Paph grow lots of leaves, no blooms

[June Bud]

I purchased Paph. Yosemite Moon x Paph farrieanum in spike with 4 leaves in Jan 2009. It opened into a very large, long-lasting, beautiful yellow bloom. Two new growths started, and I repotted it in July 2009. The new growths just keep growing new leaves. One growth has 10 leaves with another one starting, The other growth has 9 leaves. Why so many leaves and no flowers? It gets plenty of light and I give it a good soak and feed it once a week. I started to increase water, thinking maybe that's why it hasn't bloomed. I'm now wondering, is it likely that a bloom may eventually come out of growths that have so many leaves?

Thank you in advance for any info and advise that paph experts may provide about this.

[RosieC]

I don't have growths with that many leaves, but I'm also finding one of my paphs keeps growig and growing and no flowers (since summer 2008).

I read recently (a few weeks back) on OB about them needing a temperature drop in the winter, but I think mine had that so I still don't know how to get it to flower.

[RJSquirrel]

I bought a paph today and asked almost this same question of The man who grew the paphs and just happens to own the greenhouse.
He told me the paphs will not bloom if they are kept too warm and with too much light. they like to be kept cool and shaded to bloom is what he said...I hope to have a blooming bulldog winston churchill x thunderhead if I follow his directions like he said Ill race you all to a bloom!!!

[PaphMadMan]

Paphs are a pretty diverse group in terms of light and temperature needs, so if anyone makes blanket statements about what Paphs need take it with a very large grain of salt. A picture of the plant would help determine if there is something wrong, but knowing what type of Paph it is I can make some guesses.

Despite what you think it might not be getting enough light. Not enough light is far more likely than too much, but it is hard to say without more information. Be cautious moving it to more light though, small increases. What do your leaves look like? Color? Stiffness? Width and length?

It definitely would like very cool temperatures, especially at night. 50 F is not too cool. At least a few weeks of that in season might help.

You may be over-fertilizing, encouraging lush growth without flowers. For weekly fertilizer make sure it is no more than 1/4 strength, and use a low nitrogen fertilizer on mature plants like this. Give it a few weeks off from fertlizing in the coolest season.

And BTW, your plant is called Paph Hsinying Yosemite Fair.

[RosieC]

Interesting, not trying to hijack June Bud's thread but mine is a buldog type paph which I have in a south-west window (it's a bathroom window with frosted glass) so it get's quite bright light. Not sure whether that is getting too little or too much.

Mine has gone down to maybe 60F on a regular basis at night over the winter just gone. Maybe I should put it in the greenhouse in the autum when the weather is getting colder but is not yet really cold, so as to allow it to go down even further.

Over-fertilising is an interesting idea. Mine has very lush green leaves, with new leaves growing in four new fans (it only has one old one and these four new ones). I think I will try dropping the fertiliser levels for it.

[June Bud]

To PaphMadMan - Thank you for your thoughtful insight, and for the actual name of this cross.

I've been keeping it in a south-facing window, where I think it's been getting pretty good light. I'm uploading a few of pics. I took the plant outside for the first, so I could try getting a truer color. The other one shows how the top two leaves on one growth seem to be a bit dimpled. That's why I thought the problem might be insufficient water. I also included a pic of the bloom from Jan. 2009 because everyone loves to see the flowers.

My growing conditions don't provide for temperature drops down into the 50s. I've succeeded at blooming some other paphs in the same conditions. My main question with this one is whether or not this or any paph might eventually (given the right care) produce a bloom from growths that have so many leaves.

Thanks again!

[PaphMadMan]

Originally Posted by June Bud

To PaphMadMan - Thank you for your thoughtful insight, and for the actual name of this cross.

I've been keeping it in a south-facing window, where I think it's been getting pretty good light. I'm uploading a few of pics. I took the plant outside for the first, so I could try getting a truer color. The other one shows how the top two leaves on one growth seem to be a bit dimpled. That's why I thought the problem might be insufficient water. I also included a pic of the bloom from Jan. 2009 because everyone loves to see the flowers.

My growing conditions don't provide for temperature drops down into the 50s. I've succeeded at blooming some other paphs in the same conditions. My main question with this one is whether or not this or any paph might eventually (given the right care) produce a bloom from growths that have so many leaves.

Thanks again!

First... There is no reason that growths with that many leaves shouldn't bloom eventually. Some Paphs can take 3 or more years to fully mature a new growth before it blooms. Again, Paphs are a pretty diverse group and what succeeds with one doesn't necessarily mean success with another.

The pics do look like the plant might be slightly dehydrated. The Phalaenopsis next to it is too. The Paph is also maybe a bit tall and thin for the type, with leaves rather dark green - all indications of possibly not enough light. If you can increase light and water do so cautiously. Sunburn or root rot would not be good. I would decrease fertilizer too, as I mentioned. You don't need to encourage more vegetative growth.

You might be able to give a period of cooler nights by putting it outside in a protected place, whenever the nights in your area are consistently getting below 65F but with no danger of freezing.

[RJSquirrel]

follow up on this thread my paph churchill x thunderhead has bud ..whats yers doing?

[June Bud]

I'm excited to report that a bud finally emerged from one of the two large growths. Before this happened, in late September I put the plant outside for several cool nights. Also, about 5 weeks ago I put it under a new set of T5 lights that I got for a new, expanded growing area. It's very happy! When the flower finally opens, I'll post a picture.

[Ray]

Most orchids are not heavy feeders, the fluids within them (the "sap") is only about 25% the concentration of that in most other plants, and paphs are on the "light" end of the orchid spectrum.

The leaf color in the photos looks a bit bright to me - which could be due to insufficient light, but could also be due to fertilizer with too much nitrogen, which can also "push" foliage growth while slowing blooming.