Paphiopedilum Wossner Kolarmi (Paph. armeniacum x Paph. kolopakingii)

In most orchid shows in Puerto Rico, Paphiopedilum plants are few and almost always multifloral hybrids of rothschildianum or phillippinense.  So it was a delight to find a hybrid of a parvisepalum paphiopedilum on display at the Mayaguez Orchid society show last September.  Very few people locally cultivate armeniacum hybrids, so I was great to have the opportunity to photograph this plant.  The flowers were large, showy and had a hard, almost leathery texture.  In the top photo the top sepal was reflexed by the owner to show the line pattern, the flowers naturally look like the bottom photo.

Paphiopedilum Gloria Naugle (Paphiopedilum rothschildianum × Paphiopedilum micranthum)

Few people cultivate Paphipedilum in the island of Puerto Rico, so it is always a treat when one is put on exhibition.  This one was shown at the Mayaguez Orchid Society show, in September 29, 2016.

Paphiopedilum Susan Booth x Paph. Prince Edward of York, an elegant hybrid

I saw this tropical ladyslipper in the 2016 Puerto Rico orchid society show.  This hybrid plant is large when adult and the flowers are big and elegant.  The petals are long and held in a nice stance to the sides of the plants.  Few people cultivate this type of multiflora Paphiopedilum in Puerto Rico even though the plants are very easy to grow in our climate.  However the plants can be expensive and slow to reach blooming size.

Paphiopedilum lowii (Lindl.) Pfitzer 1895

I has been my experience that this species of tropical ladyslipper grows very well and blooms reliably in the coastal lowands of Puerto Rico.  I wonder why they are not more popular.  Perhaps the reason is that they are not often offered for sale and can be expensive when brought as adult plants.  This one was for sale in the 2016 Puerto Rico Orchid Society show in the Jardin Botanico de Rio Piedras.

Paphiopedilum Song of Love (Paph lowii x Paph. liemianum) this is a first bloom seedling

This is a first bloom of a plant I brought from Carter and Holmes some time ago.  Paphiopedilum are not really that popular in Puerto Rico among the average orchid grower, but they are not rare in the larger local orchid collections.  I find most Paphiopedium very easy to grow in the coastal region of Puerto Rico.   

Paphiopedilum Genevieve Booth (Paph. Mount Toro x Paph. rothschildianum)

Adult plants of tropical ladyslippers are not easy or cheap to get in Puerto Rico.  That means that you have to buy small seedlings by mail and then wait until they achieve blooming size.  For some plants you can wait quite a bit for them to reach adult size. This was the first blooming of this plant.  A snail ate a hole in the stem of the inflorescence.  When I moved the plant, the inflorescence broke.  You can imagine how mad I was.   Hopefully it will bloom next year and I will be able to enjoy an inflorescence with all its flowers open.