Paphiopedilum noid

This was bought out of the bargain bin way back in April out of bloom.


The orchid world can be a little sneery about noids, but I love this! Sadly it's not a sequential bloomer, so just the one bloom per stem.
One tip about buying these that I can offer is to check that there are new fans (leaf clusters) coming along - Paphs tend to flower just the once from each fan.

 

Hi Longk - we do like to see these different plants. So well done.

 

Thanks!

I have a couple of other Paphs which are both sequential bloomers - the species P.glaucophyllum and a hybrid, P.pinnocchio. I'll dig out the photos from earlier in the year if anyone is interested.

I see that you're into Salvia. Any tips on rooting S.discolor?

 

I have never grown S. discolor. However I have found it very easy to take cuttings of Salvias in general.

I have a slightly unusual method - but it works for me with Salvias and some other plants. I put the cuttings in small pots in a heated propagator. Contrary to all advice I leave up to 20 or 30 leaves on them - but to ensure that they don't lose moisture, I flood the propagator floor with water. Its usually better to put the pots on small blocks of wood so that the pot itself doesn't sit in the water.

I then put the top on the propagator and close the vents. Switch on the heat and place it inside a light box. My theory is that cuttings need plenty of leaves as they are the source of the energy and foodstuffs needed to grow the roots. By keeping them in an enclosed and flooded propagator, they live in an atmosphere of 100% humidity and so the cutting cannot lose any moisture from the leaves.

It seems to work, I usually get well rooted Salvia cuttings within 10 days. Everyday I remove the lid to allow fresh carbon dioxide to enter. I have no idea why they don't rot - but they never have.

However I wouldn't expect it to work for everything - Pelargoniums, for instance, would hate the humidity.

 

Thanks for the tip Peter!