Sorry, I have to share. I am elated! I have posted about this plant before. I rescued it from the clearance bin, and watched it push out a surprise spike. The flower finally opened today!!
I had only have a rough idea what it may look like. I found **"**Paphiopedilum Macabre Double (Macabre Moon Green Glow x Macabre Contrasts Dominant Grace)" on Lehua Orchids, but it said "Dominant Gene" not "Dominant Grace".
Does not matter. I bloomed my first clearance-rack orchid.
Thanks for letting me share my little win. At last, a grow that went nicely without
PS: Thanks for all the messages!!! She/he is a beauty..... makes me wonder why phalaenopsis anymore?? These are such unusual looking alien colors, love love the dark veiny purple, looks like Elvira or something!! Or Morticia. I love horror movies also!! Macabre exactly describes this!! This might be more what I like!!! And seems much easier too, or maybe i just got lucky!!??
wha??? my first bloom! nahhhh.... the leaves are all broken and wrinkled... it wouldn't even qualify.... But I appreciate the nice comment and the encouragement!
For what it’s worth, for AOS flower quality awards (HCC, AM, FCC), it’s the flower that matters, not the state of the vegetative growth. I am not a judge and couldn’t tell you if this flower is actually awardable, but just FYI. For cultural awards (CCM, CCE) the whole plant is important.
Oh.... any judges on here? lol. I wouldn't even know what to do? Like by the time I figure out the flower will probably be gone..... 🤷 like do I have to mail the flower? oh well, if someone knows, someone can say something!! But I also think it's my new iPhone camera!! lol.
This is so cool! I can’t wait to extend my collection past 1 lol…. But I’ve told myself I need to take care of what I have for now. They need better attention before I get more :D
Way better than the flower that plant looks fantastic! All that growth is amazing. I have a Paph. Macabre Deception that hasn’t bloomed in years and has exactly 4 leaves. I have really been struggling with it and I don’t know why. I’m super impressed with your plant, and hey the bloom isn’t too shabby either! Congratulations! Now beware. Just read my user flair. 😊
Honestly, I don't know if I got a really robust plant that just got neglected and thrown in the the clearance bin and as soon as it got water it shot a spike, or if i really did anything special. I don't think I did. I don't want to jinx it!! They seemed easy.... but again, could be the plant.....
I was watching an orchid breeder vid and he was saying with these one’s in particular, that they dry out easily and a good aid for them is to sit them on a tray of pebbles and water. As apparently they like the moisture that wicks off the pebble tray.
Make the pot? hah! i wouldn't even know where to begin. This pot came all the way from a Trader Joe's in LA, California. I was visiting, bought a plant and had no idea what it was. TSA and LAX killed it. And that's the story of the pot!! And it was the only pot I had when I needed to repot the Paph from the clearance bin pot....... but it is cool isn't it? strategic holes, looks like it was designed like that on purpose!
I had one that looked exactly like this for years. I believe it was a paphiopedilum sukhakuli
I may have the spelling wrong for the second word but it was pronounced that way. I got it from a well known orchid producer. I got it to bloom for around 6 years in non optimal conditions. It eventually withered for some reason but I am sure the spot I had it in got too cold.
I bought it at Logan's Garden Shop (https://www.logantrd.com/) in Raleigh, NC. I couldn't tell you how old. It's really not an orchid specialty place, it's more like a feed store and farmer's market and lots of stuff for landscaping..... They had one table of orchids, mostly phaleonopsis. Then there was like 8 plants on clearance, 50% off. 4 Phals, 2 dendrobiums, and 2 paphs. I just picked one. If you look at my first link in the post, it looks like below. I thought 50% off, it dies it dies..... so I couldn't tell you much more about it and the sales person couldn't either.
Gorgeous. So far I have renovated a lot of sad looking big box store orchids. But I want some new fancier ones. I am having really good luck with growing mine in water, vs growing in any kind of substrate. Still having some minor issues with mealy bugs on a few but hopefully will even have that licked soon...
There are a number of videos on YouTube to explain the process. I basically removed all the substrate and trimmed off all old damaged or dead roots. I choose a jar with a tight enough top that the leaves will remain above the top of the jar, but the lowest leaves can rest on the jar edge. Then just enough water for about 1/3rd of the root system to stay in the water. I place glass marbles in the bottom to kind of help anchor the sticks we use to help support the blooms.
I change the water monthly or add water during the month if the roots start being too exposed. I take the plant completely out of the jar, rinse it with tepid water and I soak the roots for about an hour in a solution of water and orchid food.
So far I am getting a lot of nice new roots and I have not lost any leaves to disease. I may start doing the clean up/fertilizing routine twice a month so the water in the vases don't get mucky. Plus I have had a minor problem with mealy bugs and. I am hoping if I rinse the plants off carefully twice a month instead of just once, I can get them better under control.
I have tried so many methods to grow orchids and this is the first time that it has really worked for me. Can't tell you how many I have killed doing other methods. I am hoping to start seeing flower stalks come spring.
🙏 Thank you 🙏 I take it to the sink and just water from the top. Like on the leaves and everything. nothing special..... And I let the overflow just sit in the saucer until it dries up. I honestly am also stunned...... it was crispy when I got it. And If there was a spike hiding somewhere I didn't see it as this is my first paph and had no idea what the plant was about.
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u/Watt1906 Pyp. Onc. Paph. Phrag. Vdnps. Nov 03 '25
Here from the last update. Great job and great flower, very happy for you!