Love to see pics of what people consider really good, pure Paphiopedilum spicerianum

[BrucherT]

I have a weird P. spicerianum, not true to form at all but it grows and blooms like a machine. I use it to test new spots in my microclimate, new potions and fertilizers, media. I’m thinking of looking for a really nice one; it’s the first species I filled with, many years ago as a college freshman. Pretty sure that was a wild-collected plant and I don’t want that (it was eventually donated to a university greenhouse when I went on the road). I’m seeing so many obvious hybrid spicerianum offered under the species like epithet... feel like I’m losing my idea of what a really good one looks like. You folks know your standards and what’s what. Inviting y’all to post photos of your best P. spicerianum and/or the ones you most admire and covet.

 

[Ray]

What's weird about it?

 

[BrucherT]

What's weird about it?

Oh I’ve posted it before. The dorsal is floppy and forward-folded. It’s consistent through 3 flowerings.

 

[NYEric]

There are spicerianum from 2 sources, Indian and Chinese. One, the Chinese one I think, grows large and blooms a lot.

 

[BrucherT]

There are spicerianum from 2 sources, Indian and Chinese. One, the Chinese one I think, grows large and blooms a lot.

Interesting...do we have photos? I think what mine is, is a plant that came from good genes and bloomed out defective, and so was placed on the table for a low price. I would bet on it. I picked it because it had so many growths, two of which had dried stems. It is definitely a tightly clumping galloper. Next year, it will probably mature 6 to 8 growths. I’ll keep it because I know it’s a healthy plant and I can use it as a guinea pig.

The plant itself is a small grower. The growths are small and rather slender. I’ve certainly seen larger-sized spicerianum plants but I don’t know if I’d know the difference in the flowers? I’m disappointed that this one lacks the distinctive “turret” dorsal. But again, I enjoy it anyway.

Any photos to illustrate the differences between Indian and Chinese spicerianum?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I have my spicerianum still in spike after his cold shock, and he is a stunner when I got him 2 years ago. He is big and strong now and maybe when he opens his bloom it may be bigger and better than when I got him. I will post his pic when he opens in a week or two. To me, he was the ideal shape for a typica form with dark colors, big flat dorsal and fat petals.

And then there is the immaculatum (album) form! Which is of course my most coveted one yet to own!

PS beware, there are many lookalike hybrids like Bruno masquerading as spicerianums, particularly coming from Asia. They are pretty hard to tell apart, except the Brunos are usually huskier plant and larger flowers (vs delicate of the species) that tend to have oversize dorsal sepals that lie too flat like a complex.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Here's mine. This is from 2015, but it pretty much looks the same every fall-early winter.
I bought the plant in 2013 when it had its firs flower (a single spike), but then the plant took off and started to bloom with multiple spikes at a time. This particular plant had a leaf length of about 8-9in initially, but it increased significantly as the plant grew older. Now, it is about 16in on average!
I like this for an easy and reliable growing/blooming, but I'd prefer a smaller clone.
A fellow hobbyist bought such a clone at a show a couple of years ago. At the time of purchase, it had six spikes in bloom in 3inch pot! The leaves were much shorter than mine. I would say only about 6inch long? The flowers were tad bit smaller, but not that noticeable unless you measured it. One other difference I noticed was that the petals were even narrower on his and longer, and held almost horizontally. The overall color was about the same as mine.

So, I crossed his onto mine about two years ago and it had a high germination. I have some flasks now.
Unfortunately too cold to ship.

 

[BrucherT]

I have my spicerianum still in spike after his cold shock, and he is a stunner when I got him 2 years ago. He is big and strong now and maybe when he opens his bloom it may be bigger and better than when I got him. I will post his pic when he opens in a week or two. To me, he was the ideal shape for a typica form with dark colors, big flat dorsal and fat petals.

And then there is the immaculatum (album) form! Which is of course my most coveted one yet to own!

PS beware, there are many lookalike hybrids like Bruno masquerading as spicerianums, particularly coming from Asia. They are pretty hard to tell apart, except the Brunos are usually huskier plant and larger flowers (vs delicate of the species) that tend to have oversize dorsal sepals that lie too flat like a complex.

to the sneaky hybrids!

 

[BrucherT]

Here's mine. This is from 2015, but it pretty much looks the same every fall-early winter.
I bought the plant in 2013 when it had its firs flower (a single spike), but then the plant took off and started to bloom with multiple spikes at a time. This particular plant had a leaf length of about 8-9in initially, but it increased significantly as the plant grew older. Now, it is about 16in on average!
I like this for an easy and reliable growing/blooming, but I'd prefer a smaller clone.
A fellow hobbyist bought such a clone at a show a couple of years ago. At the time of purchase, it had six spikes in bloom in 3inch pot! The leaves were much shorter than mine. I would say only about 6inch long? The flowers were tad bit smaller, but not that noticeable unless you measured it. One other differences I noticed was that the petals were even narrower on his and longer, and held almost horizontally. The overall color was about the same as mine.

