# Paphiopedilum helenae Questions



## ByeBye (Apr 18, 2022)

I’m fairly new to Paph. growing , although I’ve been growing orchids for over 35 years now) and after a lot of research, I decided to focus mainly on Pahiopedilum helenae of which I currently have 4 plants of different sources now and 2 more coming next month.
I’m a sucker for small and miniature orchids and this one really caught my heart. Although I’m not really a Paph. lover.
I’ve done a lot of research and looked around the numerous posts here, I still have some questions.
*My questions:*
- Although not much about Paph. Helena plant and flower variations was found, I did come across _Paph. helenae f. delicatum. _According to the Orchid Species website it should be called _Paph. delicatum _but_ Paph. helenae f. delicatum _is also mentioned as a _ynonym_. Can anyone bring clarity in this?

- The yellowish-green form. I’ve seen it called Paph. helenae alba, Paph. helenae album, Paph. helenae aureum. I guess alba and album are the same but what should it be called then?

- Is there a difference in the alba and aureum form?


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## Ozpaph (Apr 23, 2022)

FWIW - I dont think 'delicatum' is recognised as a species.
alba/um = white so technically their is no album form of helenae. The 'decoloured' form is yellow (or gold), hence aureum.


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## ByeBye (Apr 23, 2022)

Ozpaph said:


> FWIW - I dont think 'delicatum' is recognised as a species.
> alba/um = white so technically their is no album form of helenae. The 'decoloured' form is yellow (or gold), hence aureum.



Thanks,
So all alba, album and aureum, should all be the same, named fma. aurem? Although I've seen pics of really greenish flowers too.
The delicatum should be P. helenae fma. delicatum then?

There seems to be a lot of variation in flower color.
I bought 2 possibly different clones from different sellers. both show different colored blooms. Will have to see how they bloom in future.
PIC 1 & 2 are from the same seller.
Pic 3 is from the 2nd seller
Pic 4 is from a 3d seller. This will arrive in a week or so.


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## Hien (Apr 23, 2022)

That is quite a helenae collection you have there , I am impressed . When someone concentrates on just one species , he/she can breed for superior plants just from his/her own collection.
I assume you already read the old post regarding dedicatum in slippertalk 14 years ago?





Paphiopedilum helenae forma delicatum


The new form of Paphiopedilum helenae was described at first as a distinct species in China by Liu and Zhang as Paphiopedilum delicatum. Last month we combined it in 'Die Orchidee', the journal of the German Orchid Society to a new form of Paph. helenae because the difference was only the...




www.slippertalk.com


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## ByeBye (Apr 23, 2022)

Hien said:


> That is quite a helenae collection you have there , I am impressed . When someone concentrates on just one species , he/she can breed for superior plants just from his/her own collection.
> I assume you already read the old post regarding dedicatum in slippertalk 14 years ago?



Thanks,
Although I'm not specifically concentrating on P. helena, I do have a soft spot for them and I've been reading up on them as much as I could find, including the older post on this forum.
Due to serious health problemsmany months ago I had to let go of almost my entire orchid collection, (a mix of many species and way over 300 plants) because I couldn't care for them anymore. Now as I'm getting back to 'normal' again, I miss my orchids and although I won't be having such a huge collection anymore, Paphs will be a big part of it since they tolerate it better when I can't care for them for a few days.
As for the P. helena, I just fell in love with it (I'm a sucker for miniatures), at the moment I have 5 plants + 2 coming. I missed out on P. helenae fma. aureum, but one of the sellers I buy from is trying to get some more imported from Asia for me later this year. Same goes for the delicatum.
As for future breeding, it's a possibly but first I need to grow the plants stronger and better. Ten I will possibly give it a try.


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## Ozpaph (Apr 24, 2022)

ramp said:


> Thanks,
> So all alba, album and aureum, should all be the same, named fma. aurem? Although I've seen pics of really greenish flowers too.
> The delicatum should be P. helenae fma. delicatum then?


to be album the flower should be white. There are album brachys but most other paphs that lack red pigment are yellowish green. They get called 'album forms' but thats botanically/taxonomically incorrect. When the flowers lack red but are 'gold-yellow' they are referred to as aureum.
All the photos you posted above are just helenae. Some lighter, some darker. Enjoy the variation.


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## ByeBye (Apr 24, 2022)

Ozpaph said:


> to be album the flower should be white. There are album brachys but most other paphs that lack red pigment are yellowish green. They get called 'album forms' but thats botanically/taxonomically incorrect. When the flowers lack red but are 'gold-yellow' they are referred to as aureum.
> All the photos you posted above are just helenae. Some lighter, some darker. Enjoy the variation.



I know mine are just helenae. aureums are coming later this summer


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## Ozpaph (Apr 24, 2022)

good luck. a lovely species


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