My first paph!

[Mocres]

This is my first paphiopedilum! In the area where I live, they are very hard to find, so I got very excited when I saw this one... And of course it had to come home with me.

I'd be really grateful if someone could identify it (even an approximate identification would be great) so that I can look up the kind of care it needs.


I'm really surprised at the size of the flower!

[PaphLover]

I love the spotted dorsal. Ok, by no means is this an identification, and I am no expert, but looking for similar pics online I found the paph gratrixianum.

I'm sure others with more experience will chime in.

Are you able to ask for an ID where you bought it? It might not have been labelled, but they might know. Just a thought, if you haven't tried that yet.

[Mocres]

Unfortunately, the place where I bought it has no idea what it might be. Usually they only have some phals, but next week is mother's day, so they decided to risk it and bring different kinds... This paph and some dendrobiums.
Anyway, thanks for your help. It really looks similar, so I guess the care will be similar as well.

[PaphLover]

It probably wouldn't be a species then…more likely a hybrid. It is lovely!

[Mocres]

Thank-you!

[Optimist]

Looks like a complex intergeneric, sort of like "American Hybrid." On Youtube Miss Orchid girl does a special on it, if you can get that. She says it was created in Europe, and has a lot of Paph. Insigne in it, also it is easy to find in garden centers there. (I have no idea why it is called "American Hybrid," it could have had any name.)

Anyway, it could be that by your description, and the picture. Getting a hybrid is the best way because they are said to be a bit more forgiving in their care. Sometimes species orchids are a bit picky, and will die on you.

[PaphMadMan]

It probably is Paph gratrixianum, but it would take quite a few detailed pictures to be at all certain it isn't a similar hybrid. Find care for that species, or general care for bulldog or complex Paphs. Nice find.

[Mocres]

Thanks a lot for your help. I'll look for the video by Miss Orchid girl and for info about Paph gratrixianum and the American hybrids. I've googled some pictures, and they look similar, so I guess the care won't be that different. (I think mine will be a hybrid, they are very rare here, so I don't think stores will carry species),
Wish me luck!

[No-Pro-mwa]

Glad you found it. It's lovely, good luck with it.

[rbarata]

Good looking phap.

In the area where I live, they are very hard to find...

That's odd...I think you are in Barcelona, right?
Although we are 1000 kms apart, here you find them in big box stores too. Depends on the season...generas come in waves...you can find phals all year, in jan-fev there's phaps and oncidiums, then comes vandas and finally dendrobiums. Usually, when it's time for each genera to flower, that's when vendors put them for sale.