Hi all! My henryanum is open and I'm considering the possible crosses I might make with it. If I still had pollen from Rick's wonderful henryanum, I probably would have done a species cross. Here's the henryanum.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphhenryanumGem.jpg

I could pursue the miniature complex in two ways: from the "top down", using pollen from a complex flower, hoping to retain the overall shape while reducing the size; or from the "bottom up", creating a complex flower using exclusively small species and hybrids.

Here are candidates for "top down" breeding
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphFrecklesAltheawhite.jpg

Paph William Stirling
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphWmStirlingWestPoint2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphHarburPerfection.jpg

Here are a couple more "top down" candidates
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphSiouxRobin.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphKayRinamanVal.jpg

Finally, here are a few candidates for "bottom up" crosses

Paph. Barbi-Doll
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphBarbiDolls.jpg

Paph charlesworthii = Paph Doll's Kobold
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/Paphcharlesworthiiplant.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/Paphcharlesworthiixbarbigerum.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/paphreek/PaphniveumPaulaxRuffles.jpg

All comments are welcome!

My choice is:

#1 Harbur - because of the spotting already in the dorsal.
#2 niveum - should be a pleasantly spotted primary

First of all, your clone of henryanum is very nice.

Second, my vote is for the first flower, Freckles 'athena' or the barbi doll

Kyle

I also like your henryanum, it is beautiful and since I'm a species guy I would say henryanum x henrynaum. :D

I think henryanum x Barbi Doll would make a nice looking mini hybrid.

Barbi Doll is a very nice hybrid. Crossing it with henryanum might make it more compact, flatten out the dorsal and add some much needed spots.

Kyle

I would like to see it crossed with the Kay Rinaman just out of curiosity. I have not seen such a cross with henryanum as most of the crosses are "bottom up" crosses or novelties with other species.

Drool! Love your collection man!

I'd prefer "bottom up" approach.
P niveum is my pick. It should help suppress henry's green dorsal & add more muscles to henry's laterals.

For top down my choice would be Paph Harbur. For bottom up (charlesworthii x barbigerum), or Barbi Doll.

Pardon my ignorance,

Can some one clear up for me what is meant by 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' breeding?

I think I know, but would like to confrim and theres probalby lots of peopel who don't know.

Kyle

Nice henryanum!!! Have you thought of selfing the plant??

As far as top down, I like Freckles or Kay Rinaman, mostly 'cause I'm into butterscotches, pinks, and whites.

I think bottom up is a better way to go, and I would choose the (charlesworthii x barbigerum), but I don't see a lot of charlesworthii influence in the dorsal in this pic. I think this cross will end up with a terribly pinched dorsal.

The niveum, however, should impart terrific shape without compromising plant size, and the flowers should have interesting color as well. In addition, a brief internet search shows this hybrid (Paph Jeanie Ting, registered 1996 by Orchid Thoroughbreds) won an 80 point AM at the April 2006 meeting of the AOS Great Plains JC (Photo - http://oosorchids.org/judging1.html), with a beatiful pink spotted flower. Lastly, If one wanted to pursue teacup whites or pinks, your new population of Jeanie Tings would be a great place to start!

Pardon my ignorance,

Can some one clear up for me what is meant by 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' breeding?

I think I know, but would like to confrim and theres probalby lots of peopel who don't know.

Kyle

Thanks for asking the question. :) When I speak of "top down" breeding for miniature complexes, I refer to taking well formed, standard complexes and breeding them with small species and hybrids to reduce the size while hopefully maintaining the complex shape. "Bottom up" refers to creating miniature complex Paphs "from scratch" using only miniature species and hybrids, gradually breeding in the complex form over several generations.

Bill, I chose the Kay Rinaman because I, also, had not seen anything using a complex green. I think the Harbur 'Perfection' would have been my first choice, but I have seedlings of a similar cross (henryanum x Bell Ringer 'Brocade') and have the reciprocal (Harbur 'Perfection' x henryanum) in pod.

Thanks for the link to the Jeanie Ting, Brian. I had thought the same thing as Mang, that the niveum would help widen the petals of the henryanum. You've provided visual proof.

As for the henryanum x Freckles, Kyle, I've seen this flower and it was tiny with pastel colors. I wasn't real thrilled with it, but I only saw two examples, and with a high quality Freckles clone, could have good potential. A real plus was that the flowers were blooming on henryanum sized plants.

You have a great flat, round henryanyum Ross.

I'd put one pollen into selfing and 1 pollen into the niveum

My vote would be for the Harbur as it would potentially bring down the plant size, maintain the lovely spotted green sepal, potentially add some spotting on the petals, and if typical add more pink into the pouch, and a bit of fullness to the petals.

If looking at bottom up, i'd have to go with the niveum. The others would not give any help to the width of petals which will likely be one of the major challenges in breeding for mini complex slippers of the typical round shape.

I think you should go for the Jeanie Ting. :thumbsup:

Just perusing my Wildcatt and came up with two interesting henryanum crosses:
Paph Teacup = Paph Ansum x henryanum (H. Doll, 1991)
Paph Little Moments = Liz Greenlees x henryanum (Orchid Zone, 2000)

Has anyone seen pictures of either?

Too many choices -- my head is spinning!

Why mess with perfection ! Your henryannum is just that !!:heart:

Paphreek- Your photos and plants are beautiful. I vote for henrynum and viveum.

Thanks for all the input and kind words. I just pollinated the henryanum with Kay Rianama 'Val' AM/AOS. Some of the henryanum pollen will be sent off for a collaboration to make more henryanums and some will hopefully be put on my niveum, which is in bud. :)

Ross, that is excellent! :good:

Congradulations, Ross.

Awesome Ross. That'll hopefully create a lovely compact bloomer.

hi great pic mine too would be for sib cross - but freckles is one of my very 1st favourite cross's but on the other hand --maybe someone out there in your great land could send you some pollen for a spiece cross .
nice pics
Billie West Aust