Paphiopedilum Little Alexander

This is one of the two Paph Little Alexander (helenae x gratrixinaum) I have. I think it likes the new greenhouse very much, as it started spiking inmediately after moving in over one month ago (two other buds are to be open). I was very impressed how quick the spike has grown this time The plant has grown very quick in one year and will become an specimen very soon too.. its growing in S/H. Compared to last year (first bloom - see picture below) I think it has improved enough to ensure its place in my collection for a long time

Paphiopedilum Little Alexander N° 1 by kavanaru, on Flickr


This is its first bloom last year (two flowers): Paphiopedilum Little Alexander N° 1 by kavanaru, on Flickr

P.S.- the second plant is growing in standard medium, has better leave, but its just sitting there and doing nothing else but growing....

:clap::clap:FANTASTIC!! :drool::drool:
Looks like it got the best of both parents & vigorous too! :clap:

Very nice flowers and what an impressive clump...

Ok - that is amazing, fantastic, gorgeous, and well grown! Have I left anything out?

e-spice

Beautiful, vigorous plant. It obviously likes its new home.

Beautiful plant and blooms. Very neat! :clap::clap:

WOW! pretty flowers and a very well-grown plant!!! what kind of S/H media do you use?

The flower quality has improved a lot and of course, so has the flower count. It's a super plant! Well done!

Looking good.

Thanks @ all!

I grow in regular LECA as you find it in the garden shops here (not the very round one, but the one with pretty irregular shape).

Paph helenae hybrids seems to be very strong and vigorous (at least all of them I have behave like that). Even more than helenae itself!

I must say that this (as well as most of my S/H plants) has had some nutrient problems since I started using MSU for RO (in the past I used Peter's Excell without any problems), and have shown some chlorosis issues. since 2 or 3 months I am using the MSU with tap water, and it has improved.. I think that this plant would have been even larger and stronger without this problem in the past... so, I am looking forward to see the display it will give next year

Stunning plant and nice flowers. The helenae totally dominates that flower, which is a good thing. You can hardly see gratrixianum.

David

very nice plant

hi emydura,

yes i agree the flower is dominated by helenae .but the flower stem length
and plant habit, vigorous growth, multiple spiking and multiple growth all
show the gratixianum parentage.
this could be a very interesting stepping stone for potplant breeding,
do you know who made the cross ?
happy orchid growing from Northern Thailand
cliokchi:clap:

cliokchi said:

hi emydura,

yes i agree the flower is dominated by helenae .but the flower stem length
and plant habit, vigorous growth, multiple spiking and multiple growth all
show the gratixianum parentage.
this could be a very interesting stepping stone for potplant breeding,
do you know who made the cross ?
happy orchid growing from Northern Thailand
cliokchi:clap:

Click to expand...

Yes, I agree with that. It certainly has got the best of both parents. Gratrixianum to me is the most vigorous and easiest Paph of all to flower and this has come through in this hybrid. But the flower is all helenae. What more could you wish for.

David

I agree with Cliokchi, helenae dominates the flower, but I also think gratrixianum dominates plant habits and flowering habit. I have several primary helenae hybrids, and this is the one where I think helenae has less influence in the plant per se. Normally helenae reduces plant and flower size a lot, but this (even though evident) is not so strong as in other hybrids.

according to RHS the grex was registered in 2009 by J.Van Haute (J.Van Haute also recorder as originator of this cross)

Nice plant, cute flower. I would be pleased that helenae dominates visually.

Spectacular!!!! Great blooms, and impressive growing progress of the plant within 1 year!!!! Jean

Very nice! I really like gratrixianum, and this shows a bit of it in the flower with the spots on the dorsal, but it would be nice if there was more influence of the gratrixianum parent in the flower. Even so, a very nice cross, and this one is a very well-grown plant! Good job!

thanks!

teh other plant I have, has kind of a different charm... flowers are less yellow and with some more spot (more gratrixianum I would say9, but in general a bit more somber (I like N° 1 better). This second plant was also larger since the beginning, and I cultivated it in "standard" medium (bark, perlite, sphag mix with regular Dolomite addition) Even though it is a robust plant, it did not show the strong vigor of N° 1. You can see the first flower in the picture below... I think that if it does not improve performance within one year in the greenhouse, it will move to S/H too and see...

Paphiopedilum Little Alexander N° 2 by kavanaru, on Flickr

Fantastic little plant - obviously quite happy in the new greenhouse!