Paph philippinense PHOTO
Usually blooms in the late spring & summer, so it's quite a bit early this year. Maybe it's the mild winter up until now. Quite unusual to see philippinense in full bloom with 20" of snow outside...
First described in 1862 and native to a wide range within the Philippine archipelago, Paph. philippinense is a variable but delightful multifloral species. It is an easy grower that prefers hot, humid, and bright conditions, and typically blooms in spring or summer with the increasing light duration. Although it is certainly well worth growing in its own right, Paph. philippinense has been the parent of some truly illustrious primary hybrids such as Saint Swithin (x rothschildianum) and Michael Koopowitz (x sanderianum).
Taxonomy has been particularly contentious with regards to the "Paph. philippinense complex", and there has been much confusion over the years with the entities laevigatum, cannartianum, and roebbelenii. Although the first two are widely agreed upon as synonymous with philippinense, the entity roebbelenii remains a subject of controversy. While most agree that roebbelenii has longer, more pendent, and perhaps more spiraled petals than philippinense, its identity as variety or autonomous species is still the subject of debate. Variety roebbelenii is also reported to have narrower leaves, higher peduncular hair density, and a yellow staminode that lacks the green markings of philippinense. Alba (pure green and white) and aureum (green and white tinged with brown) forms of philippinense also exist, and have paved the way for multifloral green and white hybrids.
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