# Paph lowii vs. haynaldianum



## jjkOC (Apr 22, 2011)

I have read some old threads about these two related multifloral Paph species and hope I can gain some new/refreshed opinions and advice. I am considering to delve into multiflorals with one of these species. I will be growing it with my other Paphs on my windowsill. 

Thanks in advance for your opinions and learning more about the good and bad? about these two species!


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## Rick (Apr 22, 2011)

Lowii can get pretty big for a windowsill plant.

Also I think either one can be sensitive to low humidity conditions (less than 60 70 percent), especially as the blooms open. So need to be conscious of your windowsill humidity levels.

If you want something that looks like lowii but stays small then consider P. richardianum. 

P. wilhelminea (gardnerii) is another multifloral that stays small, but looks like a mini rothchildianum. 

Even though the pardalopetalums a considered lower light requiring than many of the multis, mine still seem to need higher light levels than barbata types to get them to bloom. Which way do your windows face?


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## Heather (Apr 22, 2011)

I vote lowii, but just because I prefer the flower a bit, they are both quite easy, IMO.


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## e-spice (Apr 22, 2011)

I also vote for lowii because I think the flower is prettier. I'm not sure why anyone would grow haynaldianum over lowii but I'm not an expert on either species.

e-spice


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Apr 22, 2011)

I'm in the haynaldianum camp. Its much easier to grow and bloom, and requires much less light. They can do well with Maudiae's. Not that lowii is difficult to bloom, but it does require more light, and I also find it much less hardy than haynaldianum. Also, haynaldianum's are much more consistent. They all look good- and will be much darker if bloomed under cooler conditions. While the best lowii's are prettier than haynaldianum, a mediocre lowii can be pretty dull. My first lowii was awful...nice petal tips, but the rest of the bloom was so washed out it was virtually colorless.


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## Justin (Apr 22, 2011)

Agree with Eric about haynaldianum...lowii can turn into a monster-size plant when it matures. For an easy-blooming, windowsill multifloral you might try Michael Koopowitz (although after a few years they get somewhat big too).


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## Bolero (Apr 22, 2011)

This is a great thread, thanks for the inspiration. I need some haynaldianums (as I grow cooler anyway).


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## goldenrose (Apr 23, 2011)

I've got both - have to agree haynaldianum is smaller & blooms easier for me. But a true addict goes for both - pick a haynald album & there's no way to compare it to lowii! 
I love gardineri - got a 3 growth plant it blasted in '07, skipped '08, bloom April & July '09, skipped '10, has 3 spikes now! So although small, seems to bloom every other year as most multis.
I have one MK from OL that is big but another from Sam (Orchid Inn) that is compact, so size can vary on them.


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## smartie2000 (Apr 23, 2011)

yup haynaldianum is a smaller plant. 

Also I had no problem having the buds open in house hold conditions, which means probably 60% humidity (or less?)


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## fibre (Apr 23, 2011)

My lowii grows on the windowsill of my kitchen, SE-elevation. Yes it is a big multigrowth plant and it flowers (almost) every year. I always thought haynaldianum needs to much humidity to grow it on a windowsill ...


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## carrilloenglish (Apr 23, 2011)

Breeding for lowii is so much more advanced over haynaldianum. 

My point is that for the space, lowii flowers tend to be better in size, shape, color and form in comparison to haynaldianum. Lowii has been so "inter-bred" with itself that modern plants have hybird vgior; thus, they are more forgiving of temperature and humidity, and tend to grow much faster. You will be able to bloom lowii in lower light -- ie the light required for haynaldianum -- but you will not get five or six flowers per inflor. You'll get two or three. Still a fair trade-off for me. Breeders have really perfected what is available on the market for lowii where as I feel haynaldianum still has a way to go in terms of breeding lines.

This is all my opinion though as a seasoned grower and purchaser of each.


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## Marc (Apr 23, 2011)

When in doubt ( and funds + growing space permitting ) buy both!


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## jjkOC (Apr 23, 2011)

Wow, this is great everybody! Thanks for your opinions and personal experiences! Rick, my windows are all east facing. 

The need of higher humidity for blooming haynaldianum is a little disconcerting especially living in southern CA... Would a humidity tray be sufficient?

I think I know what the lowii camp would say, but are lowii usually more intensely colored than haynaldianum? Are haynaldianum awarded for their colors or number of flowers? I have read that haynaldianum can be more floriferous than lowii, is this the general consensus?

Thanks everyone for sharing!


