"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.

I am so going to have nightmares about my fiance mowing down my cyms! He isn't a plant lover, but he doen't complain about my little pots of starting lily bulbs (for the outside) OR especially my orchid invasion that accompanied me when I moved in. One time he said "Are you going to buy many more plants honey?" and THAT was enough to warrant my meanest look of death (I have to be stern or he may progress to the "mower" stage! lol!). And yes, I'm buying more. Oh - I lost all my 8 Phals in a freak hail storm (That happens in Calgary). I have one Phal I bought last year. It looks great, but won't grow leaves and won't flower, so I'm getting sick of it. It better be growing roots at least. I'll switch to phosphorous, repot and cool it this fall and see what happens. I just bought my first paph, so I'm axious to see If I can get THAT to give me a bud. I am really obsessing over it, which I sure the paph can detect, and that's why it's hiding it's babies from me :(

I don't completely disagree, with you Orrin but I am completely underwhelmed by the description of the light situation for the paphs and suspect that even the paph that is not in decline hasn't done anything in the way of recovery or advancement from when it was first brought 'home'. In fact the location that is used for the Catts sounds ideal for the paphs(!) and IMO moving it to still less light is entirely the wrong response to its decline. What is a 'root problem' but a failure of the roots to do the job they are intended to? Without the energy from light running the various metabolic processes everything fails roots first. The cure is not to repot or root prune or water less or any of the usual palliatives it is to get more light energy into the plant so it can repair the roots and get on with things. I have looked over the supplied information source in the past and it is excellent but I lament the tendecy to look all over for trouble and employ all manner of potting materials and watering schemes while never mentioning the importance of good light. A great many of us are keeping orchids in light that wouldn't keep the buds on an African Violet. How do I know? Because many of the same people growing phals and paphs tried growing AV's in the same spot years before and when they wouldn't behave they went over to orchids. In the present case plenty of light is available but with the heavy glazing on the glass and the generally low angle of winter sun (even in FL) it does no harm to be generous to even paphs. Try it. Tell me if they do worse or better for being given an hour or two of actual SUN in the morning. H