What paphiopedilum subgenuses do you like and dislike?

[The Orchid Boy]

Hi everyone. I want to know your favorite subgenus of paphipedilums and your least favorite (if you have one). My favorite subgenus overall is parvisapalum. I also like the subgenus paphiopedilum. My favorite orchid, Paph. sanderinum, is in the polyantha subgenus. My least favorite subgenus is sigmatopetalum and I don't particularly care for the shapes or colors of the flowers in the cochlopetalum group. So what subgenuses do you guys like and dislike?

 

[nikv]

My favorites are the multiflorals, whether it be the roths and kin or the cochlos. Love them all, but these are my favorites.

 

[Tom499]

I really like the Sigmato's and anything else that has mottled leaves. I find them attractive even when out of flower. I didn't used to like the Cochlo's, all abit small and boring, but they've grown on me.

 

[Rick]

There's at least a few species of every subgenus I like.

But once you've seen one brachy you've seen them all. Round white flowers with varying degrees of purple spots. So I really only mess around with them to try different culture things.

Cochlos are not too much different as brachy's for lack of diversity. You only need one or two to see just about all there is for the group.

There's a lot more to look at in the other groups that is different and interesting.

 

[Ghosthunt64]

"Like" and 'Dislike are strong words, but I'll do my best.

Like:
Cochlopetalum: Everything
Parvisepaulum: Everything
Polyantha: Everything

Indifferent:
Sigmatopetalum: Mainly purpuratum & Maudiae hybrids.
Brachypetalum: Bellatulum and Nivuem.
Paphiopedilum: druryi, charlesworthii, spicerianum

Dislike:
Bulldogs: Orchids are grown because they're interesting, why are you trying to breed that out?

Of course, I like them all, and there are exceptions. These are based on "If I didn't have the room or time..." which I don't.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I like all paph groups and hybrids, but I have to admit I am least partial to the cochlo's. I just don't like their shape or their staminodes.. I like brachy's a lot, but don't care for the hybrids, because they are all minimal variations on the same theme. I see no need for brachy hybrids if I can get the species. But I do like intersectional brachy hybrids. Same for multi's....the hybrids are too repetitive, so I'd just as soon stick with species.I do not like intersectional cochlo hybrids. Maybe my favorite species group is the parvi's, but I really do love all the others (except cochlos...just sort of like them.)

 

[SlipperKing]

I like all paph groups and hybrids, but I have to admit I am least partial to the cochlo's. I just don't like their shape or their staminodes.. I like brachy's a lot, but don't care for the hybrids, because they are all minimal variations on the same theme. I see no need for brachy hybrids if I can get the species. But I do like intersectional brachy hybrids. Same for multi's....the hybrids are too repetitive, so I'd just as soon stick with species.I do not like intersectional cochlo hybrids. Maybe my favorite species group is the parvi's, but I really do love all the others (except cochlos...just sort of like them.)

Dido! (this way I don't have write much)

 

[Ray]

Orchidboy: 1) Shouldn't that be "subgenera"? 2) Why are you a "pod"? Orchids have capsules.

Rick: Shouldn't that be "ditto"?

 

[emydura]

I like all paph groups and hybrids, but I have to admit I am least partial to the cochlo's. I just don't like their shape or their staminodes.. I like brachy's a lot, but don't care for the hybrids, because they are all minimal variations on the same theme. I see no need for brachy hybrids if I can get the species. But I do like intersectional brachy hybrids. Same for multi's....the hybrids are too repetitive, so I'd just as soon stick with species.I do not like intersectional cochlo hybrids. Maybe my favorite species group is the parvi's, but I really do love all the others (except cochlos...just sort of like them.)

I agree about the cochlos'. The hybrids in particular are a complete waste of time.

Diasgree about the Brachy's. The species are pretty to hard to grow for a lot of us. The hybrids look much the same but are much more vigorous.

I completely disagree with the multi-florals. The hybrids especially when crossed back with a roth are generally superior to the species. A Lady Isabel is superior to a stonei. It has the stonei dorsal but a much better petal stance and a more upright dorsal. A William Ambler is much better than a wilhelminiae. The dark colour from the wilhelminiae comes through in the hybrid but the flowers are so much bigger and more impressive. A Paph. Wossner Black Wing is better than anitum. The combined dorsal is mind blowing. The roth just provides such big size and great petal stance while the other species provide unique colours. The sanderianum hybrids are also generally superior to the species. Petal length aisde, sanderianum is a very ordinary flower. By crossing it back with roths etc, you will greatly improve the flower shape. Hopefully now that we are starting to see more complex sanderianum hybrids, we will get longer petals but better shaped flowers.

Same when you cross the coloured species lowii and haynaldianum to a roths. It is daylight between my Houghtoniae and my haynaldianum clones. While the flowers look much like a haynaldianum, they are double the size with much nicer striped dorsals.

So with colour, size and petal length to mix with, there are so many exciting avenues for the hybridiser. I don't see the repetition at all.

 

[Cheyenne]

I like all paph groups and hybrids, but I have to admit I am least partial to the cochlo's. I just don't like their shape or their staminodes.. I like brachy's a lot, but don't care for the hybrids, because they are all minimal variations on the same theme. I see no need for brachy hybrids if I can get the species. But I do like intersectional brachy hybrids. Same for multi's....the hybrids are too repetitive, so I'd just as soon stick with species.I do not like intersectional cochlo hybrids. Maybe my favorite species group is the parvi's, but I really do love all the others (except cochlos...just sort of like them.)

