Why won't this guy open all the way?

[JennS]

I have finally bloomed my first Paph! Yay! Except, he won't open up all the way!

Does anyone have any ideas why this happened, or if possibly he may still open all the way? The bud started opening last Friday (Sept. 19).

It bloomed in May when I got it, it was just about finished then. The new growth produced the current flower and has 2 more fans coming along quite nicely since then. One of them is really really tiny and just poked his way up out of the mix, whereas the other is bigger and is more visibly attached to the plant.

Here is the pic. The plant is Paph. Raisin Pie 'Hsinying' x SIB (Paph. Supersuk 'Eureka') or that is what is written on it's tag. Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated! (This pic was taken on tuesday).

Pic 1. View of whole plant
Pic 2. close up of flower
Pic 3. shows the tiny little new growth

[quiltingwacko]

I'll let someone with more knowledge on this answer that question. Just had to say, it sure is beautiful Jen!

[Ross]

Mine opened much more than that:



I wonder if this is a first bloom? I also saw in another thread that amount of light can influence opening. Mine sit in a south window where they get some direct sun, when it shines. I orient the plant so the blossoms face into room, thus the sun hits the back of the flower. Maybe that does it? I'm really not sure because this hasn't happened to mine very often.

[JennS]

Humm..the light was my first thought. This is the only thing I have inside other then a few problem plants (ones that are practically rootless).

This is the plants second bloom though, I bought it in May in bloom.

I keep it in a north facing window (but a Florida north facing window!), on a trap of pebbles. The roots still look like they are intact, but quite honestly I don't know if they are healthy (it is in a clear pot, but there is a ton of algae so i can't see that clearly!). I recently moved it from the windowsill down onto the countertop because I thought maybe that would encourage it to open more. I will try turning it around and see if that makes a difference.

My other question was can the butterfly clips suffocate the flower at all by squeezing the stem too tightly? It makes little dents (very little, but still visible) in the stem and I have tried other clips, but they all do this! Could that be a factor or am I just paranoid?

[Ross]

I regularly use the clips on mine. The stems actually get quite firm by the time the flower opens, so I can't see how they would ever crush a stem. I push my Phals and Paphs and Masdies with way more light than most folks give theirs. I would guess at above 2500 foot-candles. The full sun on the leaves at 45 degrees latitude might equate to early morning sun in an east window down your way. Even in Florida, I think north light is too dim and too blue. If anything, I would go to an east or west window and add a sheer curtain if it seems to bright. I have low-e glass (not tinted, but still lower sun passage, and screens on the windows. That's why I'm not frying the leaves.

[Becca]

I have a Paph macabre and when it bloomed it seemed like it took forever to fully open.....perhaps over a few weeks it will open more?

[Swamper]

mine took forever to open all the way also....ummm what color are your roots???

[JennS]

I can mostly see green in there more then anything. I guess the roots look kind of brown, but not dead brown. I can see where they are headed down into the medium and they look the same as they do in the pot. It is just so different from all my other 'chids. I can tell quickly with them, but being only my second attempt at a paph, and my first wasn't so good, I have a hard time figuring out what the paph is trying to tell me. I think the roots are fine though for the most part.

I will go ahead and try moving to the west facing window. It only gets a bit of direct sun from like 5PM or later on. Do you think that would be OK?

[JennS]

I will also keep in mind it might still be opening for awhile. Maybe when I return from my trip this weekend it will be more open....

Thanks to all who commented.

Also, the stalk/shoot is firm, I was just wondering. I imagine all sorts of things, so you never know if this was one of those things or not!

[Ross]

FYI, Paph roots do look hairy brown when viable. The tips should look whiteish.