Should I get a paph?
 

I'm considering getting a couple of Paths, but not sure if I can provide what they need. The particular problem is that many sources say distilled/purified etc water. I've already found that's a problem for the couple of carnivores I've got, so don't really want more plants that need that. So is it strictly needed?

I'm considering a venestum and a Maudiea hybrid. I'm in London, England and I believe the tap water is on the hard side. I don't have access to collect rainwater.

I haven't grown venestum, but the Maudie hybrids are fairly indestructible. They should do fine with tap water.

Bill

I have a few different paphs I gave hard tap water to with no problems. I just switched to distilled water to grow my Phrags better.

Short answer is yes and yes.

When you have hard water the trick is buying the species or hybrids that will tolerate it. Also when you are watering with hard water. Make sure that it doesn't dry fully. Always flush regularly and make sure to re-pot them every year to get rid of the mineral build up in the medium.

You might want to check with local water control agency. I just used this website Homepage - Thames Water - Contact us, pay your bill, tell us you're moving and entered a random but exisiting post code from N4 borough of London. It turns out the water there is hard. very. calcium content over 200 ppm is concidered hard and this area has 275ppm!

You might want to try something like fairrieanum whose natural habitat contains high content of limestone.
You can look up list of paphs that are found in limestone rich area in the wild.
Maudiae are naturally from jungle with slightly acidic soil I believe.

Many of the carnivorous plants live in acidic soil, and it's not surprising yours didn't do well.

I water all my orchids (many paphs included) but NYC tap water is fairly soft.

R/O system thing was very expensive, so I wouldn't try that just for plant hobby. You could look online for some low cost devise that removes minerals from your tap water.

Good luck!

I live in london in -N7 to be exact and I have seven paphs which I don't give tap water to. I give them distilled or purified water which I get locally from the afro hair and beauty shop people. It is very cheap, £2.50 for five litres. You can get it from Halfords but it costs way more. I have a maudiae, two and a half venustums -albas, half a charlesworthii, two wardii albas and a parishii. I have only had them for a short while though so I can't say that the distilled is good for them. At some point I will try to wean them off the distilled and onto tap water just to see what they do and if they can take it -it is more convenient and affordable- but if they don't like it then they will go back to the expsensive kind. I had about three paphs many years ago that I got from the supermarkets -cheaply too. I had no idea about water quality back then and I wasn't a member of any forums so I didn't know any better but they all had tap water and they all did very well. I had them for about three years and then I just got bored with orchids and got rid of my collection. Bottom line is start off with an easy to care for paph like a maudiae and see how you go. They are addictive, I only had one last year and now I have seven so -good luck!

Thanks for the tips. Yep, my water is hard! My carnavores are alive and well: I've only had them a couple of weeks. I bought them unexpectedly at Columbia Road flower market, and had a mad time finding suitable water for them next day!

I will try out the local hairdressers etc: I payed £1 a litre, so that's much better!

Not totally made my mind up wether there's going to be a paph on my order or not... I already have a policy of flushing through every watering with my other orchids, and so far all seems well with them.

good luck finding the right kind of water for your plants!

I recommend trying one. The ones with the varigated leaves are very nice when out of bloom, the roots and buds are really cool, and I am really glad I tried one. I now have three, all super easy. The last would hate your tap water but the flower is just lovely.
1) Paph. Petula's Ghost x (callosum x maudiae)--has a very dark flower.
2) Paph Lynnleigh Koopowitz--fragrant, my first paph, said to be super easy
3) paph delentalii--fragrant, beautiful
I had to buy distilled water all winter so I know what a pain it is. We have very hard water so we have softened water and the salt would be death to the plants. With my collection of plants....

I think that said it all really...
:rofl: