# "Easy" multiflora Paph hybrids?



## The Mutant (Dec 4, 2014)

So, now that my MK's flowering, I realized I want more multiflora hybrids. I've also come to the conclusion that hybrids might be easier for me than species, since I'm a windowsill grower (so getting more, big Paphs, will fix the non-problem of having a view...).

I'm now pondering about which hybrids to consider. I don't know if any other hybrid is considered as easy as the MK, but that's apparently a difficult level I can deal with. 

I have a PEoY, but I don't know if I'll be able to bloom it. I also have 4 roths, a gardineri, a philippinense var. roebelenii, and a wilhelminae as species multiflora. They grow, but I don't know if I'm able to flower them yet (young plants all of them).

I've gotten several suggestions that I think are looking interesting:
Paph. Screaming Eagle
Paph. Angel Hair 

The problem with these two crosses, is that I think they might be difficult getting a hold of in Europe.

Other suggestions are:
Paph. St. Swithin
Paph. Gary Romagna
Paph. Moustache
 
The first two are available in Europe, the last one I haven't been able to find for now. The problem this time is that after looking at pictures of these crosses, I've come to the conclusion that, with the exception of MK and Berenice (going to get a Berenice), I'm not a huge fan of philippinense hybrids. Sorry. 

So, do you guys have suggestions for what I could consider apart from the ones mentioned already? 

So in short: 
Windowsill grower located in Sweden, with nice, big East facing windows (with some T5 for the darker months), and temperatures ranging between 18C°-27C° (colder can be provided during spring - autumn with the use of a balcony), is looking for a relatively easy and attractive multiflora hybrid, who is not too finicky about humidity and likes cats.


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## Ruth (Dec 4, 2014)

Two that I think you might like are Paph Julius, and Houghtoniae and after seeing the beautiful Bel Royal that Gary/Trithor grows I am putting one of those on my list.


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## Justin (Dec 4, 2014)

there are a lot of anitum & adductum hybrids coming out these days. not sure if any have made it to Europe yet but they are awesome.


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## Linus_Cello (Dec 4, 2014)

Oh, I thought you were interested in sanderianum multi-floral hybrids only.

Other multi hybrids you may want: 
Paph Bernice: philip x lowii
Deena Nicole: philip x praestans (relatively long petals)
Addicted Philip: philip x adductum (also relatively long petals)


half-multis you may want:
Gloria Naugle (Roth x Micranthum): may not be easy to bloom, but advantage is relatively large flower on relatively small plant
Dolgoldi (Roth x armeniacum): same as above.
Or get st. swithin x micranthum/armeniacum (so St. Swithin instead of Roth in the above parentage; should make plant easier to bloom; but may be harder to find).


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## eOrchids (Dec 4, 2014)

Surprised no one said, Paph. Lady Isabel.


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## NYEric (Dec 4, 2014)

Lebaudyanum.


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## ehanes7612 (Dec 4, 2014)

Except for MK and Julius I would avoid lowii hybrids..borderline awful..large plants, small flowers (most Berenice are terrible) 
Anitum/adductum hybrids for sure (my favorite) (Monsoon Temptation especially)
I am not too sure about the old school (non roth) primary hybrids..unless you can find plants with exceptional parents or great clones..there are just too many new (complex multi) hybrids that are easier to flower with better flowers.
Sanderianum complexes (where sanderianum is 1/4 or less parent) are good too..compact growths


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## ehanes7612 (Dec 4, 2014)

oh and gigantifolium hybrids


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## Camellkc (Dec 5, 2014)

I am also a windowsill mutifloral grower and would consider most of the muti hybrids are not difficult. To my view, other than MK, William Ambler is the easiest while Saint Swithin is also considered acceptable. I would avoid hybrids with adductum/anitum, stonei, gigantifolium as parents as I obseved that they grow much more slowly than others.


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## polyantha (Dec 5, 2014)

Camellkc said:


> I would avoid hybrids with adductum/anitum, stonei, gigantifolium as parents as I obseved that they grow much more slowly than others.


I agree with the adductum, anitum and the stonei. But roth x gig is usually a pretty fast grower. And so are other gig primaries.


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## TDT (Dec 5, 2014)

Great question! And I appreciate the suggestions too! Ive been very hesitant to get into multis but I may add one or two of these to my collection when the next opportunity comes along. Thanks.


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## Justin (Dec 5, 2014)

Yes they can be slow but the flowers are worth it...


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## The Mutant (Dec 5, 2014)

Thanks for all your suggestions, people. I knew I could count on you to increase my collection beyond capacity. :wink:

Reading your posts, googling images, and checking what my favourite vendors have available (I'm ignoring Orchid Inn for now, Sam has almost everything I want, but then I would have to wait for sooo long!), I have made a list of possible prospects (unfortunately, there's no way in [insert fitting obnoxiously warm place here] I can afford all of them, and to save on shipping costs, I have to pick one vendor):

From Elsner:
Paph. MK x gardineri (looks like it can be a really nice cross) NBS
Paph. Bel Royal BS
Paph. Berenice NBS
Paph. Delrosi BS (I already have a Delrosi, but this seems to be the reverse cross from mine, and therefore might be easier to flower)
Paph. Gloria Naugle BS
Paph. Mem. Rex van Delden NBS (instead of Dollgoldi, which she doesn't have anymore)
And she also has both St Swithin NBS and Moustache BS. She seems to have Lady Isabel as well, and while I like the look of this cross, it doesn't say what size it is. I would love a NBS or BS plant, which I think the ones she has is not.

From Schwerter:
Paph. Mount Toro x gardineri, BS and ca one year from BS.
Paph. MK x gardineri, two years away from BS. 
Paph. Wössner Kolarmi, one year away from BS (again, since they don't have Dollgoldi, but something similar).
Paph. Bel Royal NBS
Paph. Berenice, 1-1½ years from BS
Paph. Lady Rothschild 1-1½ years from BS and NBS

They also have St. Swithin, a year from BS, and Julius, young plant. Same as with Elsner, they have Lady Isabel, but it's a young plant, several years away from reaching BS.

From Asendorfer:
Paph. Wayne Booth, young plant
Paph. rothschildianum BS (it's a hybrid, I swear...  )


Now, which vendor to go for...


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## Camellkc (Dec 5, 2014)

Justin said:


> Yes they can be slow but the flowers are worth it...



I second with you. The bloom with Adductum or a anitum as patients worth for waiting three years for a new growth to be flowered.


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## Camellkc (Dec 5, 2014)

polyantha said:


> I agree with the adductum, anitum and the stonei. But roth x gig is usually a pretty fast grower. And so are other gig primaries.



Do you mean Hung Sheng Eagle? I heard from some peers that it is a slow grower but I would like to try one.


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## Lmpgs (Dec 5, 2014)

Lately, I bought some plants from Regina Elsner. All in excellent condition and many growths.


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## The Mutant (Dec 5, 2014)

Lmpgs said:


> Lately, I bought some plants from Regina Elsner. All in excellent condition and many growths.


She usually have some nice plants. I've only bought one Paph from her earlier, a BS philippinense var. roebelenii. Unfortunately, I think that was the last one she had left, and it came with most of its roots a ball of mush. I think that was an exception though, since the Phals I've bought from her have been in excellent shape.

I'm leaning towards ordering from her, since her plants are the larger ones. The Paph. MK x gardineri is a given (don't think it'll be as nice as Sam Tsui's cross, but I might get lucky). The big question now is, which Paphs should accompany it?


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## Ozpaph (Dec 5, 2014)

Personally. Id avoid kolo hybrids on a windowsill - just to big (so you can have as meany plants).
Id have Lady Isabel/Rothschild and a nice St Swithin.


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## The Mutant (Dec 5, 2014)

Ozpaph said:


> Personally. Id avoid kolo hybrids on a windowsill - just to big (so you can have as meany plants).
> Id have Lady Isabel/Rothschild and a nice St Swithin.


That was one of the things I was contemplating when looking at the Bel Royal and also why I'm not picking any roth x gigantifolium hybrids. Good thing you pointed it out.

Lady Rothschild is a _huge_ temptation. The one not BS from Schwerter, actually has named parents. Anyone recognize Lady Isabel 'TN' and rothschildianum 'Tiger'? Here's a picture of the parents: Lady Rothschild This means ordering from Schwerter instead, but they also have the MK x gardineri, albeit a younger plant than Elsner...

Decisions, decisions...


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## The Mutant (Dec 6, 2014)

So, I placed my order less than an hour ago. I went with Schwerter in the end (mostly because they had more hybrids to choose between) and hopefully the plants will arrive by the end of next week. It's unusually mild here in Sweden (I thought for sure it would be too cold to order now, but it looks like the mild temperatures will hang around for a while still), so shipping should be fine.


This is what I ordered in the end:
Paph. Mount Toro x gardineri, BS.
Paph. MK x gardineri, two years away from BS.
Paph. Wössner Kolarmi, one year away from BS.
Paph. Lady Rothschild 1-1½ years from BS.

My Christmas gift to myself. 

Now I just hope the filters for my humidifier will arrive soon, so I can increase the humidity to reasonable levels, at least.


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## NYEric (Dec 6, 2014)

Not bad, anything with gardinieri will be compact and hardy. Also any haynaldyanum hybrids if you like those. I will post my Lebaudyanum, which is in spike, later. Check out the primary hybrids:
http://www.slipperorchids.info/paphprimaries/index.html


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## troy (Dec 6, 2014)

There is no "hard" or "easy" paphs to grow, I could say harold koopowitz are easy to grow and bloom because it's easy to drop my temps and have bright winter light or kolopakingii are easy because of consistent high humidity and 70 percent shaded light, everybodys conditions are different you just have to find what grows good under your conditions


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## The Mutant (Dec 6, 2014)

NYEric said:


> Not bad, anything with gardinieri will be compact and hardy. Also any haynaldyanum hybrids if you like those. I will post my Lebaudyanum, which is in spike, later. Check out the primary hybrids:
> http://www.slipperorchids.info/paphprimaries/index.html


I like gardineri a lot and despite my repeatedly attempts at killing mine, it's still alive and growing. Compact and hardy is exactly what I want. 



troy said:


> There is no "hard" or "easy" paphs to grow, I could say harold koopowitz are easy to grow and bloom because it's easy to drop my temps and have bright winter light or kolopakingii are easy because of consistent high humidity and 70 percent shaded light, everybodys conditions are different you just have to find what grows good under your conditions


Hence the quotations marks, since I know it's different for everybody. oke:

Since MK seems to be generally considered an "easy" Paph (I guess this means it can grow/flower in a wide variety of conditions), I wanted to know if there were any other hybrids also generally considered "easy". We'll see how these hybrids like my conditions. I hope they'll like them a lot.


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## Trithor (Dec 6, 2014)

troy said:


> There is no "hard" or "easy" paphs to grow




Are you serious?

I might not be the most experienced grower (in fact I know I am far from it), but I can assure you that there are easy and there are hard paphs to grow. An easy rule of thumb is to check the species distribution. If the species is widespread in natural distribution, chances are it is an easy grower. Species with a very isolated and restricted distribution tend to be harder. I know it is not a fixed rule, but logic dictates that if a species has a wide distribution, it can grow under a variety of conditions, while if it has a very limited footprint, chances are there is something very very specific about its cultural requirements.
So phili has a broad distribution and I think most growers would agree that it seems to be easy. I accept that you don't like phili, but it offers ease of culture to its progeny and that is hard to beat. Stonei is also quite widespread and although I don't find it easy, I do find the hybrids 'easier'. I prefer Lady Roths to Lady Issabel, also easier to bloom (but that is possibly because I find roths very easy in my conditions) 
Multis crossed by cochlos tend to be easy to grow and flower.
I personally would stay away from multi x brachy or parvi. They seem to grow easy, but are difficult to bloom, and even more difficult to bloom well.
(Blooming well is another factor to consider!)
I find bel Royal very easy, but it is a monster plant. 
Another route is 'maudiae' type x multi. Easy to grow, but some are awesome while others are dogs,


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## The Mutant (Dec 6, 2014)

Trithor said:


> I accept that you don't like phili, but it offers ease of culture to its progeny and that is hard to beat. Stonei is also quite widespread and although I don't find it easy, I do find the hybrids 'easier'. I prefer Lady Roths to Lady Issabel, also easier to bloom (but that is possibly because I find roths very easy in my conditions)
> Multis crossed by cochlos tend to be easy to grow and flower.
> I personally would stay away from multi x brachy or parvi. They seem to grow easy, but are difficult to bloom, and even more difficult to bloom well.
> (Blooming well is another factor to consider!)
> ...


At least if I can't flower them, I could always sell them (unless I kill them first). It's good that there are more Paph crazy people out there.


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## Ozpaph (Dec 9, 2014)

A very nice selection.


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