Time Will Tell

I never used to have a strong appreciation for the genus Paphiopedilum but I have acquired quite a number of them over the last few years and it is now starting to pay off.  Many of mine come from Orchid Inn and Zephyrus Orchids.  I know the proprietors, Sam Tsui and John Doherty respectively, and both are very good growers.  Sam is probably the leading Paph hybridizer in the US and he has been kind enough to bring selected plants for me to the Orchid Shows in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal this year.  His plants are in beautiful condition and healthy.  The same can be said for John's plants.  He came recently to speak to or Society in Windsor - just having won multiple awards for his Paph. sanderianums he had taken to the Toronto Judging Centre including an AQ/AOS.  If I get his permission, I'll post the photo he sent of his sanderianum collection.  This Paph., of course, has a jaded history but thankfully new colonies of the plant were discovered in Borneo (1970's I think) and they are now commercially propagated and available to the hobbyist - at great expense.

Below are a few of my Paphs that have bloomed recently.  When I was looking over my collection today, I noticed that my Paph. Robinanum and another hybrid (Paph. Lady Booth x Paph. sanderianum) are well in spike.  This is the third blooming I have managed on the Robinianum (a Zephyrus acquisition) and the first for the other.  I was also surprised to see a bloom on my Paph. Ho Chi Minh - I hadn't even realized it was in spike.  My Paph glaucophyllum (var. alba) now has a second bud open on it.  This is a sign that either I have too many plants or I am not spending enough time with them - or both.  I will take a photo of them tomorrow and perhaps post them later this week.

I had acquired a compot from Zephyrus a while back of Paph. Cinder Cone (Onyx x sukhakulii).  These guys are slow growers but I am hoping it is a nice alba form.  Time will tell.  I have distributed some of the seedlings to friends in hopes that one of us will get it to blooming size.  Mine seem quite healthy but, as I said, slow growing.  One of those friends, I'll refer to as RK, is new to the hobby but quite keen on learning.  I think he will turn out to be a very good grower.  Unfortunately we recently had a falling out.  Many of these paphs are prolific growers and I would loved to pass on some divisions to him.  I know he would enjoy them.  They say "Time heals all wounds" and others say..... "Time will tell".

Paphiopedilum Robinianum

Paph. hirsutissimum var. esquirole

Paph. Pink Fred

Paph. Fairy Dell