My Paph blooms this spring

[Nelson Wong]

I have been growing paphiopedilum towards 4 years now and they are finally rewarding me with larger and consistent flowers. Currently I am using a 3/4 teaspoon 20-20-25 (Schultz) + 2 drops of concentrate 8-14-9 in 1/2 gallon milk jug with 1 water wash per month and it has worked out pretty well. Not signs of root or leaf burn. The main thing I think is that I have too much light, so I am reducing the light intensity by moving the LED 8 inches up to see how the orchid react in the next 3 to 4 months I am still learning more about fertilization concentration and lighting to maximize flower size and colors.

Paph Toni Semple - 17.cm wide petal, 9.2cm wide dorsal. I love how the petal faces up, almost like a meditation, open palm pose.






Paph Kolopakingii x Wossner Black Wings - 23.5cm wide petal, 10cm wide dorsal. This one isn't perfect. The first flower was pretty, but the subsequent flower's staminode and column are off center. If someone can tell me why that is happen, that could be helpful.





Paph Caroline Hands. This one is always a mystery to me. It's first bloom in its original growth was in January. All the flowers were small and the staminode and column are off center. The spike died back in March, but immediately in April, it started coming out with a second bloom in it's second growth. I think the light was too strong so the flower stem for the first flower was non-existentt so the flower developed inside the crown and sheath. leading to malformed flower. But the flower is huge almost the size of my fist! But another weird thing happened. another spike is coming from the sheath again? Maybe it is the subsequent flower spike catching up, but the flowers so far, are much smaller. Not sure what is happening, but this one is always a puzzle for me.




Paph Lady Rothchild (Lady Isabel 'Jumbo Lady x Rothschildianum 'New Horizon' FCC/AOS' - This one is about to bloom soon so I am excited to see how this one comes out.

 

[Justin]

Looking really good. The leaves are just a little yellow, so cutting back light just a tiny bit makes sense, but not too much.

The kolo x WBW cross is actually pretty neat. I like the black stripes on the white dorsal.

 

[Nelson Wong]

Looking really good. The leaves are just a little yellow, so cutting back light just a tiny bit makes sense, but not too much.

The kolo x WBW cross is actually pretty neat. I like the black stripes on the white dorsal.

Yea, it was measuring close to 400 ppfd. So I cut back/ dispersing the lighs by lifting 8 inches, it is measuring around 200ppfd now so I will see what happens.

the kolo x WBW is really neat. I am definitely enjoying the black stripes on white dorsal, while it contrast with the green on the pouch and petals.

Do you know what would cause a flower's staminode and column to be off-center?

 

[Justin]

Yea, it was measuring close to 400 ppfd. So I cut back/ dispersing the lighs by lifting 8 inches, it is measuring around 200ppfd now so I will see what happens.

the kolo x WBW is really neat. I am definitely enjoying the black stripes on white dorsal, while it contrast with the green on the pouch and petals.

Do you know what would cause a flower's staminode and column to be off-center?

I have never seen a multifloral Paph that is 100% symmetrical. All you can do is provide good conditions. Form generally improves as plants mature with succesive bloomings.

 

[PhilaGardener]

Nicely done - it seems like you are doing very well with your plants!

 

[Sebo]

Both of my cochlopetalum/multi crosses do the exact same thing throwing multiple spikes at the same time. They both flowered for the first time within a week of each other and I was so baffled by four flower spikes coming out of two plants.

Your Toni Semple is gorgeous by the way!

 

[Nelson Wong]

Both of my cochlopetalum/multi crosses do the exact same thing throwing multiple spikes at the same time. They both flowered for the first time within a week of each other and I was so baffled by four flower spikes coming out of two plants.

Your Toni Semple is gorgeous by the way!

yea.. the multi-cross is all sorts of weird right now. But flowers are always good right?!

oh yea! the toni semple is beautiful! it only has 3 flowers for its first bloom, which is fine. Hopefully next year there will be more. granted, I did just repot it to a bigger pot, so it will be spending more energy on roots

I will be posting my Lady Rothschildianum later this week

 

[Nelson Wong]

Here is a picture of another multifloral.

Orchid inn's Paph. Lady Rothschildianum (Lady Isabel "Jumbo Lady" x roth. 'New Horizon')

3 flowers. Pretty standard. I haven't done any measurements but so far the spread is 8 inches. I don't like the color of the pouch as it doesn't seem red enough. So hopefully the next bloom the color and form will be better.

