Orchid ID Help Please :)

[Nepenthes]

Well, I finally did it. I normally walk right by the Orchids at Home Depot and resist buying one, but the other day I saw one I had seen many times before and decided to purchase it. I know I probably shouldn't have, and that this could just lead to another obsession, but I thought this one looked pretty cool. I know absolutely nothing about Orchids, so please feel free to chime in with any advice you may have. I would read up on them, but I can easily spend days doing that and then regret wasting my time later . Instead, I ask that you please share any tips or advice you may have (that way I can read them in their concise form). I think this is a paph.? I don't know exactly what that is, but the tag said paphelo-something-o. Anyway, heres a couple pics. Thanks in advance .

(Oh yeah the Orchid does not sit in water, I just have the plastic saucer there to collect the extra water for some of my other outdoor plants.)

Daniel

 

[phissionkorps]

Some kind of Paph. It's probably one of thousands of hybrids, so I think your best labeling bet is "paph hybrid".

 

[JB_OrchidGuy]

Goodluck. There are so many hybrids that look the same. As a rule of thumb I never ID an NoID orchid unless there is an unmistakable feature that IDs it as a species orchid. That is a Paphiopedilum hybrid, but unless it came with a tag, an ID may not be reliable.

they are a terrestrial orchid and don't like to dry out. They also do not like to be waterlogged either. Keep them moist. I am still learning the light levels, but a friend of mine grows them in a GH and there is like 25% and 50% shade cloth on the thing and during an overcast day it is dark in the GH!!! I grow mine just under 50% shade cloth and it is bright in my GH they are all doing fine. I have not gotten flowering down yet though. I do not think they like acidic so the bark you have it planted in is great. I have one in sphag that I need to repot out of. There are several forums dedicated to the slipper orchids that would be be a lot better help.

 

[Nepenthes]

Thank you Ron and Josh for the input . I guess I will just grow it outside as I have been under my shade-cloth. It came potted in the bark in the terra cotta pot, which I happen to like the look of a lot .

Thanks Josh for the extra info. . I'll probably be posting more if it takes a turn south lol. For now though, it has plenty of dappled light and is growing on a rack outside where my Izumeae x Truncata is enjoying life, so I imagine humidity can't be too bad either.

Thanks again you guys.

 

[PlantAKiss]

A beautiful Paph! The mottled leaf paphs have lower light needs than the green leaf ones, I think. Bruce can correct me.

There is an orchid forum but I'll leave this here so you can show off your plant.

Paphs and Phrags are my favorites.

 

[swords]

Paphs do great outside - just make sure to watch 'em. I've had them flower without noticing until fall when I bring them in and see a dried up flower stalk - missed it for another year!

 

[Werdna]

Here's a link to a really great orchid forum
http://www.orchidboard.com/

 

[Capensis]

Amazing Paph!

 

[tommyr]

Nice Paph! Slow growers though. I have one paph but lots of Oncidiums and Catts.

 

[herenorthere]

Yes, the mottled leaf Paphs have fairly low light requirements. They also don't like to get as cool as green leaf Paphs do. Intermediate-lowland Nep conditions are in the ballpark. Lots of HD Paphs seem to be Paph Macabre crosses and you'll see the resemblance:

The fact that your Paph looks so similar doesn't mean it's a Macabre or even descended from one. But it most likely has some of the same ancestry as Macabre.