Asymmetric Flower Wilting

[Troythediver]

All, this is in reference to another post I have in the potting section called Office Phal Experiment. In which I am monitoring how well and long this phal blooms after being repotted and placed in an office environment.

I am here because of some unusual behavior that I couldn't find answers to anywhere else.

I repotted in bark on Day 1 after washing its roots thoroughly. On Day 2 I watered it. The morning of Day 6 when I came in to work blooms 1,2,4-7 were drooping with no wrinkling characteristics. Bloom 8 was starting to open. Bloom 9 was still shut and Bloom 3 looked ok. The pic I posted is of this stage. Day 7 they looked the same and then today, Day 8, Blooms 3, 4, 6, and 7 are very wilted while the others now look fine. Bloom 9 is also now beginning to open.

I could understand if the back ones were wilting or starting to senesce, or even if the bud/Bloom nine were aborted due to stress. But has anyone seen random flowers exhibit this behavior?

[Troythediver]

This was just taken. You can see that when comparing to the picture above that different flowers are wilted. I can also say that it doesn't need water as the pot is clear plastic and I can still see that it is moist.

[RandomGemini]

Yes. I have an orchid doing just this. The older flowers at the back of the inflourescence are doing beautiful and the ones at the newer end are doing great... and several flowers in the middle just dropped. I think they caught a draft and it caused them to wilt prematurely.

[Troythediver]

It's as if the plant got stressed and decided ok, I can only keep five of you and then rolled the dice for each flower. It will be interesting to see if any of them recover. Either way I'll know tomorrow.

[Leafmite]

I would guess draft, too. Dry air, root problems, lighting problems, fungus, cooler draft...these things are often the cause of blooms dropping early.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Yes I have had them do just that. I believe ( and this is just my opinion as I don't really know ) that if the plant is stressed at a certain point in the bud stage that the bloom is weaker and that is the one that goes.

[Troythediver]

Yep. 4 of the flowers are no more. At least it still looks nice. It now has 2 at the back 2 in the front and 1 in the middle.