A number of years ago I heard a lecture by Harold Koopowitz, proposing breeding for smaller Paphiopedilums. Considering that complex (Bulldog) hybrids easily can have a 24" leaf span, and kolopakingii goes 3'+, you can obviously fit a lot more 2" pots in the space of a couple of 6-8" pots.
Several years ago I picked up a couple of plants of(helenae x Pacific Shamrock), now named In-Charm Topaz. These bloom on 5" fans, but the flowers are still heavily influenced by the helenae parent.
Over the past 6 months, I have acquired about 8 seedlings of (In-Charm Topaz x Sorcerer's Stone), as well as the reverse. Where SS is the pod parent, plants are compact, but fans are at least 10" across. Where I-CT is the pod parent, most are 6" or less. The smallest one bloomed with a 2.1/2" flower on a 3.1/2" fan.
It was a little too small to breed with, but I intend to use it for the next generation when it grows up. In the meantime I have used pollen from these minis onto Paph Meditation (= Winston Churchill x charlesworthii), which is growing in a 3" pot.
'Teacup' Paphs
Threaded Mode
