# First Bloom: Paph niveum ‘Lil Ruff’ x Lady Isabel



## terryros (Dec 28, 2009)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157623089518076/

This is an Orchids Limited, Plymouth, MN cross that we think is the first to bloom of the cross. The cross was made on 5/1/04 and the seed was harvested on 12/3/04. It was in flask until 2/22/07, a little over three years. This bloom is thus about 5 years from seed harvest and a little less than 3 years out of the flask.

The widest leaf span is 25 cm and the plant has eight leaves with two new growths. The flower itself is 12 cm NS width and 6 cm NS height from top of the dorsal to the bottom of the pouch.

Crosses of Paph niveum (a brachypetalum subgenus) with polyantha subgenous paphs (e.g rothschildianum, stonei, philippinense, kolopakingii) are often reported as difficult to grow and flower. In 2007 in this forum, Jason Fischer, from Orchids Limited, reported on a 3N Woluwense (rothschildianum x niveum) remake using a 4N niveum as the pod parent that seemed to be easier/faster blooming than older crosses made with rothschildianum as the pod parent. It was not clear if this was the 4N influence or just the use of niveum as the pod parent.

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3194&highlight=Woluwense

This current cross used a very nice 2N niveum as the pod parent and a 2N Lady Isabel (rothschildianum x stonei) and still achieved blooming within 3 years from the flask. Although using niveum as the pod parent may be helping the growth and blooming, it is also possible that more recently developed rothschildianum species and hybrids (like the Lady Isabel used in this cross) are growing and flowering faster than older roth specimens and hybrids.

The seedling that I purchased was grown in an indoor basement plant room under wide-spectrum fluorescent lights, about 10 inches (25 cm) from the tubes. The plant was grown in LECA (Hydroton) as medium but not really with semi-hydro technique. The plant sat in a saucer and was flushed with Green Jungle (Orchids Limited) fertilizer solution each week (2 tablespoons per gallon reverse osmosis water, which produces about 125 ppm N). It was then lightly watered with straight RO water every 1-2 days to prevent salt accumulation and to keep roots moist but not saturated. The pot was always able to freely drain. The day length was varied from 15 hours in May/June (temps 80-85/65-70) to a short day period of 11 hours in October during which day temps were 70-72 with night temps of 55-60. Spring and Summer began in November. If you are wondering why October was the depth of Winter, it is because my cool down happens when I open the plant room window and September and October are best for this since it is too cold for nearby plants if I open the window in November/December. 

I noticed the beginning of the flower spike in this plant about September when days had shortened and temperatures had begun to fall. I slowly felt and then saw the spike develop, becoming gradually more anxious over the three months.


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## Shiva (Dec 28, 2009)

A very lovely paph. You can be proud of it. One of the best niveum cross I've seen. Thanks for the picture.


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## etex (Dec 28, 2009)

Great job! The bloom is very beautiful!!


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## SlipperKing (Dec 28, 2009)

Well that is fast from flask to flower. It looks like there is only one flower w/o a bud. Is this common for these crosses on the first blooming? How many seedlings did you get and how many are of this size, that is BS?


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## terryros (Dec 28, 2009)

I am hoping Jason or Robert will chime in her soon since they are the experts. 

There is a very small second bud on this plant, but I don't think it is going to develop. I think the expectation is that there will be at least two flowers with subsequent bloomings. Since this plant has made two new growths already and they are decent size, perhaps we will get multiple growths and blooms each year. There was pretty good seedling production from the cross because I had a good number of seedlings to choose from, although as usual, I make Jerry, Jason, or Robert help make the final choice for me since my eye isn't very well trained in what is a "good" one. There are still plants of this cross available online at OL. 

I am really liking these brachy/parvi crosses with the polyantha group. I have bloomed Pink Sky (delenatii x Lady Isabel) and am excited about another new cross which is Bel Royal x vietnamense which should be nicely purple.


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## SlipperFan (Dec 28, 2009)

I would call that flower spectacular!


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## terryros (Dec 28, 2009)

Dot - this bloom seems fairly similar to your picture of Woluwense on the slipperorchids.info site. Has it been difficult for you to grow/bloom Woluwense? Do you have other niveum/polyantha crosses?


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## NYEric (Dec 28, 2009)

Wow! Very descriptive description!  Thanx for posting.


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## JeanLux (Dec 29, 2009)

Wow, that's a quick beauty!!!! Jean


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## Pete (Dec 29, 2009)

that was an awesome post. lots of great information about your specific culture and all the dates.
Thanks...


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## Ayreon (Dec 29, 2009)

It looks fantastic. I'm happy to have one of the plants from this cross at home, but it still has a long way to go.


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## emydura (Dec 29, 2009)

Just gorgeous.

David


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## Drorchid (Dec 29, 2009)

Very Nice Terry! and excellent description (I could not have done it better my self). Thanks for posting.