But I do love the pattern. So distinct

 

[Sebo]

I’m really jealous of that Lady Roth! I only have one and it’s just never been the healthiest of plants much less a great flowerer.

 

[Nelson Wong]

Paph parishii ('Dark petals' x 'Jeanie AM/AOS') blooming. This plant got hit with mealy bugs for about 8 months so it only managed 4 flowers, Previously, it hsd 7 flowers. Now that it is free from pest, hopefully next year it will have 5 to 7 flowers. The petals are a dark purple and very twisted. The longest petal currently measures alittle over 5.6 inches and the pouch is almost all green with just a tiny hint of purple under the lip. Pretty standard look honestly.

 

[Nelson Wong]

Recently acquired Paph superbiens album from Rob Halgrin in Michigan. And it is now in bloom! I really love the color and clarity of dorsal petal pattern

 

[Tom-DE]

I really love the color and clarity of dorsal petal pattern

I normally prefer color form over alba, but this one is nice.

 

[Nelson Wong]

I normally prefer color form over alba, but this one is nice.

It is really nice. This is its second bloom, so everything is more settled, but I can stop looking all the dorsal. Especially the petals have the nice green and white transition. It is just stunning

 

[Tom-DE]

Recently acquired Paph superbiens album from Rob Halgrin in Michigan. And it is now in bloom! I really love the color and clarity of dorsal petal pattern

View attachment 48886

The tag might say Paph. superbients album but It should be Paph. curtisii alba. I got one from Rob too after I saw yours here.

 

[Nelson Wong]

So More Paph blooms this fall!

Paph Sander's Pride (Paph stonei x sanderianum).

I have been babying this plant for almost 2 years, consistent watering and fertilization. It has extremely robust root growth that has wrapped close to 70% of the pot and still growing. Originally the plant had 4 very big inflorescence, but some strong wind and staking too tight broke the flower spike at the tip leaving me with only 1 flower. It is a stunning flower and the petals are currently around 10 inches and still growing by about 1.5in per day



Paph primulinum v purpurascens.

I got this plant from my friend Dennis at Flask and Flora in Ohio. Got to know him online at an plant purge and met him in person at a Midwest Orchid Show and just became fast friends. He has a lots of knowledge of orchids, but strong focus on Cattleyas. He knows I am a paph addict, so he is one of my main suppliers. This primulinum v. purpurascens is the biggest, best color and form in his nursery. I mean just look at it. This is its first bloom, but I believe the next flowers will have more intense colors.



Paph Snow Festival (Thinking Red x Ice Castle).

This is complex bulldog Hybrid I got from Tim Culberston from Oceanside Orchid. The flower is slightly deformed due to some compression and the spike is short due to some significant drying during development, but overall, I like the color and size. Those who know me knows I don't like most paph complex hybrids and when I do like one, I mostly prefer white complex. I am hoping with some consistent water, next bloom will be better.




Paph Katrina 'Hurricane Vision' - Willowspring 'Full Moon' x charlesworthii var album 'Perfect Circle'

So this plant is from Orchid Inn and was acquired by Russ Vernon of New Vision Orchid. I met Russ at the Central Indiana Orchid festival that happens every year, and after 3 years of seeing him there, I bumping into him in other orchid shows in midwest and we became friends. This is a big and compact plant in a 6inch pot with 4 other spikes developing. This is one of its flowers, you can see the charlesworthii dorsal and characteristics represented very well here. the Form isn't perfect, but I like it very much. Once it is done bloom, whenever that is. I will divide it because many of the new growth are squished and I have noticed the flower size of many of the new growth are about 20% smaller.




Blooming soon
- Paph Harold Koopowitz
- Paph (Oso Verde x Lady Margaret Thatcher) x P. (Stone Lovely x Pacific Shamrock)
- Paph glaucophyllum (AWOO AM/AOS x Kerry Richards)
- Paph Saint's Within

In Bud
- Paph Sunshine Halo 'Big Bear' AM/AOS
- Paph King of Sweden
- Paph (Miao Hua (Golden Venus) x (Cocoa Jollix Med '2018)
- Paph QF Ki'owalokihawaine (violascens x vietnamese)
- Paph Taiwan (rothschildianum x platyphyllum)
- Paph appletonianum x tigrinum
- Paph delenatii fma vini (Purple Angel x Purple Delight AM/AOS)