How to make a Paph bloom again.

[debrasoon]

Hi. I have quite a few Paphs which were doing fine until recently when it got a lot hotter and the area they were in got a lot more sunshine than in the last few months. I have had to move all of them. A couple of them were going to bloom again from the same spike but the buds were burnt and dropped off. Do I cut off the spike? How do I get them to bloom again? One of them actually, the very first one given to me, a mottled leaf variety, hasn't bloomed in 9 months. Help!


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[MrHappyRotter]

Hi there,

Just to be clear, are you asking about paphs (Paphiopedilum - Ladyslipper orchids) or phals (Phalaenopsis - Moth orchids)? I'm asking because your statement about them blooming again from the same spike leads me to believe you might have meant to say phals instead of paphs. There are only a small number of paphs that are sequential multiflorals (i.e. capable of reblooming from the same spike in some sense) but they aren't all that common in collections. Where as, there are a good number of phals that either bloom sequentially or are capble of branching and producing new buds on old spikes.

It's important to clarify whether we're talking about paphs or phals, since the answers to some of your questions will be different depending on the genus.

If you are talking about paphs, except in extremely rare cases (like winning the $500 million lotto rare) most paphs do not rebloom from the same spike. There is a sequential multifloral group that continues producing buds on the same spike for months or years at a time, but those are the exception and they aren't as commonly grown. Even if you do have a sequential blooming paph, if the plants are heat stressed and possibly sun burned, you may as well cut the spike off so that the plant rests and recovers.

Getting them to bloom again requires you to provide them with good growing conditions, and then it's just a matter of time. Some paphs can bloom every 9 months or so, but unless you have large, mature, multigrowth plants, it's more common for them to bloom once a year or once every other year. Good growing conditions means constant moisture levels, good quality water, light but regular feeding, warm temperatures, good air flow, and moderate light levels. There are species that have more specific cultural requirements, so if you have IDs for your plants, you can share them here or search the names on Google and that might help determine if you've got something that needs special care.

[debrasoon]

Hi thanks much. And I am referring to Paphs, ie slippers and not phals. The Paphs I have seem to be sequential. A glaucophyllum bloomed again and the niveum did until it got heat stressed and the bulb shrivelled up. A huge green one which I figure is a NOID was also going to bloom again but got heat n sun stressed last week the same as the niveam. Am. Hoping to coax them back into shape. . This is the glaucophyllum which bloomed again.


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[Fairorchids]

You do not give your location, but I assume northern hemisphere.

For Paphs, at least 50% shade is recommended in the summer. In late Feb we are starting to get more light, and it is easy to give the winter tender plants a burn.

For your sequential bloomers, give them a little while to see whether more buds form at the end of the spike. If not, you can chop them.

For non-sequential bloomers, do not expect flowers more than once a year. The mottled leaf Maudiae types can do a little better once plants get large, and can grow a fan to blooming size sooner. However, this does not happen till the plant has 4-6 mature fans.

Growing Paphs in the house, the strapleaved types can take 12+ months to grow a new fan, so some plants only bloom every other year (or alternating 1 & 2 year intervals).

For the multi-florals, I believe that the intervals can be longer (I don't grow that type).

[debrasoon]

Thanks. I am actually in singapore. In the tropics where the plants originated from. I will try to be patient.


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[NYCorchidman]

I think Brachys will do best in your climate.