# Paph hookerae?



## The Mutant (Jan 15, 2015)

I know it's impossible to tell from just the foliage, but I thought I should ask. I've had hookerae on my wishlist for a while and decided to strike right after new year and bought a BS one.

It turned out to be two different Paphs stuffed together in one pot. I'm uncertain about if they could both be hookerae considering how different their foliage are. I think the larger one (the one at the bottom of the picture) is BS so I haven't been tricked by the vendor but do I have one or two hookeraes now? I don't know if the small one will make it since it only has three rather small leaves.

Both are rather scruffy looking, but I was expecting that:






The small one is in a 5cm (2") pot and the larger one in a 7.5cm (3") pot.


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## ehanes7612 (Jan 15, 2015)

could be


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## SlipperFan (Jan 15, 2015)

I think they are both hookerae.


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## abax (Jan 15, 2015)

I don't have the slightest idea what they are, but I love the
foliage.


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## Bjorn (Jan 16, 2015)

They do not look like my hookeraes, but then, I do not know for certain whether mine are hookerae either since they have not flowered for me
Joke aside, could be, but could also be a lot of others. There seems to be quite a bit of variation in the leaves of those "families" (curtisii/superbiens, hookerae/volonteanum numerous bullenianums), even within one species (dayanum). So, its difficult to predict precisely I think. You have to flower them.:clap:


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## PaphMadMan (Jan 16, 2015)

If 2 seedlings got potted together they were presumably from the same flask, almost inseparable from birth. Hard to imagine how else it could happen. Even the sloppiest grower would rarely throw unrelated plants together unless deliberate fraud was involved. It does seem like a lot of variation for sibling seedlings of a species, but not impossible for an outcross. Was there any information about the parents... cultivar names? x sib? x outcross?


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## The Mutant (Jan 16, 2015)

abax said:


> I don't have the slightest idea what they are, but I love the
> foliage.


Me too. :smitten:



Bjorn said:


> They do not look like my hookeraes, but then, I do not know for certain whether mine are hookerae either since they have not flowered for me
> Joke aside, could be, but could also be a lot of others. There seems to be quite a bit of variation in the leaves of those "families" (curtisii/superbiens, hookerae/volonteanum numerous bullenianums), even within one species (dayanum). So, its difficult to predict precisely I think. You have to flower them.:clap:


They're from Popow and so far I've never gotten a mislabeled plant from him. It's the little one that threw me off since it has such a different foliage. I agree that the leaves of those families can vary a lot, thinking about curtisii now as I have one.

No pressure, hey? :wink: Goal #1: Don't kill them. Goal #2: Get them to grow some roots (and leaves of course)! Goal #3: Flower them. 



PaphMadMan said:


> If 2 seedlings got potted together they were presumably from the same flask, almost inseparable from birth. Hard to imagine how else it could happen. Even the sloppiest grower would rarely throw unrelated plants together unless deliberate fraud was involved. It does seem like a lot of variation for sibling seedlings of a species, but not impossible for an outcross. Was there any information about the parents... cultivar names? x sib? x outcross?


Whenever they got put together, it was some time ago since their roots were so entwined.

Nope, just hookerae.


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## dodidoki (Jan 16, 2015)

Second one is surely hookeare.It has two types one with silver leaves second is with green leaves.


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## emydura (Jan 16, 2015)

They look like the hookerae's I have seen.


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## Trithor (Jan 17, 2015)

I agree with Kirk, it is unlikely that two different species would have been potted in one pot. Chances are that they were both very small, or so entangled that they were both put in the same pot for convenience. I agree that the leaf difference is concerning, but not uncommon. I would be very happy to have those, grow them on and flower them both. Double the challenge, double the pleasure and hopefully double the reward!


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## The Mutant (Jan 17, 2015)

Trithor said:


> I agree with Kirk, it is unlikely that two different species would have been potted in one pot. Chances are that they were both very small, or so entangled that they were both put in the same pot for convenience. I agree that the leaf difference is concerning, but not uncommon. I would be very happy to have those, grow them on and flower them both. Double the challenge, double the pleasure and hopefully double the reward!


That's my theory as well.

I hope they'll both grow well and that it turns out they're both hookerae. The only problem then is that I will most likely want to keep both since their foliage are so different. :rollhappy:

Luckily, I don't have that issue with two other Paphs I got, which also divided themselves when I repotted them. I ordered four Paphs and ended up with 7... That was not part of my plan.


