Paph Vietnamese Empress

[terryros]

This hybrid was made and registered by Orchids Limited in 2014 and I had a seedling from the cross before it was registered. The cross was (Bel Royal 'Royal Ladder' x vietnamense). The only other picture I have seen was the registration plant from Orchids Limited. This picture is from the plant in current bloom with 4 flowers. The NS horizontal at the tips of the drooping petals is 15 cm.



I have called this cultivar 'Birds of Prey' because of the shape from the front, whether you are thinking of a raptor going in for a kill or the shape of a Klingon war vessel.

I have only bloomed this every 2-3 years and always think I should toss it since it takes up reasonable space. When it blooms I realize that it is interesting looking and then think I will keep it for one more cycle. I try not to keep very many orchids that are "challenges" to grow and bloom and just interesting looking, but this one hangs on.

 

[Ozpaph]

I like the cultivar name!

 

[Linus_Cello]

is there a cross of st swithin x vietnamense (guessing it would look like this, but maybe flower more freely?)

 

[Happypaphy7]

This is the other & only one that comes up on google search.
It was also by Orchid Limited.
I wonder if this was a mistake and the flower is actually of Delrosi.

 

[richgarrison]

This hybrid was made and registered by Orchids Limited in 2014 and I had a seedling from the cross before it was registered. The cross was (Bel Royal 'Royal Ladder' x vietnamense). The only other picture I have seen was the registration plant from Orchids Limited. This picture is from the plant in current bloom with 4 flowers. The NS horizontal at the tips of the drooping petals is 15 cm.

View attachment 26160

I have called this cultivar 'Birds of Prey' because of the shape from the front, whether you are thinking of a raptor going in for a kill or the shape of a Klingon war vessel.

I have only bloomed this every 2-3 years and always think I should toss it since it takes up reasonable space. When it blooms I realize that it is interesting looking and then think I will keep it for one more cycle. I try not to keep very many orchids that are "challenges" to grow and bloom and just interesting looking, but this one hangs on.

That did remind me of a Klingon war ship 'Bird of Prey' funny,...

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Very menacing looking flower with a very apt name.

 

[terryros]

is there a cross of st swithin x vietnamense (guessing it would look like this, but maybe flower more freely?)

I looked up and it is Paph Benedikt, registered by Glanz in 2007. Can't find a picture of it.

 

[terryros]

View attachment 26175This is the other & only one that comes up on google search.
It was also by Orchid Limited.
I wonder if this was a mistake and the flower is actually of Delrosi.

No, that was the flower OL had when they registered it. They didn't expect them all to be the same. I think I like the registration one better than mine, but mine is more menacing!

 

[NYEric]

I like it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[southernbelle]

Really different. Its wide NS would make it look menacing, indeed! But I do like it a lot! Any ideas why it’s so long between blooms?

 

[terryros]

I will let some others comment on the difficulty growing parvisepelum and polyantha Paphs, but I think they are difficult to get right. I might be getting closer but maybe many of them don’t bloom every year. Deb, when I think that the space could go to something I really like and blooms every year, it is tempting to toss my remaining handful.

 

[Duck Slipper]

I like it...Klingonish.