# Paphiopedilum rothschildianum? (ID help needed)



## Lint (Apr 28, 2012)

Hello,

at my orchid society meeting yesterday, one member brought a plant labeled rothschildianum. It was its first blooming with a measly two flowers.

I'm not sure if the flower is just malformed, but to me it looks like this might be a hybrid of some sort?

The lip is very dark, petals look strange and the overall colour is more yellowish than white. I am no expert though and have never seen a real rothschildianum except on pictures.

So, I am asking you, do you think this is a rothschildianum or not?









Sorry for the picture quality, I only had my cellphone on me.


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## Paphman910 (Apr 28, 2012)

Looks like the real deal!

Paphman910


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## billc (Apr 28, 2012)

The petals look like they were crammed in somewhere, but the lower blooms dorsal is really nicely striped. It looks like a roth to me also.

Bill


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## dodidoki (Apr 28, 2012)

Nice roth, don't worry but bee proud!!! Deformed laterals may will be staight with time or at next blooming. Colouration is fine dark.


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## Leo Schordje (Apr 28, 2012)

The pictures are pretty much what an ordinary rothschildianum can look like. Not all rothschildianum are the glorious award quality show stoppers. There is a population of roths that have a distinctly yellow background, that is normal. The bright white background of the awarded 'Mont Milais' is somewhat unusual. There is a clone 'Old Mill' HCC/AOS that is fairly deep yellow for its background. When the background is white, the color of the stripes really 'pops', making a stunning display. The white background is what is being bred for by nurseries lately, though when fashions change, yellow background may return to popularity. 

This plant might bloom better under different cultural conditions, though what I could see of the plant, the plant looks healthy enough. This is what I would expect from a 'distressed' blooming. Perhaps the plant was grown too warm, or not bright enough, or humidity too low to develop more ideal flowers. I would encourage the owner to improve their culture (but gently & politely, its not your plant  )

Or perhaps the plant is doing the best it can, the genetics of the plant being the problem. The award quality rothschildianums are the minority, and they are the ones people proudly display photos of, but not all roths are that good. 

Definitely encourage the owner to bloom it a couple more times, let it get big without dividing the plant up. You won't know what a rothschildianum can really do until you bloom it as a 7 to 10 growth plant that needs at least a 2 or 3 gallon nursery can to hold all the roots. Smaller plants will not reveal the full potential of their flower quality. Rothschildianum is not a small paph.

The photo is definitely roth, just not a very good blooming I'm afraid.


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## Lint (Apr 28, 2012)

Thank you all for your replies! The owner of the plant will be relieved to know it's a true rothschildianum after all and just needs to grow into a bigger and stronger plant.


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## rdlsreno (Apr 28, 2012)

Yep, it is!

Ramon


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## Justin (Apr 28, 2012)

it's a roth, agree it's not a great blooming so should be better next time.


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## emydura (Apr 28, 2012)

Definately a roth. Mine improved significantly on the 2nd flowering.


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