Paphiopedilum American Hybrid
16th May 2022
I have grown a small number of Paphiopedilum over the last few decades, and to be honest I'm not particularly fond of them. However, I have had some interestiing
results from growing them in a cold greenhouse and decided to try one of the "ordinary" hybrids, to see what happened. This one was reduced to £10 at Squires Garden Centre in Godalming
because the flower was over, and that was the sort of opportunity I was waiting for!
The name "American Hybrids" is not valid, but is said to relate to a group of hybrids produced in the USA from breeding lines exported from the UK during the second World War to protect them
(this may be nonsense, but it is the story in circulation). P. Winston Churchill, P. Indomitable, P. British Enterprise and P. Hellas are all said to derive from this effort.
The plant has established, produced a new growth, and in November it started to develop a bud. Unfortunately a severe radiation frost in December 2022 destroyed the bud, but the plant seems otherwise undamaged,
which has been impressive and a good reason to try some more hybrids.
References:
Orchid Man's blog, https://orchidmanuk.blogspot.com/2016/11/whats-in-my-paph-origin-story-of.html