to see if there was "anything" interesting happening. I'm happy!

[patlee]

Congrats, Mike, on the new growths and buds... Kat and I were just saying the other day that we think we pamper our chids too much They seem to do really well with group attention as opposed to individual TLC. Unfortunately, I'm not brave enough to try that route

Send us pics when you have the new blooms!!

[articuno75]

You couldn't have treated it as bad as you say Mike or it wouldn't be rewarding you. I can't wait to see all of these guys bloom.

[kmarch]

Whoray!!!! a paph spike!!!

[digitalgate]

OOOoooooo, flower on its way.

[patticake]

Yay !! Another spicerianum bloom on the way!

[tizzycat]

Fantastic Mike, I'm eagerly awaiting the next round of pics. As you know, mine is Spiceranium var Giganteum but still a long way to go to catch you up.

[mayres]

As someone else noted - painfully slow blooming process! Two weeks later the bloom spike has pushed up about a half inch!

[Sharyn]

Perfect pic Mike! That's what I was trying to explain in another post. Mine is much smaller and it's taking soooooo long to grow a bit. I look forward to seeing yours in bloom. I think our friend Joe posted a picture in bloom so we could all see what it looks like. It's really a beauty.

[PhalPal]

YEAH Cangrats Mike!!! Mine was about your size before I even noticed it and it took forever to open. It is fully open now but my card reader on my printer is MIA so we need to go out and get a portable card reader so I can post a pic. Technology - Drats!!!

[mayres]

Boy......another two weeks later and still no flower........things are looking up though...........


Maybe ANOTHER two weeks and I'll hopefully have a flower to post?

[mayres]

Well........little "spicey" has now been open for nearly a week - and BOY WAS IT WORTH THE WAIT! Love this little guy!

[kmarch]

Well done mayres! Happy Paph Day!

[patlee]

Excellent job, Mike. My very first cross of spicerianum is in bud now. I will have a long wait, I suppose, but I am so looking forward to the bloom. Yours just adds to the anticipation

[patticake]

Congratulations! It's perfect, too! (unlike mine) Nice job!

[Sharyn]

Good job. It's such a beautiful flower. I may get a lot older waiting for mine, but if it looks anything like yours,
it will be worth the wait.

[articuno75]

It's wonderful! I love the the little eyes and purple nose that it has.

Awesome growing and congrats!!!

[mayres]

Well.......
Its been another month and "spicey" is still doing well!
Is everyone else's still blooming beautifully too?
Here is a pic taken yesterday with a new complex that I purchased a few days ago - it has a dimple in the pouch that I'm hoping will disappear on the 2nd blooming?
Paph Shapeley Carlene 'Guacomole' X Paph Limerick 'Hillsview'

[fred]

absolutely breath taking Mike
thank you for sharing with us

[kmarch]

Your new complex has stunning potential!!! It's SO ROUND! that's fantastic. It has problems like the dented pouch but then next bloom will probably not have that dent. It's a FANTASTIC find!!!

[evagentry]

Very nice, and the photo shows the contrast between the two well.Good growing on the spicerianum.

[PhalPal]

Great picture Mike!!! My spicey lasted about six weeks. Unfortunately, I was gone for about five weeks of that time!!! I lovelovelove this little flower; it has been a great first paph for me. Encouragement is NOT good......gives me a good excuse to buy more.

[kmarch]

I just noticed another thread about a blooming spicerianum. Late autumn/early winter must be the flowering time for these guys! We'll all have to remember that!

[mayres]

I have another spicerianum at my office that is currently starting to spike - was hoping that they would be blooming at the same time - but not likely unless the current one lasts a Loooooooong time!
This one is Paph spicerianum 'Candor Big Top' HCC/AOS X Spicerianum 'Candor' HCC/AOS. The bloom is considerably larger than our Oak Hill species plants - will post when it blooms.

[articuno75]

Your pic of the Paphs remind me of the Lion and the Mouse. The Spicey looks like it could be swallowed by that other one.

They're gorgeous, even with dimples.

[jerrymeola]

I always see a large number of spicerianum on display at the Sarasota Orchid Show the first week in January and saw some for sale a couple of weeks ago.

It seems to be a definite Christmas bloomer. One even flowered for me last Christmas and I am horrible with Paphs.

[PhalPal]

I have my eye out for a much larger one; if anyone sees one please let me know. I would just love a spicey with multiple spikes and I'm too impatient to wait for the Oak Hill baby to grow.

