Paphiopedilum rothschildianum 'Black Eagle' x 'Giant Wings'

[emydura]

A first flowering seedling of this TON cross. I am absolutely rapt with how this one has turned out. Good size (NS 28 cm, DS 5.5 cm), presentation and excellent colour. I have flowered 11 roths now and I think I would rank this one second overall and the best in terms of colour. It is a pretty good grower too. I got 5 small seedlings of this cross in 2015. This is the first one to flower. Of the other 4, one has passed on, another hasn't really grown and the other 2 are NFS.

Here are a couple of photos, the first one back lit, the 2nd front lit.

 

[SlipperKing]

Very fine roth David. I s this the one we chatted about?

 

[emydura]

Very fine roth David. I s this the one we chatted about?

Thanks Rick. One and the same.

 

[Murray F]

Very nice roth good colour

 

[big923cattleya]

Absolutely breathtaking!! No doubt about it. I like this a lot. I do like when orchids are photographed against a black background. The trees, clouds and powerlines are a teeny weeny distraction in the second image, but that is a very pretty flower. Congratulations!!

 

[Ozpaph]

That is VERY nice, David. The pouch colour is outstanding.
Interestingly no one has a roth open up here yet (getting very close).

 

[Djthomp28]

That color is wonderful! If I bloomed one like that I would be smittened.

 

[eds]

Fantastic!

 

[dodidoki]

Very good roth!!!

 

[Guldal]

Great, David, simply great! Fantastic colours, wonderful stance...

And if I know some knitpickers would quibble about the petals not being 100% horizontal - such a view is a prime example of what I have in many other posts called out as blockheaded adherence to a set of rather arbitrary aesthetically values in judging a flower. If the ends of the petals had been straight in the natural angle of the petal, it would be perfect in my book, and I wouldn't ask for more to be perfectly satisfied!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Fabulous. A really well balanced flower with nice color.

 

[spujr]

I really like the color in this one!

 

[Tom-DE]

Very nice! Great photo too! What is the LS(leaves Span)?
My compact roth ('Borneo" FCC/AOS x self) finally got healthy again and it is blooming at the moment too...

 

[tnyr5]

Great, David, simply great! Fantastic colours, wonderful stance...

And if I know some knitpickers would quibble about the petals not being 100% horizontal - such a view is a prime example of what I have in many other posts called out as blockheaded adherence to a set of rather arbitrary aesthetically values in judging a flower. If the ends of the petals had been straight in the natural angle of the petal, it would be perfect in my book, and I wouldn't ask for more to be perfectly satisfied!

No AOS judge I know likes them 100% perfectly horizontal. They all agree that just looks weird & stupid. I myself prefer the petals make an obtuse angle of about 165°. This one is slightly more down swept, but no judging team would kick it out over that.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

No AOS judge I know likes them 100% perfectly horizontal. They all agree that just looks weird & stupid. I myself prefer the petals make an obtuse angle of about 165°. This one is slightly more down swept, but no judging team would kick it out over that.

You are correct and to point.

 

[spujr]

But, a more horizontal petal is generally a longer total flower length and that is something judges go by, no?

I'm asking cause I honestly don't know.

 

[Tom-DE]

Just a personal taste matter--I do prefer rothchildianum with the horizontal petal, which is the trademark for this species.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Note: The petals are just one part of the flower. It has to balance the rest.

The more horizontal the petals, the wider the NS to give size. This is true.

What we are saying here is that it is not the only criteria for petals to do that for awards.

And yes! It is indeed the trademark of the species.

 

[emydura]

Very nice! Great photo too! What is the LS(leaves Span)?
My compact roth ('Borneo" FCC/AOS x self) finally got healthy again and it is blooming at the moment too...

The span of the longest leaves is about 45 cm, so I wouldn't call it compact.

 

[emydura]

Just a personal taste matter--I do prefer rothchildianum with the horizontal petal, which is the trademark for this species.

I think when you say roths trademark are horizontal petals, that is a relative term. Relative to say other species where the petals are mostly vertical. Very few roths have perfectly horizontal petals. The vast majority point downwards to some degree. In fact, most would be more downswept than the one I have posted here. Of the 11 roths I have flowered, only one has had perfectly horizontal flowers and it was pretty ugly really. Perfectly straight horizontal petals look so unnatural. I agree with Tony. The perfect petal stance is a little more horizontal than this one, which my best clone has.