Paphiopedilum helenae

This species is one of the smallest of the Paphiopedilums and a fairly recent discovery (1996).  Paphiopedilum helenae is from Vietnam and the plant is only 12 cm across with 5 cm flowers.  I've seen different examples of the species and there is considerable variation in flower color and shape, but I have not seen any that were not charming.  Interestingly, this species does best for me when grown with my Masdevallias and New Guinea Dendrobiums in cooler conditions.  Perhaps that is just due to the fact that it gets higher humidity and better light when grown with them, but it thrives and blooms under those conditions.

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Paphiopedilum sukhakulii

This is the same plant and the same blooming that I posted a couple of weeks ago, but this time photographed on black or dark blue.  As I mentioned in the previous post, this plant always produces two flowers for me.  The species is from Thailand, is one of the smaller Paphiopedilums and has beautifully patterned leaves.

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Paphiopedilum helenae

This is a Paphiopedilum I would not be without.  It is one of the smallest of the Paphiopedilums and a very recent discovery (1996).  Paphiopedilum helenae is from Vietnam and the plant is only 12 cm across with 5 cm flowers.  I've seen different examples of the species and there is considerable variation in flower color and shape, but I have not seen any that were not charming.  Interestingly, this species does best for me when grown with my Masdevallias and New Guinea Dendrobiums in cooler conditions.  Perhaps that is just due to the fact that it gets higher humidity and better light when grown with them, but it thrives and blooms under those conditions.

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Paphiopedilum China Dragon

Paphiopedilum China Dragon is a hybrid of Paphiopedilum Nisqually and Paphiopedilum China Song, and has four species in its background, Paphiopedilums acmodontum, appletonianum, bullenianum, and a double dose of sukhakulii.  It has variegated foliage and blooms faithfully for me every spring.

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Paphiopedilum venustum

My Paphiopedilum venustum is in bloom again.  It blooms faithfully very year in winter or early spring.  The flowers on my plant are nothing special, rather small for the species and rather poorly shaped, but the species is worth having even then and the detail of the flowers is incredible.  The plant is from the Himalayas, Nepal, Indian and Bangladesh.

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Paphiopedilum sukhakulii

Paphiopedilum sukhakulii is from Thailand and is named after a Thai orchid collector.  It has always been one of my favorite Paphiopedilum species and this seedling, purchased a number of years ago, finally bloomed.  It is a small species, has beautifully mottled foliage and ordinarily carries only one flower, but this bloomed with two.  The flowers are 9cm tall and 13cm from tip to tip, not extraordinarily large for the species.

 

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Paphiopedilum Nighfire x Slipknot

This unregistered hybrid really belongs to son Edward and was a gift several years ago.  It blooms on every new growth and sometimes produces two flowers per spike.  It has mottled foliage and long, very strong spikes.  I always enjoy photographing it when it is in bloom for obvious reasons.

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Paphiopedilum helenae

This is the smallest species in the genus, Paphiopedilum, and also one of the most recent discoveries, having been found and described in 1996.  My plant has a span of a little over 12 cm and the height of the plant with the flower is only 8 cm, a charming little thing.  The flower is between 4 and 5 cm in height and spread.  The species shows considerable color variation and this plant has a darker pouch than most I've seen.  Since its discovery it has been used in hybridizing in an attempt to produce miniature Paphiopedilums, but none of the hybrids I've seen are as nice as the species itself.

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Paphiopedilum venustum

I don't grow a lot of Paphiopedilums, but only for lack of space.  I find their variety and strange forms very attractive, and Paph. venustum represents all that I love about them.  It is a smallish plant with beautifully mottled leaves, as is evident in some of the photos, and has one of the most beautiful pouches in the genus, a lovely green with darker green veining.

The plant grows well for me on a bathroom windowsill where it receives diffused light from a southern exposure and it blooms faithfully every year.  The fan of leaves is about 30 cm across and the single-flowered spikes are a little less than 30 cm tall.  On my plant the petals are strongly reflexed, making the flowers look like they are flying.

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