# What's your favorite orchid?



## heliomum (Mar 11, 2008)

What's your favorite orchid?
Mine is Paph. armeniacum




Note: it doesn't have to be a slipper, and you don't have to own one.


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## cyp8472 (Mar 12, 2008)

Any cypripedium.


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## smartie2000 (Mar 12, 2008)

Hard to narrow down to just one, there are so many I love...
phrag besseae, paph hangianum, paph armeniacum...


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## mccallen (Mar 12, 2008)

Phrag. kovachii

(cliche)


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## Faan (Mar 12, 2008)

The first three on my list, not necessarily in order of preferance:

Paph fairrieanum
Aerangis luteoalba
Bartholina burmaniana


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## charlie c (Mar 12, 2008)

Whatever is currently in bloom. 

charlie c


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## Park Bear (Mar 12, 2008)

anything strange and different


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## Heather (Mar 12, 2008)

Right now I am back stuck on Mexipedium, with rothschildianum, besseae, and neofinitia falcata at the moment.


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## isaias m rolando (Mar 12, 2008)

In this order:

-Cattleya rex
-Phrag besseae var flavum
-Laelia ( now Cattleya) tenebrosa


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## cwt (Mar 12, 2008)

Ansellia gigantea
or
any Restrepia


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## Leo Schordje (Mar 12, 2008)

Hard to pick one
Phrag besseae is always a joy, & because it is new - kovachii
Paphs - micranthum, wilhelminiae, appletonianum var hainaniense
Angraecum magdalena for fragrance - (yes, it took 8 years, but finally my plant is old enough that it has started blooming every year. It is now 12 years old and has bloomed the last 4 years)
Calanthe Veitchii - because it is pretty and tuff enough a grower that it has survived in my collection since I got it in 1972. Some 34 years. 
Dryadella edwallii - for weird in a delightful easy to grow mini


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## NYEric (Mar 12, 2008)

I can't pick just one but for the top 4:
Phrag besseae
Lepanthes sp. 
Masdevallia coccinea
Isabelia virginalis


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## Elena (Mar 12, 2008)

Lots.

Love roths even though I don't own one yet. Lady Isabel is probably my favourite Paph hybrid. Then Max. tenuifolia, Coel. cristata, Aerangis fastuosa, Lycaste aromatica, Phychopsis, Neos, Mexipedium, white and blue Catts....


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## Yoyo_Jo (Mar 12, 2008)

It's hard to narrow it down for me at this point; I've only been collecting for about a year, and every time I turn around, there's another beauty to covet. 

My favorite paph. right now is pretty much any hybrid with spicerianium in it. As far as non-slippers go, I really love Oncidiums and if they liked me better, I'd grow more of them...:rollhappy:

Joanne


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## kellyincville (Mar 13, 2008)

Lately P. tigrinum and neos are the most exciting to me.


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## Sirius (Mar 13, 2008)

I refuse to pick a favorite. REFUSE! 

Neofinetia falcata
Habenaria radiata
Any Angraecum sp.

Those are probably my top three. But then I start thinking about Paph. rothschildianum, Paph. tigrinum, Galeandra sp., Phal. violacea (not to mention bellina and equestris), Phrag besseae and all the other species that I love, and my head starts to hurt.

Inability to pick just one is an indicator of how bad you have the sickness.


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## SlipperFan (Mar 13, 2008)

PHRAG said:


> Inability to pick just one is an indicator of how bad you have the sickness.


That's exactly why I've avoided this thread....


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## cnycharles (Mar 15, 2008)

some of my favorites aren't alive anymore and I don't try to grow them..
masdevallia ignea, caudata and exquisita
trichopilia suavis, tortilis alba
liparis convallarioides
spiranthes lucida
calypso bulbosa (or it would be if I'd ever seen it in person...)
different varieties of phrag besseae
dendrobium falcorostrum, peguanum and cuthbertsonii
lepanthes calodictyon
stelis mystax
lots of aerangis
many more....


