"Just remember that the import license is only good for the one country that you applied for." Either you were given incorrect information or they've drastically changed things in the past year. I just renewed my permit last year and it's still valid for "admissible nursery stock, plants and roots not subject to postentry quarantine, seeds of trees and shrubs and also seeds covered in part 319.37-6" from "various approved countries." In other words, it's good for any plant material you may legally import from any country from which you may legally import it. (lol) The permit has more to do with control/tracking than "permission" for any particular material to be imported - everything is still subject to inspection/refusal at the time of entry if it doesn't met whatever requirements are in place at the time. Unless you live close enough to the inspection station to go make noise in person (or hire a broker), there isn't much you can do if/when something goes wrong... I've never imported paphs at all but I think as long as they're from a recognized nursery and don't look too bedraggled, you should be OK. But a surly ag inspector is always a possibility and like the proverbial city hall that you can't fight, there isn't much you can actually do - in time anyway - if a shipment is seized. One heads up is that for a while, a couple of years ago, the USDA was demanding phytos even for flasks, which is a minor pain but does add to the expense.

I hate to be the naysayer, but other than that leaf tip, your plant looks awfully happy. I agree that if it fertilizer burn or something of that sort, you'd think you'd see it on more than one leaf. Then again, if you had a disease or something, you'd think that might be more than the tip of one leaf as well. I'd consider lopping much more of that leaf off, if it concerns you. That's a pretty big sized plant - personally I wouldn't worry about saving one leaf if you think that leaf has something funky going on.

Calvin I also dont care for Oncidiums. I dont understand them. I try to like them but every time i look at them im just like eh, Phrag Besseae I like, but paphs make me think of flies! Also im Very afraid of spiders! so i dont like paphs big pouches a spider is going to get in there and get on my face when i bend down look at the flower i just know it will happen so No, No Pouches! Im also not a fan of Disa and Zygos, bulbos,or dendrochilum Harlequin Phals or ones with a bunch of spotting. Peloric anything. Im starting to loose my love for Floofy ruffles On Catts gravitating to examples of the species At whitecat those flower buds scare me! look like thumbs but then they turn into some kind of bug. ~Sam

I'm another one with a "strict limit" though right now I'm over it thanks to divisions this summer. The target is 60 but I rationalize that if it's small it doesn't count as a whole plant! I think I'll always love the catts best, but I want to have some other things going. Four years ago I started with phrags from a gift plant, and now I have three; I was very picky becuase they are so big. Two years ago I added a bulbophyllum, then three more; the last one was one too many, though it's been blooming. I've gotten better at the research part, so I have fewer of those big disappointments, and that makes it easier to branch out in a planned way. Last year it was a psychopsis; the jury is still out on that. Like Kevin I've learned to stay away from the cool growers however beautiful (that includes Chinese cyms, my most recent big disapointment). I'm a windowsill grower and it's warm year round except for a few tricky weeks in the fall. At the same time I've refined my cattleya collection to focus on the ones that I really love and get rid of the so-so. Some things change, some things stay the same--that's what works for me. Margo