Paph. sanderianum under T5 lights?

[The Orchid Boy]

My absolute favorite orchid is Paphiopedilum sanderianum. I grow my collection of orchids under high output T5 lights. I was wondering how big a Paph. sanderianum that is 1 or 2 years from blooming size is and how big a mature plant is. Thanks for any help!

[Ray]

18" leaves are fairly common, with 24" (or more) spikes

I have a couple roth hybrids in bloom now - Transdoll (x liemianum) and Prime Child (x primulinum), and the other parent has brought the plant size down to a mere 16" leaf length (not span) and 18" spikes.

[The Orchid Boy]

So what's the leafspan for mature plants? Or is that the leafspan for mature plants. Also, anyone know where to get good sized plants for reasonable prices? A website called schordje.com had blooming sized plants for around $150 but the website is down for part of the summer, know when it's going to be back up? I only want the Paphiopedilum sanderianum species, not any sort of hybrid.

[billc]

If you email Sam @ Orchid Inn he can tell you the leaf span of his blooming size ones. I would think 24 -30 in. is about right.
Orchid Inn, Ltd.

Bill

[Bayard]

Try Carter and Holmes.

[The Orchid Boy]

Carter & Holmes doesn't seem to have them in stock anymore. A while ago they had ones 1 & 2 years from blooming size but I would prefer a blooming sized one.

[The Orchid Boy]

Also, how long between blooming?

[The Orchid Boy]

I found 2 plants for sale 1 19" leafspan and 1 20" leafspan. How far away are these from blooming?

[Ray]

As I said in my first response, 12"-18" leaves are common. That would suggest a 24"-36" leaf span in a mature plant.

These are a relatively slow-growing species, so a plant with 10" leave might be as little as a year from blooming, but more likely two, three, or more.

Some of the better awarded cultivars ('Charles E' FCC/AOS, for example) were SO slow growing that they led to the common advice "Don't buy a seedling if your over 40, or you'll never see it bloom in your lifetime". Fortunately, more modern cultivars are better than that - still slow, but not THAT slow.

[The Orchid Boy]

Thanks for your help Ray. You have some nice articles on your website...