I always liked orchids, so here goes. A gal down the street just moved and
left behind a rather unassuming green thing in some moss in a unfinished
ceramic pot. The plastic spike jammed down the side says Paph.charm x stone.
There are two longish leaves that are black where they have creased across
the leaf and one is brown at the tip but there appears to be a new leaf
growing in the center. It was left outside and isn't really too dry (we've
had rain). Any advice on whether or not this thing can be salvaged? Do I
just water it once a week and hope for the best? Any ideas on what the
flower will look like? I can't really come up with anything definative on
the web.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
TIA
Alan

Well, where there's a green growing tip there's always hope. Keep it evely
moist (not wet) and see what developes with the central leaf. If you see a
new growth sprout from its side that's great, because that's where next
year's growth comes from. As to watering once a week, well, you want to
water it when it gets on the dry side, and everyone's conditions differ, so
yours may dry out sooner or later than once a week. So you have to sort of
keep an eye on it until you figure out how quickly it dries. One aid to
figuring this out is to insert a pencil tip or bamboo skewer down into the
medium (try to avoid the roots) and see how wet it is when you pull it out.
Moss generally holds water for longer periods, so I'd expect the top to dry
before the bottom does. Hence the idea of an even moistness (not
soggynesss) through the depth of the pot. But don't get hung up on the idea
that the top is dry while the bottom is soggy, thinking that you'l water
'just enough' to keep the top moss moist. Alas that usually ends up witht
he bottom still remaining too soggy, and the roots rot. So shoot for a
version of evenly moist and that's the best you can do, really.

I looked around and I don't see a hybrid named Paph Stone, so I wonder if
Paph.charm x stone might not be a Paph. stonei hybrid, which could be rather
dramatic. You could find any number of Paph stonei pictures on the web if
you do a google search.

Keep it in indirect light so the leaves don't burn, It should like whatever
temperatures occur in your house, so you shouldn't have to heat it too hot
or worry about it getting too cold. Keep it out of drafts from the air
conditioner or heating system. Fertilize is with any sort of plant food at
1/4 strength of manufacturer's directions, and you should be OK.

Good luck!

K Barrett

"Alan" wrote in message
.. .
I always liked orchids, so here goes. A gal down the street just moved and
left behind a rather unassuming green thing in some moss in a unfinished
ceramic pot. The plastic spike jammed down the side says Paph.charm x
stone.
There are two longish leaves that are black where they have creased across
the leaf and one is brown at the tip but there appears to be a new leaf
growing in the center. It was left outside and isn't really too dry (we've
had rain). Any advice on whether or not this thing can be salvaged? Do I
just water it once a week and hope for the best? Any ideas on what the
flower will look like? I can't really come up with anything definative on
the web.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
TIA
Alan

K Barrett wrote:


I looked around and I don't see a hybrid named Paph Stone, so I wonder if
Paph.charm x stone might not be a Paph. stonei hybrid, which could be rather
dramatic. You could find any number of Paph stonei pictures on the web if
you do a google search.

Could be Stone-O, which is Pinocchio x stonei

I'm a little unsure of Paph. Charm. It is a registered hybrid (1930),
but it has never been used as a parent, at least in the database. No
awarded clones. I have a little difficulty thinking somebody would keep
a division around for 75 years, and then decide to make a cross. But
stranger things have happened.

There is a Paph. Charlestonii...

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

On Wed, 04 May 2005 12:23:29 GMT, "Alan"
wrote:

I always liked orchids, so here goes. A gal down the street just moved and
left behind a rather unassuming green thing in some moss in a unfinished
ceramic pot. The plastic spike jammed down the side says Paph.charm x stone.
There are two longish leaves that are black where they have creased across
the leaf and one is brown at the tip but there appears to be a new leaf
growing in the center. It was left outside and isn't really too dry (we've
had rain). Any advice on whether or not this thing can be salvaged? Do I
just water it once a week and hope for the best? Any ideas on what the
flower will look like? I can't really come up with anything definative on
the web.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
TIA
Alan



When you say there is a new leaf in the center - it sounds more
like a Phal. For now assuming the tag is correct. This is what
is commonly called a lady slipper. Always try to save it.

Paph Charm is an old cross,. It was registered in 1930. I would
expect a flower in the autumn tones, golds and brown with white.
I am not familiar with either it or the plants used to make it.

I can find no record of a Paph stone. There are lots that are
things like stone this or that but no just paph stone. Could
there be another word on the tag.

I wonder if there is a plastic pot in the clay pot. Or more
traditional potting media under a cover of moss. I would not
have expected a Paph to be potted in moss. You need to water
until water runs thru the pot. Then drain well. You do not want
this plant sitting in standing water. Water again when the media
is dry. Do not let the moss get hard dry. When it does it is
very hard to re-hydrate.

To know if it is savable you really need to know how the roots
are doing. Feel like exploring? Any roots that are soft need to
go. Paph roots are of ten very wiry
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

I wondered if it might be Paph chamb (chamberlainianum) x Paph stonei.
Goodness knows we've seen weirdly spelled tags before, *G*. But that's an
odd cross, too. Ethel and another name comes up in Wildcatt, I assume as a
case of a change in taxonomic names of one of the parents.

K

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
K Barrett wrote:


I looked around and I don't see a hybrid named Paph Stone, so I wonder
if
Paph.charm x stone might not be a Paph. stonei hybrid, which could be
rather
dramatic. You could find any number of Paph stonei pictures on the web
if
you do a google search.

Could be Stone-O, which is Pinocchio x stonei

I'm a little unsure of Paph. Charm. It is a registered hybrid (1930),
but it has never been used as a parent, at least in the database. No
awarded clones. I have a little difficulty thinking somebody would keep
a division around for 75 years, and then decide to make a cross. But
stranger things have happened.

There is a Paph. Charlestonii...

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

On Wed, 04 May 2005 11:46:25 -0400, Rob Halgren
wrote:

K Barrett wrote:


I looked around and I don't see a hybrid named Paph Stone, so I wonder if
Paph.charm x stone might not be a Paph. stonei hybrid, which could be rather
dramatic. You could find any number of Paph stonei pictures on the web if
you do a google search.

Could be Stone-O, which is Pinocchio x stonei

I'm a little unsure of Paph. Charm. It is a registered hybrid (1930),
but it has never been used as a parent, at least in the database. No
awarded clones. I have a little difficulty thinking somebody would keep
a division around for 75 years, and then decide to make a cross. But
stranger things have happened.

There is a Paph. Charlestonii...

Rob

I think we are all trying to say -- SAVE it. IF you can. We
never sacrifice an orchid if it can be saved... almost. But one
you have rescued and has a bit of mystery around it... that is
even more fun.

If the printing is unclear on the tag. Visit www.firstrays.com
discussion on how to recover label information.
http://www.firstrays.com/labels.htm This is a direct link.

Do keep us informed of your success and if you get the plant to
bloom please let us see the photo. Do not post photos directly
here. Post on a website and give us a link or join us on ABPO
( alt.binaries.pictures.orchids ). ABPO is a binary group and
was set up so we could share our orchid photos faster.

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php