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## NYEric (Jan 17, 2015)

The Mutant said:


> Luckily, I don't have that issue with two other Paphs I got, which also divided themselves when I repotted them. I ordered four Paphs and ended up with 7... That was not part of my plan.


Yes, life is tough!


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## The Mutant (Jan 17, 2015)

NYEric said:


> Yes, life is tough!


Yes, when you have limited space and energy it is. oke:


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## Leo Schordje (Jan 19, 2015)

The smaller one with the more silver leaves looks more like the hookerae I have. Foliage coloration is variable, and both are in range for normal hookerae. The only way to be certain they are hookerae, is to bloom them. Do keep them both. While hookerae is easy to grow, it does not tolerate abuse well, neglect will cause a "death spiral" quicker than you would normally think. You will need your spare to be able to keep listing hookerae on your inventory some 5 or 10 years down the road. Easy to grow, but does not suffer insults lightly. It is especially sensitive to letting the potting mix deteriorate. Stay on top of scheduled repotting.


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## The Mutant (Jan 20, 2015)

Leo Schordje said:


> The smaller one with the more silver leaves looks more like the hookerae I have. Foliage coloration is variable, and both are in range for normal hookerae. The only way to be certain they are hookerae, is to bloom them. Do keep them both. While hookerae is easy to grow, it does not tolerate abuse well, neglect will cause a "death spiral" quicker than you would normally think. You will need your spare to be able to keep listing hookerae on your inventory some 5 or 10 years down the road. Easy to grow, but does not suffer insults lightly. It is especially sensitive to letting the potting mix deteriorate. Stay on top of scheduled repotting.


Thank you for the cultural tips. I thought I should treat them the same as my violascens as the species seem to prefer similar kind of care.

Let's just hope I can keep them both alive.


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## Leo Schordje (Jan 21, 2015)

They grow well, and culture as for P. violascens will suit it well. I started with 6 hookerae seedlings back in 1992, lost 2 early in the process but was able to bloom 4 of them sometime before 1998. Intended to keep the remaining 4 "for all eternity", as each was "good enough", each a little different, mostly in foliage, and little differences in flowers. I am currently down to 1. Like I said, if one gets forgotten in a corner, repotting neglected too long, or watering missed once too often, they go down hill. Slowly, one by one, I lost the other 3. So nothing tricky, but they don't forgive mistakes. By the same token, I have a division of my original Paph Maudiae 'Magnificum', I picked that one up back in 1982, and it still is going strong. Sold many a division of it. Hookerae is reluctant to form clumps of growths (at least in my care). I have never been able to divide any of my hookerae in the 22+ years I have had them. Old growths tend to fade away by the time the newest growth blooms. It might be my culture, it is not the best, but it is 'good enough' to keep it going. Mine tends to bloom every other or every third year. Not bad for a plant that stays at 2 or 3 growths.


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## The Mutant (Jan 21, 2015)

Leo Schordje said:


> They grow well, and culture as for P. violascens will suit it well. I started with 6 hookerae seedlings back in 1992, lost 2 early in the process but was able to bloom 4 of them sometime before 1998. Intended to keep the remaining 4 "for all eternity", as each was "good enough", each a little different, mostly in foliage, and little differences in flowers. I am currently down to 1. Like I said, if one gets forgotten in a corner, repotting neglected too long, or watering missed once too often, they go down hill. Slowly, one by one, I lost the other 3. So nothing tricky, but they don't forgive mistakes. By the same token, I have a division of my original Paph Maudiae 'Magnificum', I picked that one up back in 1982, and it still is going strong. Sold many a division of it. Hookerae is reluctant to form clumps of growths (at least in my care). I have never been able to divide any of my hookerae in the 22+ years I have had them. Old growths tend to fade away by the time the newest growth blooms. It might be my culture, it is not the best, but it is 'good enough' to keep it going. Mine tends to bloom every other or every third year. Not bad for a plant that stays at 2 or 3 growths.


I'm impressed that the last hookerae is still with you after 22 years, not to mention your Maudiae. That's amazing. :clap:

I've only had one Maudiae and that one I killed... I have two Maudiae types, one that I almost managed to kill, but the other one is doing better. My violascens however, is still doing fine so far (only had it for 2½ years) and I think it's approaching blooming size now. Or at least I hope it is.

I would say my culture is most probably not the best either, but if I can keep one or maybe both going, I would be happy.


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