Paph. micranthum

[eggshells]

Paph. micranthum by paphioman, on Flickr


Paph. micranthum by paphioman, on Flickr


Paph. micranthum by paphioman, on Flickr


Paph. micranthum by paphioman, on Flickr

[DeaC]

Glorious! Your fotos are wonderful-look so pro! Such a lovely paph. and certainly well grown.

[bellini girl]

Pretty in pink, I love it. Good growing. This is going on my wish list for sure

[lotis146]

Wow! Well that is a special little plant, well done!

[WhiteRabbit]

Wow! Fabulous!

[Manfred Busche]

Hi eggshells.

I have a question not related to this post - may I ?

I cultivate a dozen Paphiopedilum plants, in the open at 1000 meters of altitude, and they all grow well.

After my single-growth plant of P. rothschildianum (60 cms leaf span) had flowered 4 months ago,
I left the dried-up stalk on the plant.

Meanwhile a new growth on this plant has reached a height of some 10 cms,
and suddenly the crown of the first growth, the old growth, showed much brown rot.
I cut the crown off to have 4 lower leaves left. I stuffed Sphagnum into the wound and added 'Betadine'.
The plant looks odd, but it is fine.

My question is :
--------------
How do the large green-leafed Paphiopedilum plants usually behave after they have had a flower stalk ?
Does such old growth persist at all times, or does the old growth dry-up or rot away ?

Thank you a lot,
Manfred.
PS : should I perhaps have cut the upright dried-up (old) flower stalk ?

[NYCorchidman]

Those leaves are quite something!

[RosieC]

Wonderful!

[eggshells]

Thanks everybody.

Originally Posted by Manfred Busche

Hi eggshells.

My question is :
--------------
How do the large green-leafed Paphiopedilum plants usually behave after they have had a flower stalk ?
Does such old growth persist at all times, or does the old growth dry-up or rot away ?

Thank you a lot,
Manfred.
PS : should I perhaps have cut the upright dried-up (old) flower stalk ?

Manfred, what you are describing is very odd and it seems like your plant got an infection. Most likely erwinia sp. or bacterial soft rot. That is very fatal to plant if not removed. Usually a healthy plant retain old flowered growths for a year or two if not more.

Bacterial soft rot is one of the fatal diseases in my opinion. I don't fuss around with this. I snip of infected tissue and use systemic bactericide. Isolate the plant, observe it and sterilize work area. Usually they can recover when those procedures are performed but some plants still die especially one growth plant that got the infection on the leaf axil.

[Manfred Busche]

Eggshells, thanks a lot for your comprehensive advice.

I have unpotted the plant, done extensive systemic and ordinary cleansing and will repot soon.

Thank you again, Manfred.