The spectacular original Paph.gigantifolium

[valenzino]

In the last years,one of the most interesting discoveries was
Paph gigantifolium.
I,ve seen quite a lot of them in flower but I am so sorry that the first colony that was collected(someone said me was compleately collected to the last plant but I cant confirm) was absolutely the best one.
The plants we can find nowadys have long stems,very big plants and nice pink/purple flowers...and sound very nice because they can reach 4-5 flowers/stem....but the old ones....the old ones...
I have trhe possibility to see few of this plants in flower and only once I had the camera with me...
Compact plants,shorter stems with easely 6-7 flowers/stem and of a beatifull orange colour...I think this variety is best particularly for grower that looks inside breeding...
here are 2 photos...
What do you think?

 

[goldenrose]

:clap::clap::drool: SPEECHLESS! :drool::clap:
Thanks for posting!

 

[TyroneGenade]

My goodness. That is very attractive.

 

[GuRu]

I think you mirrored the blooms in the second photo
Awesome they look very well but if the size of your photos was bigger (e.g.800 x 600 pixels) the beauty of these blooms would be better visible.

Best regards from Germany, rudolf

 

[luvsorchids]

I think you mirrored the blooms in the second photo
Awesome they look very well but if the size of your photos was bigger (e.g.800 x 600 pixels) the beauty of these blooms would be better visible.

Best regards from Germany, rudolf

I agree.

Susan

 

[paphjoint]

good stuff-

 

[Drorchid]

Very nice! I am speechless :drool::drool:

Do you know if there are seedlings around of the plants you mention that are derived from the first colony of gigantifolium? I hope there are, because it would be sad if they would have been lost.

Thanks for posting!

Robert

 

[valenzino]

Very nice! I am speechless :drool::drool:

Do you know if there are seedlings around of the plants you mention that are derived from the first colony of gigantifolium? I hope there are, because it would be sad if they would have been lost.

Thanks for posting!

Robert

At the moment,I know only 3 plants around in europe,but have to be more(I hope not all of them have been killed).
I have already booked a division of the plant you can see in flower,and,as soon I flower, I will reproduce myself.
Here another photo that make understand that in reality is quite compact compared to the other gigs...I've seen some over the meter...15-18cm large leaves...

I know also about 3 huge(means specimens not that the leaves are big) plants in Malaysia that are very old,but I have not yet seen them in flower.

 

[Wendy]

Absolutly beautiful! I have a gigantifolium and a few of its hybrids. Can't wait to see blooms.

Beautiful photos!

 

[SlipperKing]

Fine looking specimen! Really into the flower count. **** luck with your plans for all of our sakes!

 

[NYEric]

Yes, good luck and thanx for posting.

 

[WolfDog1 (C. Williams)]

WOW!
Stunning

Craig

 

[SlipperFan]

That is amazing! Yes, grow your plant well and reproduce it!

 

[paphioboy]

OMG... :drool: :drool: :drool: All the while, gigantifolium was never in the list of multifloral species wish list because of its rather small flowers on a large unwieldy plant.. But this one is a different matter altogether.. :clap: :clap: I'd like to see this particular one crossed with sanderianum.. The existing hybrid of gigantifolium x sand is already stunning to say the least.. Its somewhere in this forum..

 

[Bolero]

Sensational! I have never seen one of these. Wonderful plant.

 

[SelectOrchids]

That's an amazing plant for sure...

The first colony of gigantifolium had as well some special plants, about 1/3, that had soft, fleshy, pendant, dark green, shiny nearly like a mirror leaves. The plants were indeed a bit smaller.

So far I don't think there are too many around of the original. I still have the holotypus that has been used to describe the plant, but it is not like Alex plant. I suspect Alex type might come from those 1/3 strange plants that were mixed in the original colony. They looked definitely a bit different.

The first batch of gigantifolium to reach Europe had a lot of erwinia rhizome rot when they arrived...

Sorry to say that, but when anyone speaks about jungle plants + how many are still alive years after, usually the reply is less than a couple percents.

That's the problem, many people want to get jungle plant for ages, but they do not know how to grow them. It is not like growing a plant from seed to blooming size. First, the roots are broken, second, the plants usually have all
sorts of systemic leaf and root infection...

The type of gigantifolium actually nearly collapsed, and it took several years to get it back to a nice growing plant. It had the same erwinia rhizome rot as its sister plant from that original shipment.

Intaniae is one of those plants where many were collected and few survived too...

 

[nikv]

I'd like to see this particular one crossed with sanderianum.. The existing hybrid of gigantifolium x sand is already stunning to say the least.. Its somewhere in this forum..

I have one of those plants that were offered on this forum. My plant has one mature growth (about 25 inches across) and two new grows starting. It's very healthy. Now I'm wondering which version of gigantifolium was used in this cross. Does anyone know?

 

[paphioboy]

Nik, just bloom the thing ASAP and we'll find out..