Paphiopedilum purpuratum is my faaaaaaavorite!
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Tom-DE
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how do you grow it?
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This one?
Tom-DE
Well-Known Member
Show off here, Rich? Just kidding! I would like to see a photo of the flowers when they open. What is the diff?
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ha! not at all ... just jumping in to help meet Sam's better 'albino' goals... and the fact that its not dead is more a numbers game for me... ;-)
So pretty. I like the way the pink in the petals is echoed at the top of the dorsal.
YES! This one!!!!!!
Congratulations! Yours looks great. Was it a compot or are these just two growths maturing? When I bloomed mine, there was no discernible difference in the flower from the type, in color or form; it had very nice, typical form and good deep color. I selfed and delivered the pod to Sam... 2 years went by and he finally told me he assumed there were no progeny, that my perfect pod had failed. I do not know what happened to kill the plant but maybe it was maturing a pod on a first-bloom seedling. Sigh. I had a name picked out for it and everything... aw well. If you ever would like to part with it, please get in touch (if there aren't others in line ahead of me, of course).
I shoulda bought two or three....sigh.
It's one of the easiest species for me to grow and bloom. East window. Watered about every 5 days with RO/K-Lite (1/8 tsp./gal); occasional KelPak, occasional seaweed/fish emulsion, once or twice a year, Cal-Mag. I usually use standard Hausermann's fir-bark mix but one of these has been in Orchiata for a few years; I haven't repotted because it doesn't seem to be breaking down at all; I notice that Orchiata doesn't hold water and I water it more often in summer. I killed the half-albino one from Sam, somehow... still don't know how. Maybe stress from making it carry the pod but it seemed pretty robust all the way through and didn't die until a year later, and very suddenly at that time. I've only lost maybe 3 slippers in the last ten years but dang it, that was one. I wasn't as sad until I found out my juicy green pod hadn't produced anything for Sam's flask service and then it was too late to snag another half-albino.
You notice! Interesting that you think it's "pink;" in person (as it were), the appearance is decidedly more dark-maroon-purple. I love watching them open flat and then fold backward into that delightful dorsal turrret.
I have heard tell of of a form of P. purpuratum that has leaves with, as I recall the description, "a very regular box-like pattern" on them. Never seen a photo. The leaves are, incidentally, my very favorite thing about my very favorite species. Lushly green, beautifully patterned, a slight crystalline sparkle visible to the surface. Just a beautiful plant to grow. Clumps well but I do divide and give away periodically, as they tend to produce growths forward and backward, which can lead to a crowded plant that is difficult to water without getting it into the crowns.
Tom-DE
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the culture tips ...20+ years ago, I lost one after it bloomed...sometimes, that is how it goes! I bought a NBS seedling about 5 months ago and I hope it will bloom next fall.
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It’s a 2 growth plant. Not sure if I have another one. I usually buy 2 if the cross is consistent since the likelihood of death in my care is high.. ;-). PM me
littlefrog
Hop-meister
Hmmm... I didn't realize he was working on albino purpuratum (isn't that an oxymoron?), but that explains the plant I have in bud that I thought was mislabeled. Time will tell
lol I think he had already decided to let someone else work on it from his half-albino crosses. I wanted it to be me, so badly. I gave him the pod in return for an eventual flask… I surmise that he got very busy with the business closing down and there’s no way he could follow up on everything. I don’t usually care much about albinos but this is my very favorite species in all the orchid world and I was really hoping to be the one to produce and name it. Sam liked the name: “Ghost of Hong Kong.” Sigh.
It’s a long story… he lost his stunner of an albino but bred it before, resulting in the half-albino cross Rich has, all of which Sam had sold before his plant died. I selfed mine and set a beautiful green pod, which I ripened under Sam’s direction and hand-delivered to him; he was very pleased with it and we were both surprised that it apparently never yielded. I guess that just happens sometimes. Sigh.
Done!!
Aww if is NBS I bet it blooms for you in spring! I’m not sure why mine are blooming this fall; 2 of my 3 are doing that but the third isn’t. They usually bloom in spring for me…but not always and sometimes twice a year, depending on where the repot and winter/spring temps fall. I’m in a new apartment so this is a first bloom season.
littlefrog
Hop-meister
Send me a message (I can't send you one for some reason). I bought all of Sam's flasks that were in the lab and Christmas miracles sometimes happen.
Oooo! That is lovely! Congrats!!
do their blooms have a scent?
