J. Foerstermann discovered Paph. sanderianum in 1885 and named it after Fredrick Sander, one of the world’s prominent plant lovers and orchid specialists. The orchid immediately became renowned for the remarkable length of its petals, which can measure over 1 meter (36 inches) long. Although P. sanderianum has been used as a parent in a number of crosses, none of the resulting hybrids have so far matched the extraordinary lengths of this species' petals. Soon after the turn of the 20th century, this rare orchid was lost to cultivation and thought to be extinct in the wild, until its rediscovery in 1978 by Ivan Nielson. The wild population of Paph. sanderianum grows protected in Gunung Mulu National Park.
This species carries 4 to 6 simultaneously opening flowers, well known for its incredible long spiraling sepal petals that can reach 36 inches in length. They can be slow to reach blooming size as seedlings, but once they reach maturity they flower reliably every year. As the plants get larger the flowers become even more impressive.
We are very fortunate to obtain seedlings of this amazing sibling cross from Mr. Su of Haur Jih Orchids (Taiwan). In creating this sibling cross, he chose two of his select Paph. sanderianum with the longest sepal petals, i.e., measuring 115 cm and 99.5 cm respectively. The large, showy, waxy flowers have a heavy substance and lasts up to 2 months. Plants have very glossy light green leaves.
We grow our multi-floral Paphs alongside our novelty Phals like Phal. bellina and Phal. amboinensis. Paph. sanderianum prefers more water than all other multi-floral species. During the summer, it prefers shade than other multi-floral species like Paph. philippinense and Paph. rothschildianum.
Growing tip: Once the plant is spiking, it is best to hang or elevate the pot so that petals do not touch the surface as they elongate while growing because the petals will stop growing and not reach its maximum potential. From my experience, Paph. sanderianum does not require as cool nighttime temperature as Paph. rothschildianum does. In growing this species for over 10 years, I find that it can easily tolerate a maximum of 95° F and low of 50° F. Paphs detest soggy growing medium; pot in well-draining media. Grow them bright and warm with high humidity and good air circulation. As with all Paphs, its roots are sensitive to salt buildup from excess fertilizer which causes leaf tips to turn brown. It is a good practice to flush the medium with fresh, clean water once a month and repot Paphs in fresh media every year.
The plants being offered are between 5 and 7 years old and available at different leaf spans. These plants should be jaw dropping and impressive. With exceptional parents, we expect many awards from this population. Very easy to grow and bloom. A must for every Paph orchid collection! Highly recommended.
#Paph #slipperorchid #species #multifloral #phenomenal #exceptionalparents #impressive #waxy #longlasting #showy #eyecatching #largebloom #awardquality #easy
PLEASE NOTE: Since this is a Seedling Population (not a Mericlone which produces exact duplicates), the picture is for illustration purposes only. No two plants will be the same from this cross, and they will flower in a range of possibilities coming from the two parents.