Summer 2024 plant project- Paph primary hybrid
 

After a very quick and efficient discussion in the other thread, it's time to officially start this year's project!

This year we're doing things a bit differently. Instead of picking a specific species/cross to all buy and grow, we've decided to do a Paphiopedilum project, where ANY Paph primary hybrid is eligible for the project. The idea is that everyone can buy something that fits their taste, experience level, conditions, budget....

The rules are simple : Choose a primary hybrid (for any newbies joining, this means a cross between 2 species), and share your chosen plant and photos here! For people new to Paphs, feel free to ask for advice here to make your selection.

The project plant should not be something you already have (unless it is a very recent purchase), the idea is to get something new for for project.


I'll update this post with a list of participants and the cross they chose, and also update with vendors names. Please feel free to suggest additions to the list, and I will add them in!


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Participants :



Vendors :

USA:

• Sunset Valley Orchids
• Paph Paradise
• ...

EU:

• Akerne Orchids (Belgium) 1 primary hybrid available
• Asendorfer Orchideenzucht (Germany) Good choice of crosses
• ...
• ...

Other:

I'm in!

Already made a choice.

2 Weeks ago I was shopping @ Akkerne in Belgium and was eye balling Paph. Saint Swithin (rothschildianum x philippinense).

Because I already have quite some Paphiopedilums I decided against it. But hey, here is the Summer 2024 plant project and now I have a good reason to buy this plant. After buying 2 sequential bloomers I "needed" a multi floral. That was on my wish list for quite some time but always too expensive for my likings.

I have no idea yet how to grow this plant but I needed a bit of a challenge.

@ Akerne they are half the price from other vendors, maybe it's smaller? But it should be blooming size.
On their Facebook they show a photo from the Saint Swithin stock they had in May 2020. Good looking plants.
(Log into Facebook | Facebook)

You might have guessed it already. I ordered the Saint Swithin now it's available for this price. Hopefully not in bloom as that is cheating, however, I can grow an entire new fan and participate with that one.

Thank you all for enabling me again :D

I have two paph primary hybrids that I have never bloomed— definitely seems to fit the description of “project” plants.

Paph Michael Koopowitz, philippinense x sanderianum. It was pretty sad when I got it, sunburned with mealy bugs! But a year later, it is producing a new fan, so it seems to be making a comeback. It has been in semi-hydro for the last year. From Orchid Inn in May 2023, as he was closing.

Paph Lady Isabel- rothschildianum x stonei. From everything Orchids on Etsy in September 2022. It had one nice looking fan when I got it but it didn’t thrive for me, and it produced a new growth and lost the old one. About a year ago I repotted it in semi-hydro, it’s produced a new fan and looks happier now.

They look healthy though! Beautiful project plants.

Paph St. Swithin was a great choice - quite forgiving for a multifloral. It actually likes a bit of cooling in the fall (the Roth influence) But 'way easier to grow and bloom than its parents.

I’ll look at the temperatures. And also at culture notes for the parents.

To be honest, I wanted it so badly that I bought it without doing my research. Because up to today, growing Paph’s go well in my (micro) climate.

Research is a fun part of growing our plants, isn’t it?

Having not done the research, you got lucky! Paph. philippinense wants to be on the warm side and can be touchy. Paph.rothschilldianum comes from the lower slopes of Mt. Kinabalu, and so experiences a little more cooling. But it is slowwwwww. The hybrid, on the other hand, is robust and not nearly as slow. And lovely. I think that it will be fine with a range of temperatures, not nearly as fussy as most of the multi-florals and also grows faster.

Then its name is chosen just right!

That’s good to hear, on the other hand, I want a challenge. Something different from in example gratrixianum, fowlii, primulinum or the primary hybrid Pinocchio. These grow easy for me. If it’s harder to grow and bloom, with having flowers, the reward is bigger.

Do you grow St. Swithin?

One challenge is going to be the size of the plant 😆. Remember I started with the statement I wanted mini’s?

I guess I can be be in with my St. Swithin division that I acquired at an auction in October 2022? It hasn't bloomed yet so does it count?

I have a philippinense that does great for me which is why I decided to try the St. Swithin.

I also have a William Ambler (rothschildianum X wilhelminiae) but I've had it a long time and it blooms pretty much every year so can't use that one.

oh man blueszz, i hope we can still get one in a couple weeks! we had our eye on the saint swithin as well! we have a couple other primaries on our list, so if we can’t get one when we get back we will go with another.

orchideen wichmann is a great seller of paphs in Europe and has some nice things. might be worth adding to the list of European vendors…