Paph lifecycle

[dbarron]

Like so much in orchids, I'm sure there are exceptions to any rule. However, if you folks could help me wrap my mind around 'typical' growth patterns for paph, I'd appreciate it.
I have a barbigerum hybrid that I noticed has produced three tiny offsets but the older single growth has not produced an inflorescence visibly yet. Should I expect that it won't, or might it, or it probably won't ?
What is the most likely sequence in a growth pattern?

[Ray]

In my experience, there is no "set" pattern.

Given the proper conditions and care, they can initiate new growths before, during, or after blooming.

I just sold a Paph. stonei that consisted of one old growth, one in bloom, one close to blooming, one about a third of the way there, based upon size, and three new growths just emerging.

[dbarron]

Hah, I was afraid someone would say that Ray!

[estación seca]

They need to have enough plant mass to flower. Sometimes the first or the first few growths of a seedling never flower. They might flower later when the plant has more growths.

The general sequence is a growth (fan) forms, matures, flowers, then eventually dies. It forms new growths before, while or after flowering. Some plants forms new growths at a consistent time in their growth cycle, and others don't.

[Fairorchids]

Some Paphs will readily bloom from a single growth. Others require 2-3 growths before there is enough 'plant mass' to bloom.

However, there is another aspect to this. Paphs won't bloom unless conditions are right. Some plants might not bloom for 3, 4 or 5 years; then, when conditions are right, they will bloom on all the unbloomed fans (growths) simultaneously.

One of the requirements to induce blooms, is that nighttime temps must be 10-15F below daytime temps for 2-3 weeks, 6 months prior to the normal blooming time.

This is the trait, which allows nurseries to time the blooming to match Easter, Mothers Day, or whatever time they are looking for.

[dbarron]

So maybe I wasn't as confused as I thought. They just do what they want (so some extent, and conditions provided).
Thanks for the insights (and they are)!

[Ray]

Kim brought up an interesting aspect of orchid culture, the business about resource availability and management, but didn’t mention the role of culture in that.

To my mind, there are three, main functions to a plant, in order of priority: maintenance (staying alive), adding tissue (growth), and reproduction (blooming, for us). Those chemical resources are created from nutrients, water, air and sunlight.

If a plant doesn’t have enough, it’ll die. If it does, it’ll stay alive but not do much more. If it has built up and stored an excess, it will grow.

Growing adds more resource-creation and storage capacity, hence the reason a larger plant is more resilient and grows faster.

If the plant or colony (resources are shared between growths) is doing so well that it has a significant level of resources stored, it can expend some of reproduction, a process that consumes more than it can add.

But it seems that there is another aspect to be considered in this, which I have no other term for but “comfort level”. It’s as if the plant comes to “expect” certain conditions and reacts accordingly. For some growers, for example, repotting may throw off a plant’s bloom cycle, while for another, doing so may not. It seems that if the plant is growing great and has amassed a hefty store of those chemical resources, it won’t miss a beat, “knowing” that it will likely regain resources expended with ease.

Concerning paphs needing a significant nighttime temperature drop, my Paph. stonei didn’t listen, as we’ve had weeks and weeks of super hot days and nights, and it put on the best show it ever has…

[dbarron]

I hear you Ray, though I have to chuckle as the tone is similar to 'we pray to the orchid gods'. And yes, there's certainly an element of deftness in regards to repotting. In recent years, I repot when I need or want to, and the plants respond with increased growth. Yet, I read of people that kill or severely set back plants by not repotting based on growth cycle. I'm sure some plants are more finicky than others (I did just kill some two young wilsonaras by forgetting them and leaving them soak overnight vs 15 minutes (yes seriously)).

[Ray]

Yeah, I've always seen paphs burst into growth after repotting, too.

[Roberta]

This discussion brought back a memory with a chuckle. I recall an orchid club member (alas no longer with us) who, about every 2-3 years would come into a meeting wildly enthusiastic about a "new potting medium that he had discovered", he was seeing fantastic growth, etc. Each time it it was something different. THIS is the BEST... the answer to life, the universe, and everything. What he was seeing was that vigorous response that many plants give when they get fresh new medium. And in 2-3 years, they likely did need repotting. He mostly grew Catts, but I recall also Paphs. They don't make characters like they used to...