Robert


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## smartie2000 (Dec 29, 2009)

Beautiful! I love the look of these hybrids. Thanks for the tips

I pre-ordered one recently, and I hope i get a good one like yours!


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## goldenrose (Dec 29, 2009)

:clap: :drool: Very Nice!!! Good growing!
I suppose my Woluwense will bloom when I finally give it away!


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## Drorchid (Dec 29, 2009)

Terry stopped by to show us his plant, so we took some pictures of it:












It looks even nicer in person! Good growing Terry!

Robert


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## terryros (Dec 29, 2009)

It must be nice to be so good with the camera.

I think we discussed our hope that the blooms would become larger than 12 cm with subsequent flowerings and that we could get to 2-3 flowers per spike. Some of this could be cultural so now we find out if I am any good as a grower (gulp).

I have gotten to really like these brachy/parvi crosses with the polyantha subgenous, particularly the whites, pinks, and purples. Big, multiple, long lasting colors with fun shapes and colors. I hope that Jason and Robert keep it up. It is a lot of fun to get a plant from a new cross and then bloom it. You feel part of something (even though Jason and Robert did all the hard work).


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## SlipperFan (Dec 29, 2009)

Wow!!!:smitten: :drool: :clap:


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## fibre (Dec 30, 2009)

very nice pictures!
I have a seedling of the reverse cross (Lady Isabel x niveum), but it is a very slow growing one on my windowsil. I hope to get a real multifloral white Paph some day.


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## terryros (Jan 18, 2010)

My original photo was deleted from Flickr by magic. I post it again. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157623114598991/

The flower increased in size from the original measurements so that it now has a horizontal NS of 13 cm and a vertical NS of 7 cm. I won't even hope that subsequent bloomings will be even bigger. Heck, maybe it will just live.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jan 20, 2010)

Wow, that is a stunning flower...


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## John M (Jan 20, 2010)

This is gorgeous! I'd like to begin building a collection of these primarily white, multifloral hybrids. This cross is especially beautiful!


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## SlipperFan (Jan 20, 2010)

John M said:


> This is gorgeous! I'd like to begin building a collection of these primarily white, multifloral hybrids. This cross is especially beautiful!


Ah, a man after me own heart! I've always been partial to white paphs, and it's really good to see white breeding into multiflorals.


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## terryros (Jan 21, 2010)

Dot - you had a 2006 picture of Deception II (niveum x delenatii) that I picture going onto Lady Isabel. I also picture the Sugar Suite (niveum x emersonii) that Donna Phillips had a picture of in 2005 going onto Lady Isabel. It is just hard to get these mating pairs together but if they ever took, it should be an even larger multifloral white with veining, I would think bigger than Woluwense of this niveum x Lady Isabel. I just like things that are pretty AND big.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 21, 2010)

terryros said:


> Dot - you had a 2006 picture of Deception II (niveum x delenatii) that I picture going onto Lady Isabel. I also picture the Sugar Suite (niveum x emersonii) that Donna Phillips had a picture of in 2005 going onto Lady Isabel. It is just hard to get these mating pairs together but if they ever took, it should be an even larger multifloral white with veining, I would think bigger than Woluwense of this niveum x Lady Isabel. I just like things that are pretty AND big.



I gave away my Deception II -- I wasn't happy with the way it bloomed for me. But I do have a very nice Virgo. If it ever blooms again, I'd be happy to share the pollen. Which brings me to a question: Can Paph (or any orchid) pollen be stored in the refrigerator? If so, for how long?


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## terryros (Jan 21, 2010)

I see your picture of Virgo online. That could be very nice crossed onto a multifloral like Lady Isabel. Jason told me that he knew of a breeder who had gotten a cross of a complex white to take on a multifloral and that should be intresting! Robert/Jason - help with the question of how long pollen can be stored/shipped/shared. I know it can be done. If they don't answer here, I am going to Orchids Limited tomorrow for my mostly weekly visit and will ask.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 21, 2010)

Will you please put me in your pocket and take me with you???


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## terryros (Jan 21, 2010)

I will have them speak and think fondly of you although I know they already do. You know that going there can be a relief from a world that is sometimes a little hard to take.


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## Jimsox (Jan 22, 2010)

That's a great newbie


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## goldenrose (Jan 22, 2010)

SlipperFan said:


> ........ Which brings me to a question: Can Paph (or any orchid) pollen be stored in the refrigerator? If so, for how long?


Shrugging shoulders ..... 6 mos, a year or more? There are hybrids of plants that bloom during the opposite seasons, so we can guess 6 mos. I would guess it depends how fresh the pollen was & humidity. I sent pollen to Africa & Tyronne didn't use it right away.(Do we have any kids yet?)


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## toddybear (Jan 22, 2010)

Yeahhhh niveum!


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