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## Ron-NY (Mar 15, 2008)

a real tough question. Quite a bit does vary on the time of the year for me.
I have tops in different genera

Paph species...rothschildianum and lowii
Phrag species...caudatum, besseae and kovachii
Maxillaria...dilonii, striata and elegantua
Bulbo: ... large and stinky ones, small ones and pleasantly fragrant ones. 
Catt species...walkeriana
Dendrochilum...walisii, cobbianum and magnum
Dendrobium... thrysiflorum, kingianum, and anosmum 
Coelogyne: corymbosa, xyrekes, cristata, and pandurada


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## Rick (Mar 15, 2008)

Ron-NY said:


> a real tough question. Quite a bit does vary on the time of the year for me.
> I have tops in different genera
> 
> Paph species...rothschildianum and lowii
> ...



I think that narrows it down to a couple hundred species:rollhappy:

I don't think I can do any better Ron. Sometimes I think my new favorite is just what happens to be blooming at any given time. I definitely prefer species, and darker colors to lighter colors, and weirdness definitely adds points.


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## practicallyostensible (Mar 15, 2008)

1 phillipenense 
2 rothschildianum
3 Odontoglossum grande
4 Rhyncholaelia digbyana


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## rdlsreno (Mar 15, 2008)

My favorite are:

Paph. rothschildianum
Paph. liemianum
Rhync. digbyana
Rhyncosteele uro-skinneri
Phal. bellina
Paph. armeniacum
paph. hangianum (wish list)
Phrag. besseae
C. lueddemaniana
C. trianaei
etc.. etc...:rollhappy:

Ramon


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## Bolero (Mar 16, 2008)

Dendrobium cuthbertsonii

But I can't grow them to save my life.


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## Rick (Mar 16, 2008)

Bolero said:


> Dendrobium cuthbertsonii
> 
> But I can't grow them to save my life.



Then you are doomed to continue trying until you figure it out, or they go extinctoke:


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## Ron-NY (Mar 16, 2008)

I've only killed two cuthbertsonii but will try again for it is a very cool species


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## practicallyostensible (Mar 16, 2008)

Ron-NY said:


> I've only killed two cuthbertsonii but will try again for it is a very cool species



Too cool for me, literally. I think I'm going to have a go at laevifolium though.


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## Elena (Mar 16, 2008)

How could I forget Rhyncholaelia digbyana, only just got one recently too.


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## cnycharles (Mar 17, 2008)

forgot - 
phal lindenii, maculata, cochlearis
psychopsiella limminghei
a bunch of disas
laelia speciosa, cattleya walkeriana
anything that smells really nice


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## kentuckiense (Mar 18, 2008)

Cypripedium subtropicum

It's just so mysterious and alluring.


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## shakkai (Mar 18, 2008)

1. Any orange or peach Phrag. - any one at all!
2. Neofinetia falcata - except for those tiger stripe ones.
3. Den. cuthbertsonii - just got two small flasks of these at the show - I'm gonna have fun!
4. Masd. coccinea - too stunning for words, but wish it were a bit easier to flower.


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## Greenorchid (Apr 19, 2008)

Oh, it's very hard to decide...but I'll try!

Vanda tricolor suavis
Cimbidiella rodochila (or pardalina)
Dendrobium trantuanii and anosmum var. delacourii (and all the other )
Cattleya nobilior, forbesii, guttata, aclandiae and iricolor 
Laelia lundii and lucasiana
Paphiopedilum bellatulum and philippinense alba
Phragmipedium schlimii, pearcei and bessae
Coelogyne cristata and usitana....

.....mmmh i think i don't have a favorite orchid


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## parvi_17 (Apr 26, 2008)

This is always very hard for me to decide (guess I'll join the crowd). During the winter my favs are (in no partcular order):

Paph micranthum
Paph delenatii
paph armeniacum
Paph malipoense
Paph vietnamense
Paph Magic Lantern (I really like most Parvis actually)
Paph rothschildianum
Phrag Cardinale
Phrag caudatum
Phrag kovachii
Phrag schlimii
Phrag besseae
Phrag fischeri
Mexipediums

But then spring comes and the Cyps come back to life, and then it is difficult to think about anything else.


