Orchid ID: Paphiopedilum godefroyae var. ang thong x Paphiopedilum lowii

Imagine if you could find a orchid that would remind you of the beauty of your favorite flower?
Well I have found one just like this, but in short let me tell you the background story - I love amaryllis plants, and there were two of which I really loved throughout the time amaryllis Charisma and Temptation however it came out i was badly allergic to the pollen of these plants therefore i had to stop growing them.

Amaryllis temptation

Amaryllis charisma

These flowers had a beautiful fuchsia purple - pink in the heart of the flower with a lovely tint to the outer petals.

Now I found a paphiopedilum orchid which surprised me as no orchid did before, the Paphiopedilum godefroyae var. ang thong x Paphiopedilum lowii is a plant that comes as a child of two unlikely parents who show two totally distinct traits and in a rational mind - a union of these two would be the most crazy idea.

Paphiopedilum godofroyae var ang thong

Paphiopedilum lowii

When I look on both of them I think, and I try to imagine what would be the effect but I failed badly, but there it is, the unlikely child which beauty and uniqueness baffles me, but genes and how they influence the different generations always caused the awe.

 

Paphiopedilum godefroyae var. ang thong x Paphiopedilum lowii has the qualities that will cause your orchid loving heart to skip a beat or two. Mine did, and always do when i look on these pictures and can only patiently wait for my own plant to gift me with these beautiful flowers. 

You can see where I'm coming from when I talk about the stunning blooms of amaryllis flowers, as this Paphiopedilum shares similar qualities of these blooms. The beautiful fuchsia - deep pink and the white of the petals. Why I am gloating so much about this plant? Well, have a look yourself at these pictures.

 

The foliage has a delicate mottling to the leaves which gives the orchid an additional quality, it's a pleasing for the eyes plant even when it's not in bloom. And it's also easy to care for, as it compiles the mixture of the genes of the both parents making it a more home-friendly plant than the species are.

I observed the growth happens really quickly, and it adapts well to different ground and potting mix also. As all paphs however, it likes moisture and good aeration which is hard to achieve in a good level - because there are mixes that will support the moisture but will be less aerated, on the other hand there are mixes that can be really good in the latter but won't keep the moisture. 

Good mix is the key and also the fertilizer, not to much - I would suggest a growth booster once in two weeks when in active growth and a bloom booster once a week when in flower.

 

Because i'm still in the process of growing this beauty I will keep this post updated.

However if you want to buy this guy you should look on the websites of the nurseries like Orchideen Schwerter - Germany and OrchidGarden in Poland.

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Some pictures presented in this article may not belong to me and are a property of their respectable owners.