Lan Lan Wants More Paphiopedilums

Lan Lan peers over the lush foliage of Paph. Hatsue Otsuka 'Gold Spirits' AM/AOS x Paph. rothschildianum 'Baby Milais.'  I purchased this one from the Orchid Inn, Ltd. located in Bloomington Illinois and owned and operated by Sam and Jeanie Tsui.  Their website explains that the Hatsue Otsuka part of this hybrid is Paph. Golddollar x rothschildianum 'Rex,' and the 'Baby Milais' side is bred from a selfing of Mont Milais (for a little more on what "selfing" means, see here).  Going back another generation, Paph. Golddollar is a cross between Paph. primulinum x Paph. armeniacum.

The sample plants at Orchid Inn's Omaha Orchid Show display (see right) suggest what we can expect if everything goes okay. Lan Lan should see brilliant yellow flowers with a lip that has a gorgeous blush of red, and dark mahogany markings on the petals and sepals.

The rothschildianum species has a prominent stamp on the shape and coloring of this hybrid. Paph. rothschildianum is known by some as The King of the Paphs, so it is only fitting that Lan Lan -- Queen of the Paphs in the Cats and Catts house -- is looking over its wellbeing.