Bulldog Paph?
 

What is meant by the term 'Bulldog Paph.'?

Large, round heavy-substance large-dorsal sepal traditional complex hybrids from insignia-type breeding.

The flowers on bulldog paphs are very 'full'. They are very round. Also the flowers can be very big, around 6 inches across. They are very different from anything you would see in the wild. They are the result of two hybrids bred together and are so much different than natural paphs.

Here's a picture of my one and only bulldog.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...inter_2009.JPG

They are also known as complex Paphs. meaning there are many different species that make up the hybrid, and the geneology is long and, well...complex. ;)

My understanding is that the large, full, complex Paphs are called "Bulldog" Paphs because of their parentage. Back in 1951, the Stuart Low Company created Paph Winston Churchill, one of the most important complex Paphs ever created.

http://www.ladyslipper.com/3949.jpg

Later, Winston Churchill was crossed to create Winston Churchill 'Indomitable' and Winston Churchill 'Redoubtable', also reddish complex crosses with spotted dorsals that are still important in breeding today.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4bh7cmJDPWU/R4...toodley%29.JPG

http://stores.ovationorchids.com/cat...edoubtable.jpg

In 1979, Paph Small World was crossed with Winston Churchill 'Indomitable' to create Paph British Bulldog, also a reddish complex cross with the same flower shape and fullness of the Churchills.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...LevelHCC13.jpg

All of these Paphs had similar characteristics of fullness, colouring, and spotting on the dorsal. My understanding is that collectively, all reddish spotted, complex hybrid Paphs came to be referred to as Bulldog Paphs because of their parentage and that the term later was casually expanded to include any complex Paph that has large, rounded flowers similar in shape or appearance to British Bulldog, or any of the original Winston Churchill plants.

As it has sort of become Paph mythology, other versions of how the Bulldog term has come about may also be circulating.

Cheers.
Jim

Well, after Jim's FANTASTIC explanation, there's no need for me to add pictures of my Bulldogs... :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Thanks, Jim. Well done! :goodjob

Thank you all for you help and the great information.

Interesting stuff!

I have one I usually refer to a as bulldog, but it's not as round in shape. It does though have exactly the colouring of the ones above and is a bit of a monster of a flower :)

I like bulldog paphs but have limited space. I would really like one with large yellow flowers. Do they do well under lights? I have an in-spike Paph. delenatii under fluorescent lights. And how big is a single growth plant?

I'm growing mine under lights and it is doing just fine. It's currently in bloom with a very nice flower this year. They are a little touchier about getting too dry than some of the other Paphs I have, but it seems to have bounced back very well.