So, I crossed his onto mine about two years ago and it had a high germination. I have some flasks now.
Unfortunately too cold to ship.

Love yours! What a clump!

 

[Paph Paradise]

I have my spicerianum still in spike after his cold shock, and he is a stunner when I got him 2 years ago. He is big and strong now and maybe when he opens his bloom it may be bigger and better than when I got him. I will post his pic when he opens in a week or two. To me, he was the ideal shape for a typica form with dark colors, big flat dorsal and fat petals.

And then there is the immaculatum (album) form! Which is of course my most coveted one yet to own!

PS beware, there are many lookalike hybrids like Bruno masquerading as spicerianums, particularly coming from Asia. They are pretty hard to tell apart, except the Brunos are usually huskier plant and larger flowers (vs delicate of the species) that tend to have oversize dorsal sepals that lie too flat like a complex.

I wrote an article in my blog about the history of the hybrid Paph spicerianum. Here is a link to it:
https://paphparadise.com/2019/09/19/paphiopedilum-spicerianum-or-not/

It's really hard to tell if you are looking at a hybrid. You need to see many siblings to be certain as some individual plants can have all the correct pieces in place as far as staminode form and markings.

We are breeding two lines. The Indian form, which is larger and often has 2 flowers per spike. Also a Chinese form originally imported and line bred by Limrick Orchids. This form is more compact and blooms twice per year.

Dave

 

[BrucherT]

I wrote an article in my blog about the history of the hybrid Paph spicerianum. Here is a link to it:
https://paphparadise.com/2019/09/19/paphiopedilum-spicerianum-or-not/

It's really hard to tell if you are looking at a hybrid. You need to see many siblings to be certain as some individual plants can have all the correct pieces in place as far as staminode form and markings.

We are breeding two lines. The Indian form, which is larger and often has 2 flowers per spike. Also a Chinese form originally imported and line bred by Limrick Orchids. This form is more compact and blooms twice per year.

Dave

very cool, thank you! I only saw pics of one on the site?

 

[HairBear73]

Not sure if mine is a great example or not but it’s one I love just for the colours and shape

 

[Paphluvr]

I consider this a typical representation of the specie. Easy to grow and bloom, great first Paph. for a new grower.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

All nice pics.

Happypaphy7, all flowers face forward except one on far right. What happened? Must have more spikes this season.

Paphlvr, your spicerianum has good proportions and colour.

Mine is almost open! Will post here when it does.

 

[NYEric]

I may have both types, I will look.

 

[Happypaphy7]

All nice pics.

Happypaphy7, all flowers face forward except one on far right. What happened? Must have more spikes this season.

Paphlvr, your spicerianum has good proportions and colour.

Mine is almost open! Will post here when it does.

I know, right? Everyone was facing the sun, but then, just a few days before the buds opened up, one guy made about face.
I was not happy, then.

This same thing is happening to one of my Maudiae type hybrids at the moment. Two spikes grew together facing the same direction, and just a few days ago, one of them started to twist away from the other one and now they are facing away from each other in bloom. I hate it when this happens but it rarely happens luckily. What can I do? crazy plants. hahaha

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I’m adding my spicerianum ‘Hercules’ to this thread too. He just opened few days and is very husky looking. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea as it looks like a small complex with a wide flat dorsal. Line bred species and selected from Taiwan.

 

[BrucherT]

I’m adding my spicerianum ‘Hercules’ to this thread too. He just opened few days and is very husky looking. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea as it looks like a small complex with a wide flat dorsal. Line bred species and selected from Taiwan.
Beautiful but I think this must be a hybrid.

View attachment 17416 View attachment 17417 View attachment 17418 View attachment 17419

 

[GuRu]

I know, right? Everyone was facing the sun, but then, just a few days before the buds opened up, one guy made about face.
I was not happy, then....

On the one hand that looks funny in my eyes, because one decided or maybe has been voted, to be the conductor of the other ones and on the other hand I like it because it broke the symmetry.

 

[GuRu]

I’m adding my spicerianum ‘Hercules’ to this thread too. He just opened few days and is very husky looking. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea as it looks like a small complex with a wide flat dorsal. Line bred species and selected from Taiwan...

Leslie, colouration and the markings on the staminode of your P. spicerianum are breathtaking, at least in my eyes. The shape is very good too and its cultivar name 'Hercules' is very appropriate. In my eyes it's still very far from complex hybrids. I like it very much.