I picked up this orchid in the bargain bin at the garden center for 2
Euros
because they thought it was done flowering for the year. It had one more
in
it, it turns out! What is it? Obviously some kind of paph, but can it be
narrowed down any farther?
Thanks,
Katrina

http://www.xs4all.nl/~cooper17/katri...opedalumSm.jpg


I think this is a Paph of the cochlopetalums group (search this page for
the
word 'cochlopetalum' for a bit more info
http://ladyslipper.com/1stpaph.htm ). There are several hybrids within
that
group that look very much alike (at least to my inexperienced eye). The
Paphs in this group are sequential bloomers, which means that as they
loose
one flower, another one opens. I know that Paph Pinocchio is for example a
common hybrid. I have a Paph Amelia Hart 'Alexandria' from this group. I
really enjoy it. It is on its third flower currently and the vendor told
me
that it could have as many as 12 flowers sequentially on one spike. What I
enjoy about the Paph Amelia Hart is what I jokingly call the changing of
the
guard. When it decides that its done with a flower, the blossom fades a
bit
and then abruptly falls off, and at roughly the same time the next one
opens. I hope yours will bring you as much joy as mine brings me.

Best,
Joanna


Thank you! I'll look at that site right away. This orchid was sitting in the
bargain bin with a green stem but only spots where there had been flowers
along it, and one dried-out looking, immature bud at the tip. It was not
labeled. It sat here for about 6 weeks looking exactly like that, then
suddenly the bud matured and opened over a period of two days, and has been
a nice flower for two weeks now. I expect this will be the last flower for
the year, as there's nowhere left to "go" on the stem.
--Katrina