Paphiopedilum hangianum ‘First Class’

[DrLeslieEe]

Today I went to John M. and picked up this famous hangianum posted many years ago as ‘First Class Charlie’. It is as stunning in person as in the pics. Thank you John for parting with it under my care. I’m just ecstatic!

Flowers measure 15-cm NS, with a lemony ‘Menthos’ fragrance. First flower was bruised in bud but second flower opened flawlessly. Substance is thick with a satiny texture, downy in petal base. Color is creamy yellow, almost butter yellow. Plant is very compact at tip to tip

NS = 15 cm
Petals = 8 cmL x 7 cmW
Dorsal = 7 cmL x 6 cmW
Synsepal = 7 cmL x 7 cmW
Pouch = 4.5 cmW x 5 cmL
Plant = 25 cm total width
Max leaf size = 13 cm x 5 cm



As John mentioned to me, the flowers can get bigger on a single bloom plant carrying more strength. Currently it has to divide resources to two heavy flowers.

I’m tempted to rename plant to ‘MoonCake’.

 

[cnycharles]

Looks nice!
Did charlie say hello?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Looks nice!
Did charlie say hello?

Unfortunately Charlie passed away. He’s in doggie Heaven now. He’s been succeeded by Molly, who looks exactly like him.

 

[cnycharles]

I’m very sorry to hear that, though glad there is a new friend

 

[Linus_Cello]

What is that splotch on one dorsal?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I’m very sorry to hear that, though glad there is a new friend

My sincerest apologies to John. I made a mistake. Charlie is still alive, albeit older. Molly is his new companion.

 

[Paphluvr]

Absolutely beautiful.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

What is that splotch on one dorsal?

That was a bud bruise from rubbing on a leaf at back dorsal sepal that grew with flower expansion and possible condensation in GH.

 

[Ozpaph]

that is a nice one.
Very stout leaves. Are these 'good' hangianums polyploid?

 

[Duck Slipper]

Very nice and thanks for showing. I have a large hangianum that is doing great and has been easy to grow. Waiting on a bloom...

 

[DrLeslieEe]

that is a nice one.
Very stout leaves. Are these 'good' hangianums polyploid?

I assume that this one is as it has been self sterile so far in the attempts to breed it. I may send pollen to some breeders to attempt on their plants.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Very nice and thanks for showing. I have a large hangianum that is doing great and has been easy to grow. Waiting on a bloom...

I'm curious on the culture for your plant?

 

[monocotman]

Wow that is quite a flower!
David

 

[GuRu]

Holy cow, what a nice Paph. hangianum no matter if it's 'First Class Charlie' or 'MoonCake'

 

[musa]

Wow, that is an amazing flower!!!
It is a pitty that it is reluctant to self propagation...

 

[Duck Slipper]

I'm curious on the culture for your plant?

I have had it for approximately two years. After I got it, it’s leaves turned a slight yellow. I repotted it into a 4” Rand air cone pot with A standard coarse New Zealand fir bark mix, and mulched it with Sphagnum moss. It now sits at the far edge of a 6 bulb T5’s light about 20” from edge of fixture. Right now it is getting some early morning direct sunlight and will continue for another hour or so. It has a 30.5 cm. Leaf spread. It spent last summer outside and will be moved outside shortly. I alternate with two different fertilizers at every watering at 100 ppm nitrogen. K-lite and Peter’s Excel Cal-Mag. Watering is every 3 or 4 days.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I have had it for approximately two years. After I got it, it’s leaves turned a slight yellow. I repotted it into a 4” Rand air cone pot with A standard coarse New Zealand fir bark mix, and mulched it with Sphagnum moss. It now sits at the far edge of a 6 bulb T5’s light about 20” from edge of fixture. Right now it is getting some early morning direct sunlight and will continue for another hour or so. It has a 30.5 cm. Leaf spread. It spent last summer outside and will be moved outside shortly. I alternate with two different fertilizers at every watering at 100 ppm nitrogen. K-lite and Peter’s Excel Cal-Mag. Watering is every 3 or 4 days.View attachment 27053

Looks so healthy! Thanks for sharing culture ... very helpful as I’m repotting this one soon.

 

[Hien]

this hangianum has quite a few excellent traits:
-flower is big yet remain round (without having thin elongated dorsal & thin floppy petals)
-big flower yet not large vegetation part (some hangianums' leaves can be very big)

 

[NYEric]

A 2 bloom hang with small leaves, you suck! Nice acquisition.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Beautiful big flowers on a compact plant is always a plus!!