Hi guys, I'm a new member and I have several questions...

I got a Paph. vietnamense seedling recently. I've heard that its a very fast grower. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case (hope I don't have a runt!). :shock: Slowest grower out of my 4 parvis. Anyone have culture tips on this plant?

I have a Norito Hasegawa seedling- growing very nicely. Its about 5" from leaf tip to leaf tip. How big should it be before it flowers?

My (Paph. Mem. Larry Heuer x Joyce Hasegawa) is almost blooming size. What do you think i can expect from the flowers?

I want to grow Paph. micranthum, but I know it needs cool temps. to initiate flowering. Would it be enough to put it outside in the fall and spring to initiate flowers and grow it warm the rest of the year indoors under lights?

Btw, I have a Paph. malipoense ('Green Locust x 'Tsing Dae Lung' (semi-album) HCC/AOS) carrying the semi-album gene. :) If the flower is of good quality, I will self it when it flowers; hopefully, I will have some albinos. Never seen this form for sale or show ever before...

:welcome: to the forum!

I don't have a vietnamense, so can't really give you any tips. I do have a micranthum that I acquired about less than a year ago, so again, no tips on that one either. I grow mainly multiflorals, so I hope somebody who grows those plants can give you some helfpul tips! Hope you enjoy the Slipper Forum!

I got a flask of veitnamense from antec a year and a half ago and it is my slowest growing parvi. It is finally coming to the size where I can pull out the largest seedlings and pot them individually but will have to recompot about half. In comparison, the flasks of Fumi's delight, Francisco Baptista, and Mem. Larry Heuer have out paced the veitnamense flask in only six months. Micranthum is slow and I am not so sure it is only a temp drop that will initiate flowering. I have many Noritos flowering now and they are @ 5" plus so your'should bloom soon. I love the parvis and after 5 years of growing them I have a greenhouse full of blooms. They are worth the wait!
Rob

My vietnamense (via antec) is not what I would call FAST. It is growing well, but not that rapidly...not what I would call fast at all....but I am new of course!

I don't have vietnamense, but I've had emersonii, micranthum, armeniacum, and malipoense long enough to speculate on growing rates.

In general I'd say they are real spurty. They don't do much during the winter, they take forever to flower in the spring, but in the summer they can put on new growths and leaves at a fairly normal rate. Malipoense is a pretty big plant and seems to have more even year round growth, but it can take half a year or more for it to flower after initiating a bract. With the exception of malipoense and delenatii, the parvis are found at fairly decent elevations in areas that are known to get to freezing in the winter. So I think a good winter cooldown is needed to get good summer growth as well as flowering.

All of the above and vietnamense are associated with limestone geology and appreciate some kind of calcium addition to the potting mix, and a somewhat basic pH. I use oyster shell. Delenatii comes from a granitic area and prefers a slightly acidic substrate.

Thanx guys!

:welcome: , I can't help with your questions, but there are many knowledgeable members here that are more than willing to help