Paph. Miaohua Golden Venus x helenae

[merc]

Just opened today. This arrived in-bud. The asymmetrical coloring of the dorsal was interesting. The green in the petals are lightening up pretty rapidly. I'll post if colour changes significantly. Was hoping for a smaller plant with the double dose of helenae, but it's massive compared to my helenae (in background to the left).

 

[big923cattleya]

Interesting is a good word for it. Mine would be disappointing.
But, look on the bright side. It might improve under your care. I typically practice a “three strike policy”. If it blooms 3 times in a row not up to my expectations or it fails to impress me, I put it on the club raffle table.
It has form and alignment issues. Put a dot at the top center of the dorsal. Another dot bottom center of the pouch. Connect the dots, I like to see a straight line. The closer the better.

 

[merc]

@big923cattleya i totally see the deformity now! thanks for pointing that out. i am hoping next bloom will be better.

 

[big923cattleya]

Oh, that’s okay. No problem. Some time we just get too wrapped up and need another opinion.
But ultimately it is our decision, keep or toss.

 

[merc]

size alone has it on the chopping block. true teacups are hard to come by.

 

[big923cattleya]

I think it all comes down to supply and demand. If the Orchid Buying Public isn’t buying them or asking for them, why make those hybrids?
Or if you make them and they don’t sell, why make more?

 

[Ozpaph]

i dont think that fulfills the hybridisers brief

 

[IvoPhal]

My humble opinion like a hobbyist is that the paph is lovely and I envy for the beautiful collection. The substrate is bark and perlite( sponge rock)?

 

[merc]

My humble opinion like a hobbyist is that the paph is lovely and I envy for the beautiful collection. The substrate is bark and perlite( sponge rock)?

there doesn't appear to be any perlite in the media looking in from the top. it looks like medium sized bark and clumps of dried-out moss.

 

[Bill MI]

I’ve bloomed a few of these, most I’ve had to talk myself into keeping to bloom again. None have rebloomed yet though.

This one, the most recent, is a keeper though, in a 2.25” rose pot. The moss on the media is just until I got to repotting -it was drying out too fast.

 

[merc]

I’ve bloomed a few of these, most I’ve had to talk myself into keeping to bloom again. None have rebloomed yet though.

This one, the most recent, is a keeper though, in a 2.25” rose pot. The moss on the media is just until I got to repotting -it was drying out too fast.View attachment 50297View attachment 50298

oh man you hit the jackpot! 100% keeper! gorgeous little bloom and nice snack sized plant. i'm totally jealous!

 

[Ozpaph]

they dont look like sibs.....

 

[Bill MI]

they dont look like sibs.....

I didn’t mean to imply that they were sibs, my apologies. The cross may very well have been made by others using different parents.

My plants came from a flask I bought directly from the hybridizer (Dr. Harold Koopowitz) years ago. The pod parent was Miaohua Golden Venus ‘Compact Green’.