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## jjkOC (Apr 23, 2011)

carrilloenglish said:


> Breeding for lowii is so much more advanced over haynaldianum.
> 
> My point is that for the space, lowii flowers tend to be better in size, shape, color and form in comparison to haynaldianum. Lowii has been so "inter-bred" with itself that modern plants have hybird vgior; thus, they are more forgiving of temperature and humidity, and tend to grow much faster. You will be able to bloom lowii in lower light -- ie the light required for haynaldianum -- but you will not get five or six flowers per inflor. You'll get two or three. Still a fair trade-off for me. Breeders have really perfected what is available on the market for lowii where as I feel haynaldianum still has a way to go in terms of breeding lines.
> 
> This is all my opinion though as a seasoned grower and purchaser of each.



Thanks Christian! This is really good information!


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## carrilloenglish (Apr 23, 2011)

jjkOC said:


> Wow, this is great everybody! Thanks for your opinions and personal experiences! Rick, my windows are all east facing.
> 
> The need of higher humidity for blooming haynaldianum is a little disconcerting especially living in southern CA... Would a humidity tray be sufficient?
> 
> ...




No, its the other way around. Lowii is more floriferous than haynaldianum, by a long shot. If memory serves me correctly, there is only one awarded haynaldianum that had five flowers. All other awards are with lower flower counts. Right now the standard for lowii is six flowers but I have heard of them blooming with seven on one inflor. None have been awarded with seven though, I don't think (Guess I should check AQ before I make these generalizations but my memory is usually pretty good).

Honestly, since you are really deciding between both, I would buy both and see what does better for you and which you like better. Or, buy two of each. This would give you even better odds. At least that's what I would do but I am like a crack addict for multifloral paphs.

I was just at Parkside yesterday and they had haynaldianums in flower with two or three flowers each. They also had nice lowii plants too. Their prices are great for the quality of the plant you would get. And they are all blooming sized, or prior blooms. 

Good luck. Ohh, and while you are at it, buy some rothschildianums, and philippinenese as well, and then you can always squeeze in a stonei and .... (lol... there is always room for multiflorals!!!!)


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## jjkOC (Apr 23, 2011)

I really need to learn how to grow money on trees...


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## Justin (Apr 23, 2011)

there was recently an AQ given to one of the Orchid Inn haynaldianum crosses, grown by Hillsview Gardens.


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## Heather (Apr 23, 2011)

jjkOC said:


> I really need to learn how to grow money on trees...



Now *that's* the spirit! Let us know when you figure that out, please.


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## goldenrose (Apr 23, 2011)

Justin said:


> there was recently an AQ given to one of the Orchid Inn haynaldianum crosses, grown by Hillsview Gardens.


One has been donated to the auction next week!!! :drool::drool:


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## jjkOC (Apr 26, 2011)

goldenrose said:


> One has been donated to the auction next week!!! :drool::drool:



Really... do tell more!


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## Heather (Apr 26, 2011)

Should be posted tonight after the current auctions close or tomorrow…stay tuned!


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## goldenrose (Apr 27, 2011)

goldenrose said:


> One has been donated to the auction next week!!! :drool::drool:





jjkOC said:


> Really... do tell more!


Here it is!
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20558


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## nikv (Apr 27, 2011)

If you're not opposed to hybrids, you might want to consider a lowii crossed with any of the members of the cochlo group. There's plenty of them available on eBay right now. The cochlo should keep the size down yet provide a lowii-type flower. You'd be able to grow it on a windowsill for a lot longer than a straight lowii. A Paph. Henrietta Fujiwara would also be a nice possibility.


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## NeoNJ (Jun 5, 2011)

I own both of these. They both grow on my Windowsill. They have 2-growths. These are both newly acquired. I have grown lowii before, and had no problem flowering this Paph. on my windowsill. But I did find it SLOWWWWW growing. I'm not familiar with Haynaldianum - many say it is easier (?) to grow. I don't quite know what that means - but we'll see.
With the exception of these two Paphs, I have moved away from the Multi-floral Paphs because they grow too slow, get large, and are not reliable bloomers every year.


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## emydura (Jun 5, 2011)

carrilloenglish said:


> No, its the other way around. Lowii is more floriferous than haynaldianum, by a long shot. If memory serves me correctly, there is only one awarded haynaldianum that had five flowers. All other awards are with lower flower counts. Right now the standard for lowii is six flowers but I have heard of them blooming with seven on one inflor. None have been awarded with seven though, I don't think (Guess I should check AQ before I make these generalizations but my memory is usually pretty good).
> !!!!)



I have 4 lowii's and 2 haynaldianum's. There is no comparison - lowii is so much more beautiful, has more flowers and has shown more vigour for me. I agree with everything Christian has said on this. 

Christian - Sam Tsui recently acquired a division of a lowii that had 24 flowers on 3 spikes and each flower was 22 cm wide. The sort of lowii's we will be growing in 10-20 years will leave the current clones for dead. There doesn't seem to be any such breeding for haynaldianum.

David


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