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## Kavanaru (Jul 19, 2009)

without doubts... Catasetum pileatum is the number one of my list 

one of my plants, just to show it:




(as for slippers: Paph helenae, I think there is something really special in this species - Pictures will come soon in another thread: my 4 plants are in spike now )


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## paphioland (Jul 19, 2009)

Paph Pacific Shamrock, rothschildianum, good white complexes, stonei, Sorceror's Stone, Giant Stone, delenatii album, Phrag caudatum, Gloria Naugle, Lady Isabel, emersonii,hang and hybrids, micranthum, armeniacum, fanaticum


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## paphioland (Jul 19, 2009)

If I had to pick one type it would be complexes

If I had to pick one it is tight between any really great large white complex, great Pacific Shamrock or a great roth. If I really had to pick maybe white complex at this moment but could change in 2 seconds. If I had to pick a white complex cross without seeing the flower first it would be Mystic Knight


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## paphioland (Jul 19, 2009)

as spotted complexes shape and size has been improving along with the color and wartiness of the spots they will be on my list soon lol


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## Wendy (Jul 19, 2009)

Paph rothschildianum
Paph sanderianum
Paph kolopakingii
Paph stonei
Paph supardii
Paph gigantifolium


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## nikv (Jul 19, 2009)

My favorite orchid is my Brassavola cucullata. Just love the scent of the flowers at night. My plant tends to bloom throughout the summer, too! 

My second favorite is Laelia purpurata. Just love the flowers and I find the plants very easy to grow. But they don't flower as much as my B. cucullata.


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## orchidmaven (Jul 20, 2009)

The current seedling in bud! What else!

Theresa.


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## breeindy (Jul 20, 2009)

I love paphs with long stems, hair and spots.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 21, 2009)

I think I'm still looking for my favorite orchid.


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## paphreek (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm afraid to mention a favorite, lest I insult another favorite, although most of them start with Paph .............


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## luvsorchids (Jul 22, 2009)

What ever is blooming .

Susan


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## Roslyn (Jul 22, 2009)

So hard to nominate a favourite, but I am very fond of my Dendrobium chrysopterum at the moment. It's only a small plant and flowered for the first time last year with flowers from 2 nodes on a very short growth. This year there will be about 8 bunches on a longer growth. It's such a stunning thing with its vivid large yellow and orange flowers and I'm very excited about it.

I love Dendrobium victoria-reginae too, and Dendrobium bigibbum. And the fragrant angraecoids. And all the Brachy and Parvi paphs. And Cymbidium devonianum. And Phrag. caudatum. And Phrag. besseae. And Laelia purpurata. And Paph. sanderianum. 

I think I'd better stop there.


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## NYEric (Jul 22, 2009)

Addicted! :evil:


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## Drorchid (Jul 22, 2009)

I also have many favorites (and can't just pick one).

Some of my favorite species :
Angraecum sesquipedale
Disa uniflora
Masdevallia veitchiana
Phalaenopsis bellina
Vanda coerulea
Neofinetia falcata
Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata
Phrag. popowii
Phrag. kovachii
Phrag. besseae
Paph. armeniacum
Paph. stonei
Paph. rothschildianum
Paph. leuchochilum

When it comes to hybrids: all of my hybrids that I created (how can you say one of your children is your favorite).

Robert


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## Hera (Jul 22, 2009)

Shoot, my favorite is whatever I can get to rebloom with some regularity. I'm not telling at this point because the regularity factor is in question.


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## slippertalker (Jul 22, 2009)

I have to stick with the ones that I have grown or seen (species):

Paph rothschildianum
Miltoniopsis vexillaria
Masdevallia veitchiana
Odontoglossum crispum
Vanda coerulea
Phrag besseae
Phrag caudatum
Sophronitis coccinea
Lycaste skinneri
Paph hookerae
Disa uniflora
Dracula vampira
Rossioglossum grande

of course, there are many, many more wonderful species and tons of nice hybrids.........but that would take a book........


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## Roslyn (Jul 23, 2009)

NYEric said:


> Addicted! :evil:



For many years. :rollhappy:


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## Drorchid (Jul 23, 2009)

slippertalker said:


> I have to stick with the ones that I have grown or seen (species):
> 
> Paph rothschildianum
> Miltoniopsis vexillaria
> ...



I think you and I must have similar tastes! There are ones on your list (that are not on my list) that I was thinking of as well!

Robert


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## NYEric (Jul 23, 2009)

Get a motel room you 2! :evil:


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## slippertalker (Jul 23, 2009)

Yes, we do have similar tastes in orchids, but this was a pretty easy list as these are some of the most striking plants. Also, several are cooler growers and being in a cooler climate give us an advantage in growing them.


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