Paphiodedilum experts, help! - Orchid Board

NYCorchidman · #1 11-10-2011, 12:52 AM

I got this one last week thinking that it is Paph.Honey. It didn't have a name tag. I looked up some images online and Paph.Honey, Paph.Clifton Booth, Paph.Shireen and a few others all look very similar.

If anyone can tell me how to tell them apart, please let me know.
Also, informations regarding their care will be greatly appreciated. I have lots of Maudiae types and complex hybrids, but this one is new to me. I just took it because it jumped out to me.

And lastly, the dark streaking on the pouch, is that an indication of virus?? I will probably have to start a whole new thread on that issue shortly after as I'm concerned about that a lot. don't want to have it spread it to my other chids.

ronaldhanko · #2 11-10-2011, 01:59 AM

This is the same problem as the Oncidium Alliance intergeneric. You can't distinguish them without a tag - the physical characteristics of two plants within the same cross may be so different that they each look more like plants from a different cross than they resemble each other.

ronaldhanko · #3 11-10-2011, 02:01 AM

Paphs can do strange things without being virused. I wouldn't throw it away unless you are sure its virused and the only way is to test it, though even that is not 100% foolproof. In fact, Paphs are some of the least likely orchids to be virused.

NYCorchidman · #4 11-10-2011, 10:11 PM

Thank you, Ron.
Could you tell me what some of those "strange things" they do are? I have to take some pictures and post, but I have noticed some of the leaves are pleated along the length of the leaf, but not as in accoridian look due to underwatering.
Also, a collection of tiny little black spots on the underside of some leaves. well, it's hard to describe. I will have to add photos and start a new thread later on.

ronaldhanko · #5 11-11-2011, 01:14 AM

Flowers can be distored, leaves can be pleated - many of these things are the result of culture, but not always. One can have a Paph bloom oddly just once and never do so again. We have a Paph that always seems to have the kind of leaves you describe, even though none of the other Paphs that grow with it do. The black spots are probably fungus. Keep water off the leaves to prevent it and good air movement should keep them from spreading, though they usually aren't that big of a problem on Paphs.

NYCorchidman · #6 11-12-2011, 02:03 AM

Thank you again, Ron.
One of my really dark paph began to open its bud and I noticed the pouch had some indentation and the petals(I don't know what exactly they are call. The two skinny petals that spread out horizonally) are of different length. How odd!!!
Again, I will have to post pictures soon. I will have to wait for the next season to see if it will flower normally.

Lagoon · #7 11-12-2011, 05:43 AM

Looks like a paph honey to me. This should be scented like a rose.

NYCorchidman · #8 11-12-2011, 10:48 PM

Unfortunately, mine are not scented. By the way, the last bud opened today and the first flower fell off. My Maudiae types dry up when flowers are spent, but this paph is funny how it just drops the old bloom.
Can you post the picture of your "Honey"? I like the name.

RosieC · #9 11-20-2011, 03:00 PM

This could be a sequential bloomer. Whether it's Paph Honey or not it does look like Paph primulinum is in the parantage and that's a sequential bloomer.

Sequential bloomers will keep growing new buds on an ever lengthening spike, droping the older flowers and holding just a couple or so at a time. One of these types is Pinocchio which is a primulinum hybrid and mine had one or two flowers at a time for over a year.

Looking at your spike it does look like it's this sort rather than the type which grow either one bud, or at most two which form together. However sometimes ones with spikes like this will just grow 2-3 buds sequentially on the spike. I'm still waiting to find out if my new primulinum hybrid will be like that or if it will grow more buds after the current 2 flowers and 1 bud have finished.

Lagoon · #10 11-20-2011, 08:43 PM

You can check out the paph data photos here ...

Paphiopedilum Data Sheets

Click on my name and go to profile then to to the right side and click on albums and pictures to see orchid blooms. Its not a great pic but you get the idea.
Don't forget Rosie, They're different hybirds of honey