Paph charlesworthii

[SlipperKing]

Finally opened (4 days). I have NEVER been able to charlesworthii here in Texas. Maybe there is something to Rick's basket culture.

A back shot

 

[Justin]

Super dark!

 

[SlipperKing]

Well Justin, not quite this dark. Its lighter on my home monitor then my phone!

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[blondie]

Very nice amazing colour on the flower

 

[Ozpaph]

nice colour intensity

 

[bigleaf]

Very nice. I should try this growing method by Rick.

 

[Gilda]

:clap: beautiful and congrats !!!

 

[Rick]

Nice one Rick.:wink:

Any new starts with the bloom?

 

[NYEric]

How do you charlesworthii!?
Nice, thanks for sharing

 

[Spaph]

Great growing! So great you got one to bloom.

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice one Rick.:wink:

Any new starts with the bloom?

Yes, a bump

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[Don I]

Nice one. I like the little fern as well.
Don

 

[SlipperKing]

Yes Don, that's a companion plant but can take over quick! As seen below

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[tnyr5]

Impressive flower, Rick.

 

[SlipperFan]

Nice flower, but get rid of the ferns -- their roots will take over and eventually smother the orchids.

 

[abax]

I'm not a big charles fan, but this one is nicely colored and
the dorsal doesn't overwhelm the rest of the flower.

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice flower, but get rid of the ferns -- their roots will take over and eventually smother the orchids.

I really don't believe this to be true Dot. Why at the turn of the last century tree fern and osmunda roots were the main growing media. Although the media was dead, but does show no toxic affect as a medium. In situ there are many symbiotic relationships between orchids, ferns, mosses, lichens and on and on.. This particular fern has a massive, wirily root system that actually opens up the NZ sphagnum. Especially as the sphagnum breaks down the openness is needed. In essences, the sphagnum media is being replaced by fern root media. Its known that aged sphagnum holds excessive water, in this case, the fern removes the excess. Eventually the sphag disappears, I just stuff fresh moss into the sides, the top and the process starts all over again until the basket rots away!

 

[Rick]

I really don't believe this to be true Dot. Why at the turn of the last century tree fern and osmunda roots were the main growing media. Although the media was dead, but does show no toxic affect as a medium. In situ there are many symbiotic relationships between orchids, ferns, mosses, lichens and on and on.. This particular fern has a massive, wirily root system that actually opens up the NZ sphagnum. Especially as the sphagnum breaks down the openness is needed. In essences, the sphagnum media is being replaced by fern root media. Its known that aged sphagnum holds excessive water, in this case, the fern removes the excess. Eventually the sphag disappears, I just stuff fresh moss into the sides, the top and the process starts all over again until the basket rots away!

I also have been letting the ferns go wild, but periodically cut them down so have a bunch of impaired fern root providing a good matrix for paph roots to grow into while old dead moss washes away.

 

[gego]

Like nature. Pretty soon, a man made limestone cliff with all sorts of mosses, ferns and others with sorts of paphs clinging to the cracks, in your greenhouse. What a site to look at while seeping your first coffee.

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[SlipperFan]

Well, just from personal observations at a local orchid greenhouse. I've found very often, especially with seedlings, when ferns take over, the orchid loses. I'm glad to hear that is not always the case.