[mayres]

I now have another "spicey" blooming - my 2nd paph ever purchased - a young seedling way back in October of 2005 - spicerianum 'Candor Big Top' HCC/AOS X spicerianum 'Candor' HCC/AOS. I think I like the greener color and slightly larger size better than our project plants - though I like them both. What do you all think?
First a pic of the overall plant back on January 6th

Next the flower last Friday night after work (plant has sat in my windowsill at work facing NW for the past two years).

Lastly a closeup "inside".

[patticake]

Awesome bloom! It's "heftier" than mine, for sure. mine bloomed a little "wonkie". It amazes me on how different these blooms can be, even within a species. That bloom is fantastic!

[evagentry]

Marvelous photo, I love that fur!

[PhalPal]

Beautiful Mike!! I just love the spiceys and recently ordered two more, one a species and the other a cross that will have a mystery flower. If it has spicey in it I am sure I will love it.

[wickidgrrl]

wow, that's a pretty one mayres! is that a mini paph? Do they only grow one flower at a time? I have never had a paph, but these pics make me think i need to get one soon!

[mayres]

This is a smaller than average paph - you could grow it in a teacup for quite awhile if you get a young seedling like this one. Each fan has but one flower as it matures. Eventually, as the plant matures, it may have multiple fans maturing simultaneously and each fan could be blooming near the same time - so I'm hoping years down the road to have multiple blooms at once - but it does take patience to get to that stage! YES! I think you should definately get one, or two, or three! Give them a try! They are delightful little plants and very easy to care for.

[mayres]

Thought I'd share a pic of my office "spicey" as of this past weekend. Same plant as just noted above that was blooming in January/February earlier this year.

[patticake]

Nice, Mike! Mine's doing better this year, also.

[trinigirl]

Very nice looking blooms, the plant sure is nice and healthy looking!

[RMW]

Very nice. Thanks

[Schlyne]

Very nice! This is definitely the time for these guys to be blooming, we had two or three of them in the show this past weekend. I"ll have to get one of them in the future.

[Sharyn]

Mike, that's awesome! You really have the magic touch

[amersault]

i love the Spiceys! between Paphs and Phals, Mike is king. i'm STILL waiting for my Paphs to rebloom. good growing, Mike!

if i rebloom your Poinsettias will you rebloom my Paphs??

[mayres]

That sounds like a great deal to me - though I fear you would do better than I! Is your poinsettia red yet? It is amazing to me to think that poinsettias are the #1 potted plant in the US waaaaaay ahead of orchids. And to think probably 99+% of them are treated like cut flowers.

[amersault]

my plant of last year is still going strong. i have to move it to the dark part of the house so it gets a numbered amount of light. after that, i can expect to see the red by Christmas.

and yes, i still have that poinsettia of last year - bigger and better this year, i think

so - wanna trade??

[mayres]

I came back from lunch break yesterday and a co-worker showed me a few pics that he had taken of my plant - didn't even know that he liked them - but he does in fact find them fascinating (Two blooms open now and the third is just starting to open).....

[mayres]

I was going to take a picture of my spicerianum that I purchased for the forum project today and before I knew it all the daylight had left me! Determined to get a pic regardless I snapped one off using the flash! The "spicey" is a much smaller flower than my previous plant that I had obtained prior to this project - I'll post a few more pics of this flower's triplets after my project plant flower as well. How is everyone elses doing this winter???

Here is my other plant spicerianum 'Candor Big Top' HCC/AOS X self


Inspection

[Olive Cook]

The last pic with your cat is priceless!!
beautiful blooms throughout the thread!
What is the name of the one in the 11-25-2009 post? I love it

[mayres]

The 11-25 post was the same plant as the triplets posted in the last few - just taken from a different angle.
Here is another pic taken of these plants from behind - almost as nice as from the front to me at least!

[Olive Cook]

oh, ok, the tops just looked different to me

[orchidlover55]

How beautiful, and I do really like the kitty

[PhalPal]

Really beautiful Mike!!! I just love the spiceys but I have now killed two. Gonna try one more time with a bigger specimen.

I love your kitty pic....that's a common occurance at my house.

[mayres]

Don't give up on them yet Connie - they are such nice plants! Have you come to any conclusion as to what the problem "may" have been previously?

[PhalPal]

Mike we have talked about this before and I'll have to go back and see what you and all the other geeks advised. I think the plants were just too small/young and didn't like my sometimes lax watering habits with small pots. I also did a lot of media experimenting last year and have finally settled on one that fits my watering schedule best. I also have my orchid room with a better lighting system. (still T5's, just more of them in a better arrangement) When I get a new one I will take a picture on the first day and if I see the smallest problem I will ask you about it before it gets out of control!

[tizzycat]

Lovely Mike.

Mine is doing okay. Two new fans appeared after it flowered last, and they are slow but healthy. Having said that our temperatures are very low just now.