Paphiopedilum venustum-a flower for the ages!

Dr Leslie Ee, an accredited AOS judge, has been growing orchids since childhood, maintains an extensive collection in Toronto Canada and is President of the Canadian Orchid Congress, the Canadian counterpart of the American Orchid Society, (over 29 member societies). Paphiopedilum venustum was the first paphiopedilum species to be registered, in 1816, and is valued for the beauty of its flower, the ease of its culture and the overwhelming success of its over 175 awarded progeny. Dr. Ee describes the history, origin and taxonomy of venustum, its home range and type locations of its varieties, and reviews its many AOS awards, indicating the features which should be considered in judging, as well as some of the faults of the species. He provides information on the major contributions of venustum to improved paph culture, focusing on the inheritance of unique deep red color in  petals and pouch which dominates in up to six generations of its progeny, e.g Hawaiian Treasure and Macabre Deception (F2), as well, he discusses  the successful album (white) lines, the yellow-green and bronze hybrids which lack the red pigment but are significant contributors to paph improvement. He highlights major advances in hybrids with other paphiopedilum species and ends with useful information and hints to growers for good venustum culture.