I feel exactly like this. My very favorites are multis and parvi's. Especially multi and parvi species. For hybrids I can't get enough of adductum /anitum hybrids and sanderianum primarys, for parvis its micranthum and malipoense hybrids. Don't really like the sequentials much at all. And don't like bulldogs.

 

[NYEric]

I like all album species. I like parvis because I like pubescent (fuzzy) flowers. And I like parvi/brachy by poly because of the stripes and lines. I also like fairrieanum x brachy hybrids like Angella and Estrella; same reason.

 

[goldenrose]

... Same for multi's....the hybrids are too repetitive, so I'd just as soon stick with species.

Love the multis but they are getting to be that way.

...Diasgree about the Brachy's. The species are pretty to hard to grow for a lot of us. The hybrids look much the same but are much more vigorous.

Agree!
Got alot of Nick's crosses when he sold out, if I can't succeed with them, there's no hope for the species!

Dislikes - barbatum group, on a whole they don't do well for me.

 

[Justin]

my one and true orchid love is Paph. rothschildianum.

My collection right now is 80% straight roths. I could grow nothing but roth and stonei and be perfectly happy. But it's good to keep some brachy's as well as some delenatii and others around, along with some hybrids, just so you have something in bloom more often

lowii and haynaldianum are also great to have as well. I like colorful orchids so lowii is always really enjoyable, and they can bloom a couple times a year when they get big.

 

[eggshells]

I feel exactly like this. My very favorites are multis and parvi's. Especially multi and parvi species. For hybrids I can't get enough of adductum /anitum hybrids and sanderianum primarys, for parvis its micranthum and malipoense hybrids. Don't really like the sequentials much at all. And don't like bulldogs.

Me and Cheyenne have the same taste. So I will not repeat it. I like barbatas as well.

Just realize it's my 1000th post!

 

[Paphman910]

my one and true orchid love is Paph. rothschildianum.

My collection right now is 80% straight roths. I could grow nothing but roth and stonei and be perfectly happy. But it's good to keep some brachy's as well as some delenatii and others around, along with some hybrids, just so you have something in bloom more often

lowii and haynaldianum are also great to have as well. I like colorful orchids so lowii is always really enjoyable, and they can bloom a couple times a year when they get big.

We both like the same species and it is not surprising that roth and stonei are very popular. Once Justin flowers his adductum it will be on top of his favorite list!

Paphman910

 

[The Orchid Boy]

I agree about the cochlos'. The hybrids in particular are a complete waste of time.

Diasgree about the Brachy's. The species are pretty to hard to grow for a lot of us. The hybrids look much the same but are much more vigorous.

I completely disagree with the multi-florals. The hybrids especially when crossed back with a roth are generally superior to the species. A Lady Isabel is superior to a stonei. It has the stonei dorsal but a much better petal stance and a more upright dorsal. A William Ambler is much better than a wilhelminiae. The dark colour from the wilhelminiae comes through in the hybrid but the flowers are so much bigger and more impressive. A Paph. Wossner Black Wing is better than anitum. The combined dorsal is mind blowing. The roth just provides such big size and great petal stance while the other species provide unique colours. The sanderianum hybrids are also generally superior to the species. Petal length aisde, sanderianum is a very ordinary flower. By crossing it back with roths etc, you will greatly improve the flower shape. Hopefully now that we are starting to see more complex sanderianum hybrids, we will get longer petals but better shaped flowers.

Same when you cross the coloured species lowii and haynaldianum to a roths. It is daylight between my Houghtoniae and my haynaldianum clones. While the flowers look much like a haynaldianum, they are double the size with much nicer striped dorsals.

So with colour, size and petal length to mix with, there are so many exciting avenues for the hybridiser. I don't see the repetition at all.

I disagree with you about the multiflorals. You say some hybrids are superior to some species but I say just the opposite. Sure the hybrids are more vigorous, but species are just the way nature designed them. Natural, attract pollinators, and stand up to the elements. I like species better than hybrids because species are just like they are found in nature.

 

[ehanes7612]

everything...but prefer compact , anything under a ten inch leafspan..yet i may change my mind when my roths start blooming

 

[Paphiolive]

I like all paphiopedilum but I love multiflore’s paphiopedilum like species and hybrids from subgenus polyantha.

 

[emydura]

I disagree with you about the multiflorals. You say some hybrids are superior to some species but I say just the opposite. Sure the hybrids are more vigorous, but species are just the way nature designed them. Natural, attract pollinators, and stand up to the elements. I like species better than hybrids because species are just like they are found in nature.

I'd say at least half the forum would agree with you as there are many species snobs on Slippertalk. oke:

I grow both species and hybrids. I don't restrict myself to just one group. Your argument is a purely philosophical one though. Your dislike of hybrids has nothing to do with the flowers themselves.

I just disagree with the statement that the multi-floral hybrids offer nothing over the species. Rothschildianum in my mind is clearly the best species in the genus due to its size, petal stance, shape, dorsal etc. The other species have some unique features but overall fall a bit short of rothschildianum. When you combine the two, you get the best of both worlds. The hybrids tend to bring out the best features of the two parents invloved.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Emudura, when you say that hybrids bring out the best of both worlds that is true most of the time. Except in the case of some hybridized cattleyas, potinara, ect. I have a potinara that has beautiful blooms but weak wimpy growths because of breeding. I don't dislike hybrids, I just prefer species because I could go out into the wild and find other orchids with blooms just like the ones on my species plants. I like hybrids and I do have some. I'd love to try to make a new hybrid someday.